Monday, August 19, 2013

Universal Declaration of Human Rights elective

These topics blend beautifully with the elective I plan to run this fall at the middle school: Youth for Human Rights. Students will be able to explain the origin and purpose of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and will consider what rights they feel are most vital, as well as which are most abused. I hope for students to identify a current human rights violation and to take action to improve the situation. I have been profoundly moved by the courage and achievements of Malala Yousafzai, at just 16 years old. I welcome Fernando Reimer's call to reconsider the purpose of education as I often find myself called back to questions raised by such books as Krishnamurti's "Think on These Things" and Rosenberg's "Life Enriching Education". Perhaps, just as some studies of the business world show the payback of kindness (e.g., "The Power of Nice"), "preparing students with the skills and the ethical dispositions to invent a future that enhances human well-being" can also lead to economic prosperity.

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