The Monthly Newsletter
Issue 112 | February, 2015 | www.ei-india.com
MISCONCEPTION Series
? Tackling Maths Anxiety...
ASSET
Educators’ Zone
COVER Story Strategies to Teach Social Responsibility Teaching social responsibility means intentionally teaching young people to understand themselves, each other, and the world. To do this one can create classrooms where students can air and solve conflicts, discuss controversial topics, have a say in what and how one learns, ask questions, engage in dialogue, and be moved to action as a result of their study. Some tips to teach social responsibility: Make Your Classroom More Democratic and Participatory The following questions will help decide how to involve students in the curriculum and in the classroom:
It is human nature to be more invested in something if one has a say in it. We’ve all felt the frustration of watching the same five hands shoot up over and over again in whole class discussions. Think about ways to get more students to participate. Mix up teaching strategies to get more kids to contribute to the conversation: try small groups, pairs, fishbowls, collaborative groups, and micro-labs. Students who are usually quiet in class can sometimes be motivated to participate through activities that involve writing, theatre, or art. Teach Kids to Solve Conflicts
Conflict is a part of life. In fact, conflict often makes life interesting • Can students be allowed to and can lead to greater determine classroom rules/guidelines understanding and deeper and consequences? connections between people. Unfortunately, conflict in schools • How can students share ideas about reading assignments, areas of often causes disharmony, fighting, or even violence. That’s where social study, and homework? and emotional skill-building comes in. • Can some decisions be made by Having these skills will help students consensus? navigate their social world, and help • Can students take turns teaching them do better academically. Begin the class, either individually or in by helping the class develop a sense groups? of community by doing team-building
activities and collectively determining classroom rules. • Teach active listening and practice “I-messages” (saying how you feel rather than blaming the other person) to cut down the number of conflicts.
the day, and will want to discuss them in school. Be both proactive and reactive: Bring up difficult or controversial topics, and also respond to questions.
If students’ questions come up when time is short, acknowledge the • When conflicts arise, use them to question and come back to it later. Let the students know that nothing teach skills and promote healthy is off-limits. relationships. • Help students learn concrete problem-solving and negotiation strategies. Teach them how to stand up for what they need without putting down the other person in the conflict. We call this being “strong” not “mean.” Work towards win-win solutions.
Be sure to keep parents in the loop: Let them know what you’re doing and be sensitive about what topics might relate to the home.
And of course, always consider what’s age appropriate for the students. For example, if third grade students want to discuss a Be aware that sometimes prejudice devastating earthquake that has and stereotyping are the root causes been in the news, focus on the science of earthquakes, how people of conflict. To address this, have helped the victims, and perhaps integrate concepts of diversity and intercultural understanding into the how students themselves could help. High school students can curriculum as much as possible. handle discussions about Address Controversial Issues the death and damage the quake caused. We live in a world filled with controversy. Students are usually passionate about the hot topics of
Source: http://www.teachhub.com/5-strategies-teach-social-responsibility