Section 3
Suggested Classroom
Activities
High School - Suggested Strategies
STUDENTS' RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
SENIOR HIGH LEVEL COMPONENT
The rationale for developing a curriculum module to educate students about their rights and responsibilities has been dealt with in the overall introduction. It is a new approach in this province, though one that is in line with developments elsewhere in Canada and the world.
Its application to the various levels of the education system requires both creativity and flexibility. However, at the senior high school level, this endeavor is tempered by practical considerations:
Firstly, there are time and material constraints. The most obvious is that in many courses there are public examinations, a reality which cannot be ignored and for which students must prepare themselves. Thus, there is little room to add to the existing workload.
Secondly, during the primary, elementary, and intermediate stages of the educational process, the application of the ideas of students' rights and responsibilities, as defined in this curriculum module, should have prepared the students to apply these guidelines in both a sophisticated manner and to a wide range of experiences. Thus, by the time that they reach the senior level of high school, they should be ready to use them to make critical judgements and applications to their own interactions and to the realities of their social, economic, and political environment.
Thirdly, the content of most senior high school level courses contain specific themes that deal with human (students') rights and their corresponding responsibilities. In some courses, these rights and responsibilities are clearly defined, while in others they are more implicit and therefore require greater planning, definition, and the application of creative teaching techniques.
The development of the senior high school component of the students' rights and responsibilities curriculum module is based on the above premises and therefore proposes that its implementation be one of INFUSION. This means that the module will not add to the workload of either students or teachers, rather, it will enhance the teaching of existing themes in the curriculum. Obviously, it will be necessary that teachers and students develop a fresh approach to the educational materials and content.
To facilitate this process, this component of the students' rights and responsibilities curriculum module contains guidelines for a number of specific courses. The Outcomes and curriculum connections are defined to ensure clarity and ease of application. Thus, it will be possible to understand WHAT the curriculum module aims to achieve and WHERE the infusion can be accomplished. This means that everyone will be able to deal with the same items. At the same time, the range is wide enough that teachers can exercise some choice in selecting themes and topics to reflect their own and their students' interests and inclinations.
It would be unreasonable to assume that every theme and topic lends itself to the infusion process. Therefore selected resources and activities have been identified. These are practical, easy-to-use and can be obtained without undue trouble. They are by no means an exhaustive listing and teachers are encouraged to expand their knowledge of rights and responsibilities gained at the earlier levels and apply it to the larger world, the main focus of the high school curriculum.
The infusion methodology lends itself readily to all senior high school courses.
Many educators will be somewhat uncertain when this method is proposed for the more "technical" subjects. Nevertheless, in those areas there is also room for creativity and innovation. It is in the application of skills that infusion of human (students') rights and responsibilities can have its greatest impact. It is for this reason that the module includes guidelines for such courses as Communications Technology 3104.
The society in which students must play a constructive role is a difficult and changing one. They must be prepared not only with technical skills, but also with the knowledge, skills and values necessary for personal growth and the development of society. These must be motivated by respect for human rights and an acknowledgment of the responsibilities that they entail.
A special note should be made regarding the resources cited in this module. The three most frequently referred to are: The Way We Are, Freedom and Responsibility, and Economic Rights; A Road Untravelled. These volumes were published by the Newfoundland-Labrador Human Rights Association and are available in all school resource centres.
Let's Stop Racism: A Teacher's Guide can be obtained from the Department of Canadian Heritage. A copy is available in each school.
Global Teacher, Global Learner is available in a limited number of schools/districts resource centres. The resource is available from Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, ON Z3R 4T8 (1-800-387-9776).
Finally, the references used in this module are by no means the only resources appropriate to this infusion process. Teachers are encouraged to share information on alternative sources that are appropriate to the Outcomes defined, and to the curriculum connections identified for each course in this module. (Please refer to the recommended resources at the end of this document).
The high school courses addressed in this Module are: