Transforming corridor conversations into human rights education

We’re barely three weeks into 2015 and the news is dominated by human rights atrocities.

I can well imagine the conversations teachers are facing in the corridor, or in registration, from young people trying to decipher the debates raging around them - free speech, religion, education, asylum... 

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial that teachers feel equipped to teach about human rights. But having worked in education for over ten years I know it can be incredibly difficult to fit anything beyond the core curriculum into the timetable.  I wasn’t surprised then, when a TES/Amnesty survey revealed that one third of teachers don’t feel fully-equipped to teach human rights.

It’s not down to a lack of interest though - 90% of those same teachers said they would support human rights education in the curriculum pre-key stage 4. Again, I’m not surprised by that (although I am very happy about it) – we all want to be able to answer those questions in the corridor, foster an atmosphere of fairness and encourage children to empathise and appreciate difference. That’s how and where human rights education begins. 

And that’s why we’re here and why Amnesty runs such a wide-ranging education programme – so we can help you bring human rights education to life in your classrooms. Our CPD teacher training course will strengthen your skills in teaching and training colleagues and you will meet experts in human rights education to support your professional development.  Every year I’m touched and inspired to see how young people respond.

Whatever news 2015 may bring, let’s work together to tackle it.