SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER

See the Infantil & Primaria page for more pedagogy information.

Although they may seem like more mature topics, there are several ways this curriculum can be adapted to infantil and primaria classrooms. At its foundation, STTP is meant to create global citizens that are more open to solving issues and addressing world concerns through direct and honest conversation with peers. This aim can be met through classroom routines and expectations and visual representations with younger students. 

To introduce socio-emotional skills of collaboration and respect, the STTP curriculum can be used to support you in the development of classroom norms and routines. For example, promoting positive rapport between students can start by you, the educator, highlighting positive behaviors across students rather than highlighting negative behaviors from individuals. This gives them a chance to self-reflect on their own actions and redirect their actions if not on par with the expectation of the classroom.

To introduce the topics of social justice, human rights and global citizenry, think of using picture books about voting, video-clips highlighting diversity and inclusion or classroom games that require validating each person’s opinion in the conversation.

For more ideas on how to incorporate this curriculum into infantil and primaria classes, take a look starting at page 23 in the STTP Curriculum Handbook.

See the Secundaria page for pedagogy-specific information.

Implementing STTP in secondary classrooms will bring much-needed attention to ongoing human rights abuses and will empower students to become personally involved in the protection of human rights. The great thing about this curriculum is that the lessons align with social studies, math, science, the arts, and foreign language standards, which means STTP can be taught as a stand-alone subject/class or integrated into the units your students are already learning.

Before diving into human rights issues, we suggest that you discuss key characteristics of human rights with your students and analyze  the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other similar documents. Below is a short summary of the characteristics of Human Rights and on p. 25 you will find a handout titled “What are Human Rights? (Abbreviated Version)” that you can give to your students. This foundational material can be easily adapted for younger students, and you may find that even your younger classes are already familiar with the ideas, albeit in Spanish. Additionally, many of the key words below (such as “universal” and “indivisible”) are cognates and thus can be easily understood.

Teaching human rights is a fundamental and necessary part of learning for all people. HR education is multidisciplinary in nature and lessons can fall into social studies, ética, language arts, and can be integrated into almost all other subjects. STTP encourages both theory and practice. Lessons are framed to provide opportunities for students to submit their own ideas and to make their own judgments about the world around them. Similarly, the focus on practice pushes students to take action and become defenders. As discussed in the Pedagogy Guide, in order to successfully implement STTP in your classroom, you will need to establish a safe learning environment where HR can be practiced and lived in the daily life of the whole class and school community.

In determining the best methodology for teaching STTP, consider the content and how a certain approach might frame the HR issue at hand. Will a role-play on child labor provide a lens for your students or will it allow them too much distance so that the impact of the activity is lost?

Please note that many HR issues are difficult to understand and are far removed from most students’ daily lives. The line between exposing and shocking, developing empathy and sympathy, or creating real opportunities to take action or promoting more symbolic events is difficult to navigate. This can be especially tricky in infantil and primaria, where many co-teachers may not feel comfortable discussing some topics at all, so be prepared to have open conversations with them about what topics are age-appropriate and how to best relate them to curriculum goals. Be sure to always keep your objectives in mind and design lessons with age-appropriate activities that will help you achieve these.

When designing lessons consider:

• How does the issue or concept align with learning standards?
• What do your students know about the issue?
• How is it relevant to them?
• Is it easily understood/digestible?
• Have you prepared your students to engage with this topic by providing necessary background information, language, and discussion tools?
• Have you thought through your follow-up plans?
• What is your main objective? 

Remember that before starting any class activity, establish ground rules that all of the students contribute and agree to. You should also clarify your expectations and objectives. (Remember that clarifying expectations for an activity means showing instead of telling; be sure to model what you would like your students to do.)

See the Formación Profesional page for level-specific information.

While the topics addressed in the Speak Truth to Power Curriculum are directly relatable to the lives of Formacion Profesional students, there are some accommodations and adjustments that will need to be made to make the lessons most effective for the students in your classroom. 

It is important that FP students be exposed to continued activities for verbal practice of their English. This being said, it will be important to adjust the presentation of some vocabulary and grammar to best meet the needs of the students. Consider utilizing videos, current event examples through pictures and a word wall of similar vocabulary to support the students in their discussions of the topics presented. 

FP students tend to be more motivated to discuss topics and complete activities directly related to the vocational field they are studying. Consider ways to highlight the topics most in demand based on the area of study of your students. For example, if you are in the English class of a Salud Ambiental (Public Health) FP course, introduce concrete discussion questions related to jobs in Public Health. One scenario could be: You are working in an elderly home and you overhear a co-worker say she does not want to help one of the patients because of XYZ reasons. What do you do? 

For more ideas on how to incorporate this curriculum into Formacion Profesional classes, take a look at the STTP Curriculum Handbook.

See the University page for pedagogy-specific information.

At the university level, adaptation will be key, although there is the advantage in that students will be able to handle more detailed and complex issues as compared to younger populations. Consider prioritizing thematic issues around workshops or lessons, such as questions of environmental rights, LGTBQIA+ rights, histories of genocide, and religious self-determination. While students will be able to handle more advanced vocabulary, you’ll want to take into account students’ comfort and language levels; certain terminology around human rights should be translated, considering the respective connotations, and provided with concrete examples; as well, consider asking students to define certain terms, taking into account their perspectives.

Depending on your placement, several factors could affect implementation: your teaching activities, facultades, professors, and the frequency you work with students. If you meet regularly with the same students, you may consider developing a multi-lesson plan; if you meet with different classes, you might then consider a 1-lesson workshop you can use with each class. While these issues tend to be more applicable in humanities courses, you might find creative ways to implement them in other areas such as “science & ethics” or “business ethics,” for instance. Speak with your professors for ideas on how to implement STTP in the university classroom! Lastly, every facultad will probably not receive a lesson, and that’s alright! The idea is to adapt and implement where you can.

UCJC: Some past TAs found that it was easier to implement STTP in English language-learning courses since content courses had set curricula. Some professors also may be more open to STTP materials than others. 

•  English language-learning courses: Some TAs suggest pitching STTP content as an English-learning tool or speaking activity. Since many of these courses have a theme (i.e. English for Film Majors, etc), you can adapt STTP materials to these themes, or if applicable, find STTP materials that connect these topics. 
• Content courses: Some TAs found ways to connect class material to contemporary social issues in their presentations: for instance, relating a course theme to a real-life issue. Though they did not directly use the STTP curriculum, they were able to discuss human rights issues as an application of class content. 
• Some past TAs have brought STTP articles to one-on-one tutoring sessions and discussed human rights issues with their tutees. ○ Depending on the class, some professors may give you a role in creating a final assignment or project, which could present another opportunity to implement STTP. 

 IE University: 

• Some past grantees have mentioned that in their roles co-teaching Business English and working in the Writing Center, they had difficulty implementing STTP. However, they suggested looking into pre-existing university clubs or organizations with a social justice component and bringing the material to those spaces
• A Workshop for Staff could be centered around STTP issues

• UMA: 

•  Past grantees have emphasized that adaptation can help facilitate STTP implementation. For instance, a TA highlighted contemporary feminist performance art (and artists!) and movements in the US during a class discussion about feminism in the US and the role of art in social justice movements. Adding to the defender list was helpful when implementing STTP in that class. 

TAs may find it easier to implement STTP in the Letras or Education facultades, especially in English language classes with curriculum flexibility; however, you may still find ways to start discussions about human rights in other departments.