Thursday, November 21, 2019

Schools : World Philosophy Day : resources






World Philosophy Day

Celebrated on every third Thursday of November since 2005, World Philosophy Day aims to foster philosophical analysis of major contemporary issues, so as to respond more effectively to the challenges confronting humanity today. 

"Philosophy is the study of the nature of reality and existence, of what is possible to know, and of right and wrong behavior. It comes from the Greek word phílosophía, meaning 'the love of wisdom.' It is one of the most important fields of human thought as it aspires to get at the very meaning of life."





World Philosophy Day was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) with the following objectives:
  • to renew the national, subregional, regional and international commitment to philosophy;
  • to foster philosophical analysis, research and studies on major contemporary issues, so as to respond more effectively to the challenges that are confronting humanity today;
  • to raise public awareness of the importance of philosophy and its critical use in the choices arising for many societies from the effects of globalization or entry into modernity;
  • to appraise the state of philosophy teaching throughout the world, with special emphasis on unequal access;
  • to underline the importance of the universalization of philosophy teaching for future generations.



World Philosophy Day
credits: UNESCO

The 2019 edition aims to highlight the importance of philosophy in different regional contexts. 

  • Goal:

The goal is to obtain regional contributions to global debates on contemporary challenges that support social transformations and to stimulate collaboration to address global issues, such as migration, radicalization, environmental change, or artificial intelligence.





A detail of the stained glass panel by Marc Chagall, installed in the UN General Assembly buildingcredits: photo: UN Photos/ Lois Connerhttps://www.un.org/en/
Philosophy is an inspiring discipline as well as an everyday practice that can transform societies. By enabling to discover the diversity of the intellectual currents in the world, philosophy stimulates intercultural dialogue. 

By awakening minds to the exercise of thinking and the reasoned confrontation of opinions, philosophy helps to build a more tolerant, more respectful society. 

It thus helps to understand and respond to major contemporary challenges by creating the intellectual conditions for change.

The participation of philosophers and scientists from all branches of natural and social sciences, educators, teachers, students, press journalists and other mass media representatives, and the general public is crucial for the open debate and the diversity of intellectual currents.





World Philosophy Day
credits: UNESCO

Education:

On this Day, schools and colleges, in a collective exercise in free, reasoned and informed thinking on the major challenges, are encouraged to organize various types of activities.

Activities:
  • Philosophical dialogues, 
  • Debates, 
  • Conferences, 
  • Workshops, 
  • Cultural events, 
  • Presentations around the general theme of the Day.

Schools:

The importance of Philosophy, especially for young people, underlining that philosophy is a discipline that encourages critical and independent thinking and is capable of working towards a better understanding of the world and promoting tolerance and peace.

It'is a day, or a week when schools and students can share thoughts openly, explore and discuss new ideas and inspire others.

As teachers, we know that young people are now well informed through social media they use. They have an opinion about the problems that concern the planet, peace, war. They only have to organize all the information by develop their critical thinking.

Secondary education

In secondary schools, cultural events, and presentations are welcome.

Workshops by inviting Philosophy teacher (school, or university education), one or two national philosophers would be interesting to awake students minds to the exercise of thinking and the reasoned confrontation of opinions. 

Students will understand better why they are studying Philosophy as a discipline. They are too young, and sometimes they feel a little confused on the different ancient philosophers currents they are studying.

Elementary education:

I would like to share with my usual readers an interesting experience with elementary school students! The “P4C” educational program. 

P4C stands for “philosophy for children” and consists of a series of lesson plans that can be used to introduce grade-school students to rudimentary philosophical concepts.  




credits: Winter Park Magazine

On the image above, "Junior philosophers paint a river to be used as an intellectual exercise. They make a choice, then line up on either side of the river and explain how and why they made that choice. They take a position, literally and figuratively, which is, of course, what philosophers do."

In 2015, professor Erik Kenyon began incorporating P4C ideas into classes that called for his students to develop child-oriented philosophy lessons as part of their studies - then take them on the road. Things went smoothly when they worked with students at nearby elementary schools. Read more here 

Ethics For the very Young
Erik Kenyon/Diane Terorde-Doyle & Sharon Carnahan

The three researchers published a book about their efforts, Ethics for the Very Young.
The book includes outlines of lesson plans meant to encourage children to “listen, think, and respond” in order to navigate their way through questions such as: What is bravery? What is a friend? What makes something fair or unfair? How do I agree, or disagree, with dignity. 
G-Souto
21.11.2019
Copyright © 2019G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®
Creative Commons License
Schools :  World Philosophy Day : resources bG-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Schools : CRC30Years : The 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child : resources







credits: UNICEF
"Around the world, children are showing us their strength and leadership advocating for a more sustainable world for all. Let’s build on advances and re-commit to putting children first. For every child, every right."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.


The year 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). However, despite being the most ratified international text in the world today, many children's rights still strive to be respected around the world.





credits: UNICEF/UN0279228/John Isaac/UN Photo


Thirty years ago, world leaders made an historic commitment to the world’s children by adopting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – an international agreement on childhood. 
"November 20th is an important date as it is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child."



  • Some facts:

World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.
Since 1990, World Children's Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Convention on children's rights.



Pour chaque enfant, une vraie chance

"Mothers and fathers, teachers, nurses and doctors, government leaders and civil society activists, religious and community elders, corporate moguls and media professionals, as well as young people and children themselves, can play an important part in making World Children's Day relevant for their societies, communities and nations.
World Children's Day offers each of us an inspirational entry-point to advocate, promote and celebrate children's rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.




This year is extra special, marking the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. A time to celebrate and a time to demand action for child rights. What will we do?
It’s become the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history and has helped transform children’s lives around the world. 
But still not every child gets to enjoy a full childhood; too many childhoods are cut short. 





"It is up to our generation to demand that leaders from government, business and communities fulfil their commitments and take action for child rights now, once and for all. They must commit to making sure every child, has every right."

  • Why it's important?

Over the past 30 years, children’s lives have been transformed… ...but urgent action is needed to make sure every child, has every right. Ask your students to read here





Education:

"For every child, every right."

UNICEF

“It is shocking to see that the lives of many children are so heavily impacted by the horror of conflict, inequality, poverty and discrimination. I hope the the world that we must sustain our commitment to all of these children whose lives and futures are at stake can remember this."

Paloma Escudero, Unicef (adapted)

On this occasion, teachers of the world are organizing events, debates, activities where children's voices will meet the voices of other children, associations, experts and other committed actors, at the country where they live and teach and international level, by exploring the social media to reach other children, teachers, parents, committed actors:

Thematics:

  • The right to education;
  •  The right to participation;
  • The right to be protected against all forms of discrimination;
  • The right to protection against all forms of violence.





World Children’s Day, during a celebration to commemorate 30 years 
since the adoption  of a milestone treaty that protects their rights.
credits: UNICEF/ Frank Dejong


Resources: 

It’s World Children’s Day
https://www.unicef.org/world-childrens-day

Convention on the Rights of the Child
https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention

History of child rights
https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/history-child-rights

Young activists do the talking as UN marks World Children’s Day
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/11/1051791

The Convention at a crossroads: Read the special report 





credits: UNICEF/UN0188083/Mohammed


Some thoughts:


Many schools and other educational institutions make a special effort to inform children of their rights according to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 
Teachers alert their students to children in armed conflict countries, natural disasters and the impacts of climate change which deprive children of the chance to go to school and learn. 



Rohingya children
credits: UNICEF/UN0331057/Nybo

For the last two years, more than 900,000 stateless Rohingya refugees living in the camps of the Cox’s Bazar district in southeast Bangladesh have focused on survival.

Rohingya children and young people want more than survival – they want a hopeful future, too.

So, World Children's Day is not a subject for a day, Along the school year, every day is child day! There so many children in emergency! 
Teachers will develop different activities and projects according to the needs of their students, which country they live, the news students watch on television or read in the newspapers on Internet (yes students prefere to read the news on the Internet) or the news read on the social media.
30 years! A time to celebrate and a time to demand action. Kids are taking a stand around the world to say: it is time for every child, to have every right.
Migrant children are on the news every time, unfortunately. So as refugee children, some of them are lucky and can go to school.



Kate Clanchy
Photograph: Karen Robinson/The Observer
via The Guardian

Kate Clanchy an English teacher who helps migrant children turn pain into prize poetry! One child wrote of a suicide bomber; another of the ‘sweet honey mangoes’ of home. Read here 
So beautiful! What a motivation she can give you and your students! Such a lovely example of a teacher!



Some Kids I Taught and
What They Taught Me
Kate Clanchy

Kate Clanchy wants to change the world and thinks school is an excellent place to do it. 

She invites you and me to meet some of the kids she has taught in her thirty-year career.

'The best book on teachers and children and writing that I've ever read. No-one has said better so much of what so badly needs saying.' 

Philip Pullman 


G-Souto 

20.11.2019
Copyright © 2019G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

 Creative Commons License
Schools : CRC30Years : The 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child : resources by  by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International


Sunday, November 10, 2019

October in Review & World Science Day For peace and Development !





World Science Day For peace and Development

Celebrated every 10 November, World Science Day for Peace and Development highlights the important role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives.

  • Theme 2019: "Open Science Leaving No One Behind!

In 2019, the theme is Open ScienceOpen Science is not only an issue of science being open to the research  community, as in “open access” and “open data”, but refers to a science open to society.  





credits: Elyx Yak
@UN

In spite of the progress made in recent years, we are still witnessing great disparities across and within different regions and different countries when it comes to accessing science, technology and innovation (STI) and enjoying their benefits. To address these disparities and close the existing STI gaps, Open Science is an important step in the right direction. 

Let us embrace open science as a tool for making science more accessible, scientific process more inclusive and the outputs of science more readily available for all!

And now, time to the review of the most popular posts of October:


Hoping you're enjoying to teach! Now, tests time! But remember a student is much more than a test!



G-Souto

10.11.2019
Copyright © 2019G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Creative Commons License
October in Review & World Science Day For Peace and Development by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.