Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Brainstorming for the Zines

Hey everyone,

This post is meant to be an open forum of comments and replies to help brainstorm as many ideas for the zines we will be making, starting next week.  We will be working in groups of about four students to create content and develop a layout for a zine that we will publish, swap and distribute.

Here is what I expect you to do for this week's blog comments.

1. Read any comments that have already been made.  If you have something that will add to or enrich the comment, make a reply.  Avoid the obvious replies like, "I totally agree, bruh, that would be cool."  

2.  After you have read any comments, create a comment of your own.  This should include at least one idea of something that you think would:
1)help others to understand children's rights issues, 

2) identify resources for people to access if they want to help advance the rights of children, 

3) make the problems that children face in the world clear to others,  

4) highlight a right or set of rights from the UNCRC that you feel need to be addressed worldwide or in the U.S.

5) present some accurate facts or figures about conditions in the world that threaten the rights of children

6) other ideas of things you feel should be communicated so others can understand why children's rights are important.

3. Check back a few times between now and next Wednesday and read comments that followed your own and make replies if you have some ideas.

Links to Zine videos:
What is a Zine?

Video: Composition (How to arrange your Zine)

Video: Taking photos for your Zine

Video: Creating a comic for your Zine

Video: How to express yourself personally and creatively

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Who is fighting for children's rights?


Malala Yousafzai is a girl who understands the importance of education!  

She fights for the right for children (especially girls) to receive an equal education in Pakistan and all throughout the world. She began her activism through a blog about her life under Taliban ruling where girls could not attend school, documentaries were created about her life, and later she was shot in the face as she attempted to board a school bus for her activism.  

She is the youngest ever Nobel Prize laureate  and United Nations Special Envoy for Global education, Gordon Brown, launched a UN petition in Yousafzai's name, demanding that all children worldwide be in school by the end of of 2015; it helped lead to the ratification of the Pakistan's first right to Education Bill. 

 

YOUR CHALLENGE:  Can you find and share about another person or group that is fighting for children's rights? We look forward to reading about other activists and advocates from you. 

 CHECK OUT THIS link to see what others countries' educational system looks like.  Click on the country and then look to the left and click on the "a day in the life."  Compare it to your experience!  Happy researching. 

Friday, February 13, 2015

Looking at Children's rights not protected around the world...


A girl plays with her brother as they search for usable items at junkyard near the Danyingone station in Yangon's suburbs in Myanmar in 2012. Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters
   
by Ariel Min and photo by Damir Sagoli/Reuters
Please click on this link to see and read about less fortunate children and answer one of these questions:

  • What children's rights are not being met in this article and these photos? 
  • Do you think there are children in your own country or state that may be experiencing something similar?  
  • What ways can you help other children receive or defend their rights to have access to more resources to ensure a healthy, safe and happy life?
  • How do the children show resilience in some of these photos? In other words, how are they trying to overcome a bad situation?  


Sunday, February 1, 2015

Your thoughts on Children's Rights

By now, you will have seen some videos and read a few items about children's rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Please take a moment and write about why you think
your teacher has chosen to explore the topic with you.  Feel free to address any of the following:

What does this have to do with my education?
Why is this something that I need to know?
Why am I going to be communicating with students who are not my age or may not go to my school?

Welcome to our blog!

Blogging Guidelines

1) A question or topic will be posted each week to which you will respond.
2) Do not use foul language or language that may offend other people.
3) Do not use text abbreviations such as LOL or CUL8tr.
4) Take time to compose your writing well. Please spell check and fact check. These blogs are graded. While this is a novel way of recording your reflections on your experiences and reading, remember this is also an academic exercise.
5) When commenting on the posts of others keep an open mind, do not personally attack the views of others. If you disagree with something someone has posted feel free to engage in a discussion that provides sound reasoning to back up your point of view. Ask them to clarify what they mean in order to better understand their point of view.
6) Remember your audience for this blog is your teacher and students from Hoover Middle School and the University of Northern Iowa. So… be professional.
7) Please restrict your blog to posts about our readings and class discussions.
8) Do not post advertisements on your blog.
9) Learn, reflect, and contribute.