TASKs for democracy

Activity 21
Understanding major
transitions in life
DESCRIPTION
Original activity contributed by Elisabeth Furch
Focus: the main aims of this activity are to raise teachers’ awareness of the existing barriers in our educational
systems concerning cultural, linguistic, social, gender and religious diversity and their impact on teachers’
decisions about young people who are dependent on this system, and to raise awareness of how important
education is in our societies in order for us to have equal chances to get a good job and obtain full acceptance
by society. Parts of this activity can be adapted to classroom use.
Target group: pre-/in-service teachers of age groups 10-14/14-18/adult learners
Expected learning outcomes:
A_DIV_2 Disposition to be empathetic to enhance living and acting together within society
A_HR_4 Willingness to act and encourage others to act against discrimination, prejudices, stereotypes
and injustice
A_EPIST_3 Inclination to see things from different perspectives
S_DIV_2 Ability to discover facts about other people’s beliefs and practices
S_COOP_2 Ability to draw on others’ diverse expertise and experience for the benefit of the group’s work
K_DIV_2 Understanding of the changing nature of identities and cultures
K_SELF_1 Self-knowledge and introspection
Type of activity: Core/main activity; concluding/disbanding
PROCEDURE
Introduction (20 minutes)
Hold an input session, including a definition of “transition” and its significance in one’s educational and professional
life and in the private sphere. Examples from the trainer’s life can be enlightening. For further ideas and
references, see the list of publications at the end of this unit.
Step 1 (individual and pair work – 20 minutes)
1. Participants fill in the work sheet, indicating the starting point of their educational career as well as all
the different changes/transitions they have gone through up to the present.
2. Participants discuss their educational timeline with a partner.
Step 2 (debriefing – 20 minutes)
Elicit some of the pairs’ stories as a whole-class activity and hold a debriefing session using some of the questions
below.
What did you learn about yourself and your partner after having done this activity?
How could you use this knowledge in your educational setting?
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