{"id":9172,"date":"2021-10-14T11:45:59","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T11:45:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rauhankasvatus.fi\/staging\/?p=9172"},"modified":"2025-05-21T10:48:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T10:48:52","slug":"safer-curriculum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rauhankasvatus.fi\/staging\/en\/safer-curriculum\/","title":{"rendered":"Safer Curriculum"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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SAFER Curriculum<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Introduction<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We educators and other professionals working in schools need more know-how and competence in tackling discrimination in its different forms. We must be able to recognise, manage and transform our classrooms and schools into safer spaces for all. What we are doing now unfortunately is not enough. To meet these timely development needs, we created a training course and a learning material,\u00a0Tackling Discrimination, My Learning Diary<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0to be able to address the topic better and to support all professionals working in schools in their anti-discrimination work. The materials are freely available in English, Finnish and Swedish.<\/p>

The material is based on an Erasmus+ project, Safe Schools for All: Teachers Transforming Societies<\/em>. In the early stages of the project, it was given a new nickname, \u201cSAFER\u201d, which stands for Schools Act for Equal Rights. This is what we are aiming for \u2013 to build a safer school for all children and youth.\u00a0<\/p>

The project was organized in cooperation with partners from Estonia, Slovenia and Finland: Peace Education Institute (main coordinator), Mondo, Noored Kooli, Ljubljana Pride, Kokkola city, Nove Fu\u017eine and Tamsalu schools. The learning material was built based on the pedagogical team\u2019s (Tadeja Pirih, Eeva-Liisa Kiiskil\u00e4, Amiirah Salleh-Hoddin) insights on the project\u2019s theme and the training courses held in 2019\u20132021.\u00a0<\/p>

The participants consisted of different professions working in schools: teachers, administrative staff, school psychologists, school social workers, headmasters, etc. The content of the course and the learning material were created for the school environment but can be used in other contexts as well. The core of the thinking behind the material and the course is the importance of reflection combined with the knowledge learnt and applying this to the learner’s own context.<\/p>

The curriculum of the course was modified to support the usage of the learning material (My Learning Diary) in future learning processes. The aim of this document is to make the learning goals as well as the methodological and pedagogical approaches transparent and easily oriented. This document also might help to assess whether this approach could be useful for different organisations or individuals to support their equality and equity work.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Change process of recognising, managing, and transforming.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Learning Goals<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The general aim of the SAFER project is to equip educators to tackle hate speech and discrimination in schools. This is done through more specific learning goals that are underlined by the 3-step change process of recognising, managing, and transforming:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1. To recognise the underlying processes of discrimination and hate speech.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

As the topic of discrimination is a complex societal phenomenon, it is necessary for educators to understand the history and mechanisms behind discrimination and systems of oppression operating in their societies. The discrimination that we often read or hear about tends to be explicit cases that are interpersonal in nature. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Through having this knowledge of the history and mechanisms of different systems of oppression, as well reflections on our own role in these systems, it would be possible to recognise structural and institutional discrimination and inequalities that exist in their surroundings beyond the overt interpersonal instances.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2. To be equipped to manage instances of discrimination and hate speech.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

There is no magic formula or simple checklist in dealing with instances of discrimination since it is always context-dependent. However, there are certain things that people can keep in mind when encountering such incidences. This includes a self-awareness of what they bring to the situation, identifying what was behind the discriminatory incident, as well as what they would like to achieve at that moment while considering the longer-term impact for change.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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In order to bring about long-term and lasting change, it is necessary to move beyond recognising and managing individual instances of discrimination. A more proactive approach to transforming the operational culture of the working environment is needed to address the root causes of discriminatory incidents. Transformation is about planting seeds of equality and justice to replace the seeds of hate and letting them grow via the cumulative effect of the transformation processes and practices from the individual level to the workplace and to the larger society.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Content<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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All discrimination is based on similar mechanisms, whatever the reason behind them is.\u00a0\u00a0 Discrimination has many forms and can arise from many kinds of backgrounds. To be able to tackle discrimination efficiently and effectively, all its forms must be processed in their context and history. We must support and work as an ally in all anti-discriminatory work whenever we can; this solidarity and cooperation advances all anti-discrimination work. At the same time, it is necessary to focus and make more specific research and actions. In this learning diary, we are concentrating on tackling racism and discrimination based on sexual orientation and\/or gender identity<\/strong>.<\/p>

The learning goals of the SAFER project are addressed through the following content that is divided into 5 main goals:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Tools for learning: how to approach your learning process in anti-discrimination topics.
Learning to understand the continuity of recognising, managing and changing mechanisms and possibilities when aiming for a change in the society.

Transforming societies to be more equal is not possible if people are not able to recognise the discriminatory elements. Managing is part of the process towards a safer learning environment, but it is not enough to enable the transformation of societies.
Also learning to recognise different feelings during your learning process. The idea of reflecting on your feelings and learning process through learning zones (comfort zone, learning zone, danger zone) supports the learning process and helps to handle and reflect on these feelings during the process.

Self-reflection is a significant part of the learning process. It is important to reflect on your thoughts, biases, the environment or society you live in, privileges, structures, and discriminatory factors in the working environment or society in general. The hypothesis is that you cannot properly be part of building a safer school environment if you have not reflected on your thoughts on various levels. Being aware of the norms, stereotypes, privileges or discriminatory factors in your environment is necessary for everybody and the learning material guides you in this process. This is where the creation of a safer learning environment starts with educators; recognising your models of thinking.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Defining, understanding and practising different concepts, building your vocabulary and understanding the importance of inclusive language and what this means in practice. Comparing different languages supports the process of recognising exclusive elements used in our language.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGoal 3: Knowledge and Theory<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Deepening the knowledge about discrimination mechanisms, identity and intersectionality.\u00a0The material concentrates on tackling racism and discrimination based on sexual orientation and\/or gender identity<\/strong>. It is necessary to focus to be able to make more specific research and focus the actions properly.<\/p>