The Human Rights Imperative in Teacher Education (Global Teacher Education)

Human rights education (HRE) is a worldwide movement designed to place human rights at the center of K–university educational theory and practice, providing a critical foundation for global citizenship education, social justice and diversity education, and equity-based schooling reforms. Readers will learn how: (1) HRE content supports core values of U.S. education, including those focused on liberty, justice, and social equality for all educators and students; (2) HRE concepts and illustrative learning strategies support inclusive education and promote peace, tolerance, and cross-cultural understanding; and (3) the theoretical foundations of HRE are compatible with recognized teacher preparation standards and program goals. Pre-service educators seeking teaching licenses and practicing classroom educators desiring to expand their focus into human rights education will find this book very helpful, as will professors teaching methods courses and courses dealing with social justice, multicultural education, and diversity in education. The book blends theory and practice to help educators make human rights education a central focus of their daily practice, providing sample HRE units concerning the rights of global migrants, Indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ+ communities. Readers will not only apply what they learn but also become part of a non-partisan movement supporting human rights across the globe.

WILLIAM R. FERNEKES is supervisor of social studies at Hunterdon Central Regional High School. Co-author with Beverly C. Edmonds of Children's Rights: A Reference Handbook (1996), he has published widely in the fields of Holocaust and genocide studies, human rights education, and social studies education. He has served as a consultant to the Education Department of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, and numerous other scholarly institutions.