“Dull” and “irrelevant” should hardly be the adjectives to describe lessons which explore topics including justice, human rights and diversity. But without the right resources, materials and training, it is clear to see how even the most exciting topics can become drab and boring. Young people have a real appetite to learn about women’s rights, the rights of a child and international justice, as well as other issues found in citizenship lessons.
Organisations such as Amnesty International which have thousands of active members of school age can bear witness to that. Through using materials such as Amnesty’s curriculum-linked TeachRights e-zine, it is possible to go some way to satisfying that appetite and enhancing the attractiveness of an already potentially fascinating subject.
Tim Hancock Amnesty International UK London
