Education Towards Tolerance: The Ugly Duckling – Where To?

Core features of the practice


  • Organisation:

    Institution name: Liora Israeli
    Institution type: Private person
    Institution URL: a retired teacher in the Academic College of Education, Haifa Israel
  • Format:

    Instructional material
  • Target population:

    Students, Young people, Educators in formal settings, Legal professionals, General public/non-specialist audience
  • Cost (per practice):

    10-50 euros
  • Setting:

    No specific setting required
  • Themes:

    Citizenship/democracy education, Racism, Xenophobia and other prejudices, Human rights/discrimination, Critical thinking
  • Core activities:

    Group work, Group discussion, Creative activity, Textual analysis

Additional information about the practice


    Target population

  • Number of participants:

    Up to 34
  • Age of target population:

    11-15
  • Additional specifics:

    Race/ethnicity, Educationally and socially disadvantaged groups:, a multicultural community

    • Components of the practice

  • Topics and objectives:

    The practice aims at developing critical thinking by analyzing the social significance of the "happy end" of H" C Andersen's famous tale: The Ugly Duckling. It avoids blaming attitude or facing the horror but encourages the participants to look at the most popular tale and to uncover its racist roots. the decision to discuss how the topic is relevant to now and here is up to the person who conducts the lesson.
  • Materials used:

    Written or other published material, Kindle book: The Ugly Duckling - Where To? or printed one.
  • Material produced:

    Written material
  • Sequence of activities - methodology:

    Each chapter concludes with a set of questions to be discussed by the participants or to be answered in their notebook.
  • Length of activity:

    Up to 5 hours
  • Is the activity digital?:

    No

    • Accessibility and replicability

  • Language(s) in which activity can be delivered:

    English
  • Is specialist knowledge or professional training required?:

    No

Qualitative Details


  • Has this practice been evaluated?

    Yes
    • How many times?:

    10
  • By whom?:

    Participants, Instructor delivering the practice
  • By what means?:

    students feedback
  • Core content knowledge and transferable skills:

    All is true. I believe that the understanding that as kids as well as adults we are at risk of being manipulated without being aware of it.
  • Indicators of success:

    The understanding of how easy we are to be manipulated and the adoption of careful attitude in our daily conduct. I recommend reading the article: Israeli, L. (2011). "The Other – a Resource or a Threat? Polar interpretations of two children's stories: The Ugly Duckling, H” C Anderson & Raspberry Juice by, H. Shenav, Journal of Peace Education, Vol.8, No. 1, April, p. 1-17
  • Educational coordinator contact details:

    Name: Dr Drora Pritzker
    Email address: drorapritzker@gmail.com

Scalability

The RETHINK project is concerned with bridging formal and informal education. This section explores the factors that make a practice adaptable.


  • Key factors for successful implementation:

    Materials needed, It is always recommended to have a kind of idea who the audience is and to prepare to their responses. ared
  • Main challenges to teachers adapting this practice for their students:

    It could be very surprising (if not shocking) for students to expose the racist attitudes in Andersen's tale. This is also the benefit of the practice! It is a good idea to carry the original text.
  • Availability of guidance/training/replication materials (and in what language/format currently):

    I will be more than pleased to consult by email or skype in English: L669@bezeqint.net It is recommended reading the article: Israeli, L. (2011). "The Other – a Resource or a Threat? Polar interpretations of two children's stories: The Ugly Duckling, H” C Anderson & Raspberry Juice by, H. Shenav, Journal of Peace Education, Vol.8, No. 1, April, p. 1-17
  • Other comments or details:

    I hope that working with people in a non-threating environment might help them to keep open-minded and develop self-awareness of human limitations. Hopefully, the emphatic attitude of H"C Andersen in his touching story won't disappear.