Kony2012 Guide

Responding to teachers’ desire for background on the LRA & Joseph Kony, the African Studies Outreach Program is pleased to present this 3-hour workshop.

WHEN: Saturday, April 14th 10 AM -1 PM
WHERE: African Studies Center, Boston University, 232 Bay State Road
PARKING: Provided free

The workshop is free, but space is limited, so please RSVP as soon as possible.
Telephone: 617-353-7303 or email: africa@bu.edu.

This workshop will provide key tools for teaching about Joseph Kony & the LRA, focused on content, inquiry and the assessment of sources. The workshop will be based on essential understandings in social studies: global interconnectness, acceptance of complexity, need for multiple perspectives, recognition of stereotyping, and media literacy.

The workshop will include:
• Scholarly presentations.
• Keynote: Prof. Patrick Vinck (Harvard University Humanitarian Initiative), just returned from central Africa
• Web-based video for effective teaching
• Discussions groups
• Copies of a newly created guide for teaching this topic in grades 6-12 will be available (Kony2012 Guide)

To learn more about the Outreach Program, please visit: http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/

Medieval Africa: Kingdoms of Ghana & Mali

Saturday, November 19:
Workshop for K-12 Teachers
African Studies Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC

Barbara Brown will present key concepts for a rapid understanding of these powerful kingdoms. Participants will work with great teaching resources: a DVD clip, primary sources, and a curriculum created for CA Standards.

All are welcome to attend this all-day conference which includes a plenary, and multiple breakout sessions, gifts and prizes. Attendance at this conference provides teachers with full access as well to all of the book displays, panels and keynote presentations which form the core of the annual meeting of the scholars conference, called the African Studies Association.

For more information see: http://www.africaaccessreview.org/aar/events.html

Islam and Africa: From Stereotypes to Knowledge

Student stereotypes of Islam and Africa abound. Dr. Barbara Brown and four Fulbright teachers recently returned from Egypt and Tanzania will showcase classroom-ready activities and resources designed to involve students, challenging their perceptions.

Where: Washington DC
What: National Council for the Social Studies annual conference
When: Saturday, December 3 (The conference runs December 2-4)

Looking for an opportunity to discuss good books? The African Studies Outreach Program hosts a reading group for educators three times yearly. An enduring goal is to bring African writers out of the shadow of the mass media. All meetings are held at the Teaching Africa Library in the African Studies Center, Boston University, 232 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215. Group starts with refreshments and free parking is arranged nearby.

RSVP is recommended to africa@bu.edu or (617) 353-7303

Roberta Logan, former Boston Public School teacher, will join Outreach director Barbara Brown to facilitate these discussions. 10 PDPs are available.

4-6 pm, Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Nozipo Maraire’s Zenzele:  A Letter for My Daughter.

From the cover: In an extraordinary novel–written as a letter from a Zimbabwean mother to her daughter, a student at Harvard–Maraire transforms the lessons of life into a lyrical narrative about love, war, separation, and the very meaning of being a woman.

4-6 pm, Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Nadine Gordimer’s July’s People.

From the cover: For years, it had been what is called a “deteriorating situation.” Now all over South Africa the cities are battlegrounds. The members of the Smales family – liberal whites – are rescued from the terror by their servant, July, who leads them to refuge in his village.

4-6 pm, Wednesday, April 11, 2012

We will discuss a contemporary detective story from Ghana “Children of the Street” (Kwei Quartey) and an Egyptian feminist novel, written by one of the behind the scenes activists in the Egyptian revolution, “Woman at Point Zero” (Nawal El Saadawi).

Each book is an appetizer: short, tasty and hopefully leaving you with the desire to explore the author, discuss the issues raised and enjoy a great conversation.