The Summer Teacher Institute on Africa 1995

PRESENTATIONS

• Women and Health Issues in Africa by Omofolabo Ajayi.
• In this presentation, issues on women's health are approached more from socio-cultural basis using feminist and cultural discourse than actual medical analysis. In popular discourse of women's health in Africa, about three important social factors are invariably ignored: - 1) class factor/economic resources 2) two different and conflicting medical practices existing side by side, and 3) availability and effectiveness of medical resources. This presentation looks at the impact of these social factors on the state of health on the continent generally, and how they affect women's health in particular.
  
• Traditional African and western-style belief systems: Attitudes towards stability and interactions with African care systems by Julie F. Sergeant
  • This paper examines Central African and Western African belief systems in regard to people with disabilities and their care systems. Relationships and interactions for future planning are given.
    
• The visual Arts: Masks and the Masquerading in Africa, by Patricia Darish
  • By using selected readings, the presentation gives an overview of the continent and the people of Africa with respect to the differing physical and cultural landscapes and the implications of these factors for the arts.
    
• African Art in the curriculum: A perspective by Mariama Ross
  • This paper discusses the topic if art, specifically African art as a pedagogical tool for conveying content about Africa in a manner that is interesting, meaningful and authentic, while remaining respectful of the cultures which produced it and which receive it.
    
• Africa in the school curriculum: Making connections: Teaching Africa. Images, stereotypes and strategies, by Sandra Gray
  • One of the greatest problems we face in the teaching of African History and culture to US students ate the stereotypes of African people presented in the media. Most of these images are negative. This presentation examines some of the stereotypes and consider how we can I) make students aware of them and 2) replace them with, more positive and personal images.
    
•  Ethnicity in Africa: a mirror image of state weakness by John Janzen
  • This presentation is mainly about the weakness of the state. Review of two or three case studies of such conflict - Nigeria, Angola, and Rwanda will show that the colonial government used ethnic division which they in most cases created, or reinforced to rule. This very state structure with its internal divisions became the independence era government, and has been used by independent African leaders to gain and keep control of the state usually at the expense of the common people.

TEACHING MODULES

• Using Africa to teach Political Science concepts: Botswana by Carolyn Kadel
  • This presentation focuses on political ideologies, systems and processes in selected nation states. Most introductory political science courses either ignore Africa or discuss it primarily in "negative" chapters. The purpose of this project is to counteract this tendency by utilizing a case study of Botswana for introductory students.
    Level: college: introductory
    
• A geography unit on Africa, by Joy Lominska
  • This is intended as an extension of a second grade geography unit which teaches simple map skills, the names and locations of the continents, and the concept that a map is a kind of picture if the world.
    Level: 2
    
• A curriculum unit on Masks by Mariana B. Nothern
  • This curriculum unit explores the different types of masks used in Africa and their purposes.
    Level: 8
    
• A 3-4 week teaching unit on African Masks by Manourchehr Pedram
  • This teaching unit is designed for grades 7 and 8 during the celebration of the African American Month. Students will be able to gain knowledge of African masks, its use and significance in the African societies. They will also be able to focus on magnet theme of art and develop individual mask project.
    Level: 7-8
    
• A 2-day World History Curriculum unit on Kingdoms of West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai By Mike Ortman
  • How can teachers make inroads into this dearth of African knowledge that most students have, and yet deal with the time and constraints of a standard World History course? The solution is to integrate lessons on Africa throughout the curriculum. The lessons must be succinct, factual and of a short duration in order for the average teacher to actually make use of them. This unit is only two of many that would be desirable to expose students to African History.
    Level: 10-11
    
• Africa speaks out: A world history lesson on the affects of colonialism on Africa by Cherly Deck
  • "Many times in the social studies curriculum, Africa is a forgotten subject. We need to prepare students to be able to disassociate themselves from pre-conceived prejudices and biases and learn to an empathetic and a well-rounded, knowledgeable decision-maker. " This is a model lesson that presents Africa objectively.
    Level: 10-12