8th Graders Discuss Human Rights

With curious and critical minds, 8th graders dove into each article of the Declaration highlighting connections to other texts, themselves, and the world. Through this exercise, students really engaged with the document and brought it alive. Reflecting on her role as a teacher, Foun Tang says, “We are here to push them to think and to ask questions.” Students identified repetitive, vague language in the articles that raised red flags such as “without good reason.” These phrases deepened their conversation and prompted an examination of bias as they wondered, Who decides what a “good reason” is?

When 8th graders considered the Declaration in light of current news events, they expressed shock and disappointment. Students wondered what checks and balances are in place to hold countries accountable for their actions, and they passionately offered their own ideas on how to make the document stronger. In the process 8th graders began to recognize the influence of the time in which the document was written. Seizing the moment, Foun gave the 8th graders their final challenge: write a new article that is reflective of and needed in the world we live in today.