Teaching About the Middle East

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Teaching About the Middle East

• Monica M. Eraqi
• Arab-American National Museum

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The Middle East Arabs in the Curriculum

• According to Marx (2002), by the year 2050, the
  United States will become a nation of minorities,
  with less than half of the population being
  non-Hispanic White (as cited in Gardiner
  Enomoto, 2006).
• Orfield (2001) argues that at present, more than
  half of the students attending urban schools are
  members of minority groups (as cited in Gardiner
  Enomoto, 2006).
• Middle Eastern Muslim Americans have largely
  been ignored from the curriculum and from
  research.

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Common Core Middle School

• 6th Grade Eastern Hemisphere
• 7th Grade Western Hemisphere
• 8th Grade U.S. History (up to Civil War)
• Common Core
• Broad rather than specific (Literacy writing,
  thinking skills, Position Defense)
• Not more work emphasizes what teachers already
  do
• Teaching reading and writing about issues that
  connect to today.

• Examples of Common Core GLCEs
• 6 H1.1.1 Explain why and how historians use
  eras and periods as constructs to organize and
  explain human activities over time.
• 6 H1.4.1 Describe and use cultural institutions
  to study an era and a region (political,
  economic, religion/belief, science/technology,
  written language, education, family).
• 7 H1.2.6 Identify the role of the individual in
  history and the significance of one persons
  ideas.

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Common Core Middle School

• Reading
• Textual (meant to eliminate scaffolding,
  emphasize higher text, above comfort level)
• How to assess perspectives, biases and dwell over
  difficult readings for information.
• Writing
• Not opinion, but POSITION
• Supporting with factual information
• Informative writing

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Common Mistakes

• Ignoring Middle Easter/Islamic studies
• Dismissed as unimportant
• Teachers lack training and resources
• Teachers not confident in teaching controversial
  issues
• Using videos other instructional materials that
  are not sourced
• Using materials out of context or without
  historical background that emphasize Middle
  Eastern or Islamic stereotypes
• Kite Runner
• Bringing in Servicemen who have served in the
  Middle East

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Implementing Arab-Islamic Studies

• Social Studies/English
• Islam
• 5 Pillars (History Channel Inside Islam)
• Political Islam (Project)
• Arabs Culture
• Diversity Day
• Foods, Dress, Music, Dance, Sports (YouTube,
  Community Resources, Anthony Bourdain,
  recipies.com)
• Middle East U.S. History
• U.S. involvement in Middle East since FDR (Blood
  Oil, House of Saud, Reading Activities on
  Afghanistan 1980s, Iran-Iraq War, Iran-Contra,
  Gulf War, Oslo Accords, Daily Show)

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Implementing Arab-Islamic Studies

• Social Studies/English cont.
• Class Debates
• PowerPoint/Prezi Movie Maker presentations
• Stations Activities
• Book Reviews (followed by class presentations and
  guest speakers),
• Arab-American National Museum Field Trip

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Examples

• Video Examples
• Aladdin
• Stereotypes in Media
• Activity Examples
• Iran (Helpful after studying Iran Hostage Crisis)
• Doing Business in Afghanistan (Economics
  English Has been adapted to a PowerPoint Group
  Project)
• Persian Gulf
• Arab-Israeli Conflict Solutions
• Arab-Israeli Conflict History

• Project Examples
• Reagan Afghanistan
• Pan-Arabism PowerPoint
• Turkey Prezi
• Turkey Saudi Arabia Debate
• Palestine Israel Video
• Tourism

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Curricular Resources

• Lesson Plans Units
• Center for Middle Eastern North African Studies
  (CMENAS)
• http//www.ii.umich.edu/cmenas
• Teaching the Middle East
• http//teachmiddleeast.lib.uchicago.edu/
• Media Construction of the Middle East
• http//www.ithaca.edu/looksharp/?actionmiddleeast
  
• Choices Program Resources
• www.choices.edu/resources/detail.php?id24
• Professional Development, Conferences, Workshops
• Eraqi Website
• Teaching Middle East/Arab/Islamic Studies in U.S.
  History, Global Modern Middle East
• www.cvs.k12.mi.us/meraqi

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Additional Resources

• Teach Middle East
• Dr. Allen Webb
• http//www.teachmiddleeast.com/
• Teaching About the Middle East A Teachers
  Resource Guide
• Abigail S. Chill
• www.socialstudies.com
• Media Education Foundation
• www.mediaed.org

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Other Informational Books

• Teaching Literature of Todays Middle East
• Dr. Allen Webb, Western Michigan University
• Islam Faith and People
• Eraqi H. Eraqi
• Class Speakers or Community Involvement
• Arab-American National Museum
• Islamicfinder.org

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Literature

• Dr. Allen Webb
• Western Michigan University Website
• http//www.teachmiddleeast.com/
• Women in Islam
• Diversity
• War in the Middle East
• Palestinian Israel Conflict
• Organized by grade level
• Sensitive use with books such as Kite Runner

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Videos

• Stereotypes
• Reel Bad Arabs
• Peace, Propaganda and the Promise Land
• Arab-Israeli Conflict
• Promises
• Arnas Children
• Paradise Now
• Middle East in General
• Blood Oil
• PBS History Channel

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Any Questions?Monica M. Eraqi meraqi_at_cvs.k12.mi
.us
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Thank You!