Do I need to be a subject matter expert to present the How Are the Children? adult education curriculum?
No, you don’t have to be a subject matter expert to present this curriculum. In fact, you don’t need any special knowledge of the situation in Palestine and Israel.
The two class sessions are designed so the presenter does NOT have to be a subject matter expert. Each session begins with a short opening prayer (which we provide), continues with a video presentation that is 30-40 minutes in length, and ends with a short closing prayer (which is also provided).
The two class sessions are intended as a springboard for further study and action. Recommended materials for further study and action are provided in the class handout and on the pages of this website.
Where and when to present this adult education course
The course is designed to fit within the time constraints of typical UCC adult education classes. The course consists of two sessions, each about 45 minutes in length. The course is thus suitable for UCC adult education classes (typically offered just prior to or just after the Sunday service) and all manner of UCC conferences and gatherings, including annual conference meetings and retreats, also the UCC General Synod.
The course is intended for adults, not children. The video presentations contain images of children being arrested by heavily armed military personnel. Youth group leaders should thus review contents before presenting this film.
Whether to present the class in two parts or a single, longer session
While it is possible to view the two parts of this curriculum in one 90-minute time block, we strongly encourage presenting the course in two separate sessions, for example two adult education sessions on successive Sundays. The reason for preferring separate sessions is that it allows more time to reflect on what the viewers have seen.
Begin your preparations by viewing the course videos in their entirety
As a first step in preparing to present the curriculum, view the two videos – Part 1 and Part 2 – in their entirety. This will help you communicate what the course is all about, and help answer questions you may receive about the course content.
Preparing your audience (important!)
The impact of any class or presentation depends very much on the expectations of the class participants when they enter the classroom. For example, do the participants know they’ll be learning about ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention? Or that they’ll hear inspiring statements about this issue from UCC national leaders, including John Dorhauer, Traci Blackmon, and James Moos?
We encourage you to begin advertising the course several weeks before the starting date. For your communications, consider using these easy-to-download materials, which you can modify to include the specific times/dates/locations of your class:
- Bulletin insert A (MS-Word): How Are the Children? – Bulletin Insert A
- Bulletin insert B (MS-Word): How Are the Children? – Bulletin Insert B
- Bulletin insert C (MS-Word): How Are the Children? – Bulletin Insert C
- Poster with white background 8.5″x11″ (PowerPoint): Poster – White
- Poster with black background 8.5″x11″ (PowerPoint): Poster – Black
This 5″x7″ postcard may also be of use:
- 5″x7″ postcard, front side (JPEG): 5″x7″ Postcard – Front
- 5″x7″ postcard, back side (JPEG): 5″x7″ Postcard – Back
Additionally, consider showing this short (3 minutes, 44 seconds) video trailer: How Are the Children? Trailer Encourage invitees to view the trailer on their laptops or handheld devices prior to class.
Lesson plan and class materials
Downloadable class materials, for your use as presenter, are located here:
- Lesson plan for presenter (PDF): Lesson Plan
- Opening and Closing Prayers (PDF): Opening and Closing Prayers
- Handout for class attendees (PDF): Study Resources Handout
Acknowledging the feelings of class attendees and encouraging them toward further study
When viewers reach the end of video Part 1, they may be stunned by what they have just seen. They may be angry (not with you, but with the situation they have just learned about). They will likely have many questions. They will want answers. This is because they are experiencing “cognitive dissonance.” The information they just received in video Part 1 flies directly in the face of what many have been led to believe about Israel, Palestine, and the United States. Accordingly, as presenter you’ll want to acknowledge these feelings and point the viewers in the right direction.
Here’s an example of what you may want to say at the conclusion of the first video, prior to your closing prayer. It may help to write this down and have it for reference:
“This is a lot of new information to take in. It may seem overwhelming. When we return (next week) for Part 2, we’ll learn about action steps we can take to make a real difference.”
Distribute the Study Resources Handout.
Say, “Some of your questions (although not all of them) will be answered in next week’s video presentation. However, some of you may want to proceed right now to finding answers. For this, I encourage you to check out the information sources listed in this CLASS HANDOUT. And check out the website listed at the bottom of your handout: www.HATCnow.org. This website includes a very helpful section on Frequently Asked Questions, and it has links to many sources of information about the situation in Palestine and Israel.”
Unless you are very familiar with the situation in Palestine and Israel, avoid making promises to “research and get back to folks” with answers to their questions. Instead, encourage folks with questions to do their own research, to find answers using the rich set of study resources listed in the CLASS HANDOUT and on THIS WEBSITE. Point to the study guides, books and film resources listed on the CLASS HANDOUT, and state that as a next step following this class the participants could decide to join together for further study.
Closed Captioning is available on YouTube
When viewing the videos via YouTube, you can turn on “closed captioning” by clicking the small, white rectangular button (with the letters CC), in the lower right hand part of the YouTube viewing screen. When viewing video Part 1, you will want to turn off the closed captioning when the short documentary Detaining Dreams is displayed (starting at 15:38 and continuing to 37:40), because that documentary already includes subtitles.
Seeking assistance
For assistance with your presentation, feel free to contact us – the UCC PIN How Are the Children? Support Team – using the Contact Us feature of this website. We’ll do whatever we can to answer your questions or connect you with a local resource person.
Tell us about your presentation
When your class is complete, please tell us how it went. Tell us about your experience, using this reporting form.
The information you provide is strictly protected. We do not share personal information.
www.HATCnow.org 