The Global Studies Summer Institute (GSSI), sponsored by the Center for International Studies (CIS), is a four-day program intended to provide K-12 educators with information and resources for teaching students about contemporary international issues and their practical applications for the classroom. The Global Studies Summer Institute features informative lectures by university experts as well as presentations by current teachers highlighting practical approaches to integrating the theme of the Institute into your classroom.

1997 Program

The Center for International Studies recently sponsored its annual summer conference for K-12 teachers August 11-14, 1997, at the Hefter Conference Center on the UWM campus. Designed to allow teachers to access new and interesting information, and to allow time for curriculum development and idea sharing, this year's conference looked at the issue of teaching about human rights from different perspectives: how to introduce the theme of human rights into your classroom, children and human rights, women and human rights, and human rights and U.S. foreign policy.

Presenters at this year's Global Studies Summer Institute included Dr. Larry LeBlanc of Marquette University, Sister Florence Deacon of Cardinal Stritch University, Dr. Clair Apodaca of the University of Memphis, Dr. Rahma Bourquia of Mohammed V University (Rabat, Morocco), Jay Harris of St. Norbert College, several members of the staff of the University of Minnesota's Advocates for Human Rights Education, and several master teachers who regularly teach human rights in their classrooms. Curriculum development and idea sharing sessions were built into the conference schedule.

A follow-up session entitled "Creating Global Citizens: Practical Approaches to Human Rights Education" is scheduled for Saturday, February 7, 1998 at the Bemis International Center at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. The format of the upcoming follow-up session is designed to allow this year's conference participants to share the successes and challenges that they encountered while trying to incorporate human rights education into their classrooms this fall. Look for updated information concerning this mini-conference on this website in the future.

Learn More About Past Summer Institutes....

1999 GSSI
"In the Shadow of the First World: Teaching about International Development Issues"