Seminars & Workshops for Teachers
To book a seminar or conference
presentation please contact Rukhsana directly at rukhsana @
rukhsanakhan.com or by clicking
HERE.
The Peninsula
This is an excellent one day workshop Rukhsana developed with fellow dramatist/storyteller Gail Fricker to address issues of diversity in schools with homogenous populations. In the workshop two classes of students each develop their own cultures with separate dress, language, greetings, dance, songs and alphabet, then the two groups must meet in a neutral zone and try to solve a problem they face together. The workshop explores peaceful problem solving skills and dealing with other cultures.
The Muslim World in Children's Literature
This presentation deals with
issues of inclusion and the portrayal of Muslims in children's
literature. The presentation Includes a bibliography of acceptable
resources that can help educators address these concerns.
Universality in Folktales
This program combines literacy skills with
storytelling and multiculturalism to explore how stories can reach past
racial and ethnic barriers to the humanity within all of us. By focusing
on story structure, teachers will learn what makes a story universal and
how to shape their stories.
Storymaking in the Classroom
This workshop picks up where the Universality in
Folktales presentation leaves off. It involves practical exercises for
teachers to conduct with their students that will tap into creativity
followed by editing exercises that make the piece they’ve written,
stronger. Also included are tips to get students excited about writing.
Bringing Oral Cultural Stories to the Page
Students from predominantly
oral cultures face particular challenges when trying to express
themselves in literary form. This workshop focuses on strategies to
bridge the gap between oral tradition and the written page. (This
workshop was developed for the 2004 International Board on Books for
Young People (I.B.B.Y.) South Africa Congress.)
The Importance
of Inclusive Literature in the Classroom
A healthy inclusive
environment in the classroom is the ideal environment to foster learning
and acceptance. Using her own experiences growing up as an ESL student
as well as her experiences as an author/storyteller presenting in the
classroom, Rukhsana discusses practical ways teachers can create an
inclusive environment for all their students. Resources include a list
of multicultural authors and websites that will facilitate this task.