TeachMideast is an educational outreach initiative developed by the Middle East Policy Council. TeachMideast is a resource designed to give high educators the foundation they need to teach about critical, complex and intriguing subjects.
The Middle East Policy Council is a Washington, D.C. based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1981 whose mission is to contribute to American understanding of the political, economic and cultural issues that affect U.S. interests in the Middle East. This is accomplished through three programs:
- Journal Pillar: The quarterly journal Middle East Policy
- Congressional Products and Programming Pillar:
- The quarterly Capitol Hill Conference Series for policymakers and their staff, offering multiple points of view on current issues in the region.
- Products range from Fast Facts and 10 Cents to Straight from the Source.
- Educational Outreach Pillar: Our educational outreach program, Teach Mideast, for K-14 teachers and the community at large.
You may learn about the other MEPC initiatives by visiting their website.
The Teach Mideast Philosophy
The educational philosophy underlying the TeachMideast site’s materials is threefold:
1
We believe that the best way to undermine dangerous stereotypes and misunderstandings is to give students access to a broad range of perspectives, particularly diverse points of view from within the region. This leads naturally to an emphasis on media literacy.
2
We believe that using interactive and engaging tools such as films and project-based learning engages students and teachers. It will inspire them to cross strict disciplinary boundaries that may limit learning, create new connections and extend their learning on their own initiative.
3
The activities and methodologies included here allow students to learn in different ways, whether visually or kinetically, or through reading and listening.
TeachMideast does not seek to inculcate any particular political point of view or any religion, but rather to open the minds of teachers and students alike to the diversity of the region in everything from geography to political opinion, religious practice, ethnicity, history, and cultural production.