Model UN: Summary - Best Practices from CACPS

Author:	Thabiti Brown
Description:	A Model United Nations conference, with preparation, participation in conference and evaluation
Participants:	High school students, grades 9-12
Schedule:	Semester-length expedition interwoven with other class work
Goals:	Conduct critical analysis of world issues, enhance reading and writing skills, improve understanding of geography, practice public speaking, understand use of quantitative analysis in presenting social concerns, practice conflict resolution
Products:	Policy Statement - description of main issue and nation's stance on the issue, Resolution - description of solutions to the issue, Quantitative Analysis - use of statistics to enhance understanding of the issue, Opening Speech - public speaking introduction during the conference
Assessment:	Rubric based grades on all products, ongoing evaluation of participation in preparation and performance during the conference.

Our Model United Nations conference is the culminating event for a school-wide Model United Nations expedition. We have two major goals in this endeavor.

First, we aim at educating our students by having them experience life as a delegate to the United Nations. The word “expedition” implies a learning journey. We immerse our students in the world of the United Nations and the great global concerns of our time. They learn by doing: moving from understanding basics about the United Nations, the Security Council, and the nation each student represents to learning about the issue at hand, the ways in which that issue affects the people of the world, in general, and the particular nation each student represents, in particular. Explicit interaction with primary sources, simulated discussions between delegates and utilization of the forms and procedures of the United Nations help our students move from pretending to be a delegate to being a delegate. They create “authentic” products, emulating the work done by actual United Nations delegates. In the end, the students are responsible for both representing their nation well and collaborating with other nations to solve important world problems.

Second, we hope to build a unity of understanding across our disparate disciplines, working together toward a common end goal, cross-pollinating through common lesson planning and end-product creation. While the planning is led by the Humanities Department, the expedition is planned by all of the teachers in the school. Through co-planning and team teaching, we aim at learning from one another.

The expedition documented here is our 4th foray into the world of United Nations simulation. Over the years we’ve faced many challenges and have modified the curriculum year after year to meet those challenges. Each year, we realize that the hard work is worth it because our school, teachers and students alike, rise to the occasion; for 2 days we become a high-level workplace dedicated to tackling some of the world’s most difficult issues. We hope that this presentation of our process will be useful to those of you interested in doing the same. If only it were around when we began! Enjoy.