The Orange County Department of Education is in the process of developing a statewide curriculum focused on Southeast Asian heritage and history.
Dubbed the “Southeast Asian Model Curriculum Project,” OCDE — in collaboration with community input and local researchers — is curating three model curriculums centered on the histories, cultures and refugee experiences of Cambodian, Hmong and Vietnamese Americans. The curriculum will include lesson plans, primary source documents, planning resources, teaching strategies and professional development activities to assist educators, said Ian Hanigan, an OCDE spokesperson.
Once developed, the curriculum will be available for grades kindergarten through 12 but will not be mandatory for any schools, Hanigan said. But schools, should they teach these subjects, will be able to rely on the model curriculum for resources.
“Each model curriculum will present ideas, lessons, examples and resources for school districts to consider as they develop their own coursework,” said Hanigan. “It will live on a website that can be accessed by educators and searched by content standards. The curriculum may be used as part of history, social studies or language courses or included in a district’s ethnic studies program.”
One portion of the model curriculum, called the “Hmong History and Cultural Studies Model Curriculum,” will delve into the history and migration of the Hmong population across Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and China. This will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by the Hmong and other Southeast Asians who served in the “Secret Army” in Laos, a CIA-led operation during the Vietnam War.
In parallel, the “Cambodian American Studies Model” will incorporate various media formats presenting perspectives on the Cambodian genocide, including oral testimonies from survivors. For the development of this portion, the OCDE is collaborating with organizations such as the Asian Youth Promoting Advocacy…
Read the full article here