# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you ready to move from theory into practice with PBL? Then our courses and workshops are for you.

We offer a variety of workshops and support services for teachers, school and district leaders, and instructional coaches to get started with Project Based Learning.

We're here for you! See our health statement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you ready to move from theory into practice with PBL? Then our courses and workshops are for you. We offer a variety of workshops and support services for teachers, school and district leaders, and instructional coaches to get started with Project Based Learning. We're here for you!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.body
Beautiful Newsletter in Minutes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Smore | Communicate effectively with interactive school newsletters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cut through the noise and communicate effectively with Smore. Create interactive newsletters that parents and staff actually read. Get started with free school newsletter templates.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Protocols By Tag | New Protocols | Spanish Protocols | Portuguese Protocols | Protocols For Youth Engagement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
George Lucas Educational Foundation

The benefits of movement in the classroom aren't limited to younger students. Pairing new words and concepts with gestures or dance moves locks in understanding-and active brain breaks prime students to learn even more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

# data[].attributes.body
Digital Litera y

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
contributed by Brian Neese, Alvernia University

Assistive technology tools are among the least 'celebrated' but most crucial tools in K-12 education today.

According to the National Education Association (NEA), the number of U.S. students enrolled in special education programs has risen 30 percent over the past 10 years. Additionally, the NEA reports that nearly every general education classroom in the country includes students with disabilities, as three out of every four students with disabilities spend part or all of their school day in a general education classroom.

One tool to help students with disabilities even in the face of a special education teacher shortage is assistive technology. Today, assistive technology tools can help students with certain disabilities learn more effectively. Ranging in sophistication from 'low' technologies such as a graphic organizer worksheet to 'high' technologies including cutting-edge software and smartphone apps, assistive technology is a growing and dynamic field. Several areas of assistive technology and sample products may be found in any given classroom, making a difference in how students of all abilities learn.

See also 30 Examples Of Assistive Technology In The Classroom
Background On Assistive Needs & Supporting Technology Assistive Technology Module
This isn't a tech tool but a short kind of 'course' that offers an overview of assistive technology (AT) and explores ways to expand students' access to it in the classroom

Assistive Technology Act (AT Act)

A summary of the Assistive Technology Act and its consequences for educators.
AEM Student Summary Worksheet
A resource that, for example, helps teachers "think about whether the student 1) can gain information from print-based educational materials used across the curriculum by all students, 2) needs materials in a specialized format, or 3) needs modified content or alternative materials."
Text-To-Speech Assistive Tools
As an assistive technology, text-to-speech (TTS) software is designed to help children who have difficulties reading standard print. Common print disabilities can include blindness, dyslexia or any type of visual impairment, learning disability or other physical condition that impedes the ability to read. However, other students can benefit from TTS technology, such as children that have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or an intellectual disability.

The technology works by scanning and then reading the words to the student in a synthesized voice, using a large number of speech sounds that make up words in any given context. With the advances in speech synthesis, TTS technology is more accurate and lifelike than ever.
Tech Matrix
Search a database of nearly 400 products using extensive criteria tailored to assistive and educational technologies.
Kurzweil 3000
The Kurzweil 3000 is a leader in TTS software for individuals that struggle with literacy. In addition to a range of TTS features, the full-featured software program integrates abilities that can help students in other areas, potentially appealing to those who may have a non-print disability or those who may not typically consider a TTS program. Some of the features include:

* Multiple TTS voices

* Support for 18 languages and dialects

* Talking spell-checker

* Picture dictionary graphics for more than 40,000 words

* Text magnification

* Tools for test taking, essay writing, note-taking, reference and more

The Kurzweil 3000 strives to provide students with a multi-sensory approach to literacy learning. It is available for Windows and Macintosh.

Graphic organizers can be effective in helping students to organize their thoughts during the writing process. As an assistive technology, graphic organizers can be a strong choice for students with dysgraphia or disorders of written expressions - particularly the conceptual aspects of writing.

Graphic organizers work by helping the student map out a course of action. Depending on the type of writing, the graphic organizer can prompt the writer to describe an object, chart out a course of events or perform some other task that can help in planning the piece. Graphic organizers vary by type and technological sophistication.
Low-Tech Handouts
Graphic organizers do not need to be technologically advanced; in fact, they can exist in simple handout form.

Sample handouts can be found at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company. The sandwich chart can assist students with paragraph writing. The sequence chart can help with narrative writing and the ordering of events. The sense chart is designed for descriptive writing, where writers are prompted for terms that characterize and express an item. Dozens of other sample charts exist and can help students with virtually any type of writing.
Draft:Builder
Draft:Builder is a writing tool that integrates outlining, note taking and draft writing functions to break down the writing process into three steps. Using a graphical organizer, the program helps the student visualize the project and insert information into the appropriate place without having to conceptualize the whole process. It then automates the process of creating the paper, where the student can drag and drop what is written in each note to the rough draft.

Other features include a talking spell checker that uses TTS technology, a bibliography tool, a dictionary and the ability for teachers to add locked text into the program for further guidance. Draft:Builder is available for Windows and Macintosh.
Assistive Listening Systems
A variety of assistive listening systems, or hearing assistive technology, can help students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those with other auditory and learning problems. According to the National Association for the Deaf, assistive listening systems can be used to enhance the reach and effectiveness of hearing aids and cochlear implants, or by children who do not need those tools but still need help hearing. Assistive listening systems use a microphone, a type of transmission technology and a device for capturing and bringing the sound to the ear. The specific transmission technology used in the system is typically what contrasts one type of assistive listening system from another.
FM Systems
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), FM systems are the best choice for children with sensorineural hearing loss. The most common type of hearing loss for all ages, sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the inner ear (cochlea) or nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain are damaged.

FM systems work using radio broadcast technology. With a transmitter microphone and a receiver, the teacher and student can maintain a consistent sound level regardless of distance and background noise. Additionally, ASHA notes that the hearing aid microphone can be turned off, so the student can concentrate on the teacher alone.
Sound-Field Systems
Sound-field systems are a strong choice for classrooms that need to assist listening for all children in the class. ASHA notes that these systems benefit not only children that have hearing loss, but those that have other auditory and learning problems, such as language delays, central auditory processing disorder, articulation disorders and development delays. Additionally, sound-field systems can be used for students who are learning English as a second language.

Sound-field systems use a microphone that projects sound through mounted speakers around the classroom. In classrooms that have good acoustics, sound is able to travel evenly throughout space, eliminating problems of distance between the speaker and each listener.
Sip-and-Puff Systems
Sip-and-puff systems are used by students who have mobility challenges, such as paralysis and fine motor skill disabilities. These systems allow for control of a computer, mobile device or some other technological application by the child moving the device with his or her mouth. Similar to a joystick, the child can move the controller in any direction and click on various navigational tools using either a sip or a puff. An on-screen keyboard allows the child to type using the same movements.

Sip-and-puff systems are a type of switch device, which refers to the technology used to replace a computer keyboard or mouse. Other switch devices include buttons or other objects that a student can touch, push, pull, kick or perform some other simple action that can then control the device.
Jouse3
The Jouse3 is a sip-and-puff system that allows children to control a device using any part of the mouth, cheek, chin or tongue. Due to its accuracy and quick response, home users can use it for drawing or computer games. It can mount to the desktop, a bedframe or any other type of structure; it does not require a headpiece or placement on the body of the user.

The product supports Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Unix based computers, in addition to Android and iOS mobile devices. It can support one or two external switches, and has two types of mouthpieces.
Sip-and-Puff Systems From Origin Instruments
Origin Instruments offers a range of sip-and-puff products that students can use to control an electronic device. Using a head mounted or gooseneck user interface, or available tubing for a custom solution, the child can control a mouse, joystick or keyboard with ease. The primary system is powered using USB technology.

The product supports Windows, Macintosh and Linux based computers. Two pressure switches connect the system to the user interface solution for use on electronic devices.
Proofreading Software
Proofreading software is a branch of assistive technology that goes above and beyond the typical proofreading features found in a word processing system, such as correcting words frequently misspelled by students with dyslexia. A number of other features offered within this category can help students work on his or her English skill set to become a more effective and accurate writer.

Although primarily geared towards individuals with dyslexia, proofreading software can be helpful to those with any type of learning disorder that makes writing and reading challenging.
Ginger
Ginger offers several features that can help students with dyslexia and other learning disorders with writing. It is also designed for speakers of languages other than English. Some of the features include:

* Grammar checker that analyzes context to determine any errors or misspellings. For instance, Ginger can recognize whether 'there,' 'their' or 'they're' should be used in a sentence, which is a common mistake in writing.

* Word prediction and sentence rephrasing tools that can be helpful for students learning how to construct sentences properly.

* TTS functionality so students can hear what they've written.

* A personal trainer that provides practice sessions based on past mistakes made by the student.

Ginger is available for Windows and Mac, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices.
Ghotit
Ghotit is specifically designed for students with dyslexia and other learning disorders who have difficulties with writing. The name is inspired by the word "Ghoti," which is a constructed term that illustrates irregularities in the English language. And since many spellings are counterintuitive - especially for those with dyslexia - Ghotit dedicates itself to assisting children and adults who struggle with writing accurately.

It features the ability to learn from the user's past mistakes, personalizing suggestions for spelling and grammatical errors. Ghotit can predict words, check passages of text contextually, read text aloud using TTS technology and recognize split and merged words. It also includes an integrated dictionary for students to quickly look up a word.
Math Tools
A range of technology and tools can help students that have trouble with math, most commonly found in a learning disability called dyscalculia. Dyscalculia makes it difficult to grasp numbers and it is characterized by a general lack of understanding in the field of math.

Assistive technology in math is not just for those with dyscalculia. It can also help students with blindness, fine motor skill disabilities or some other type of disability that makes it difficult to perform math-related work.
MathTalk
MathTalk is a speech recognition software program for math that can help students with a range of disabilities. From prealgebra to Ph.D. level mathematics, students can perform math problems by speaking into a microphone on their computer. The program works with Dragon NaturallySpeaking programs for voice-to-text functionality, making it ideal for students who have fine motor skill disabilities. Students with blindness or vision disabilities can use the integrated braille translator.

In addition to these audiences, MathTalk also appeals to students with dyscalculia. The program functions as an electronic math worksheet, allowing the child to organize, align and work through problems on the screen, making it helpful for students who have difficulties performing math problems on paper.
Math Simulations
Math simulations can help students with dyscalculia visualize math problems and concepts. As a result, students can better understand the application of a particular type of problem, since many students struggle with the conceptual aspects of math.

Examples can be found at the NASA website. From video to animated simulations, teachers and students can visually see how a math concept or problem would work. And with some math simulations, students can work through the problem and then see the result play out in the simulation.
Conclusion
Thanks to the rapid advances in assistive technology tools, students, parents, and teachers have a seemingly limitless number of tools at their disposal.

As these tools start to appear in the home and in the classroom, parents and teachers can utilize them for students' academic and personal growth. But technology alone is not enough - to successfully use these tools, it's critical to develop a plan for their use and have regular check-ins to ensure the student is gaining the most value possible and not becoming overly reliant on these tools.

But while assistive tools have become plentiful, the same cannot be said for special education instructors. As previously mentioned, the vast majority of states have reported a need for teachers in special education. And many general education classrooms instruct children with special needs.

Certification is a faster way for current teachers to qualify to teach this growing population. At Alvernia University Online, teachers can pursue a special education certification for grades PreK-8 or 7-12 to help make a difference for children with special needs. They will also improve their marketability in the process, gaining additional opportunities for their career.

Overall, more teachers are needed in this area. Although the advancement of technology in special education is promising, the same increase is needed for the number of special education instructors. Certification offers one solution to quickly meet this need. Learn more about Alvernia's program today.
15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources For Students With Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources For Students With Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ranging in sophistication from tools to apps, assistive technology tools can help students with certain disabilities learn more effectively.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Get a daily email featuring the latest talk, plus a quick mix of trending content.

By subscribing, you understand and agree that we will store, process and manage your personal information according to our Privacy Policy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get a daily email featuring the latest talk, plus a quick mix of trending content. By subscribing, you understand and agree that we will store, process and manage your personal information according to our Privacy Policy

# data[].attributes.body
Free Online Training

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Coursera | Degrees, Certificates, & Free Online Courses

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn new job skills in online courses from industry leaders like Google, IBM, & Meta. Advance your career with top degrees from Michigan, Penn, Imperial & more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Charity Ratings and Donor Resources | Charity Navigator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use Charity Navigator’s ratings and resources to find and support highly rated charities that align with your passions and values. Whether you’re looking to give toward international relief, the environment, animal welfare, or something else, we empower you to donate and volunteer with confidence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Connect the classroom to the world with High Tech High. Our students engage in authentic work that matters to them and to the world beyond the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Return of Effort. Find out about how to measure the incremental value generated in a project with a-connect's RoE™ guide to help your business thrive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tony Wagner makes a compelling case for how our education system has to change if we are to create the innovators we need to face tomorrow's challenges. If you are an educator, a parent of a child struggling with conventional education, or an employer looking to have a pipeline of creative talent, then read this book, take note of the ideas and play your part in creating the change we must make happen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sir Ken Robinson PhD died peacefully yesterday, 21st August 2020, surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer.

A New York Times bestselling author, he led national and international projects on creative and cultural education across the world, unlocking and igniting the creative energy of people and organisations. Sir Ken was the most watched speaker in TED's history, with his 2006 talk 'Do Schools Kill Creativity?' being viewed online over 60 million times and seen by an estimated 380 million people in 160 countries.

He was named as one of Time/Fortune/CNN's 'Principal Voices'; acclaimed by Fast Company magazine as one of 'the world's elite thinkers on creativity and innovation' and ranked in the Thinkers50 list of the world's top business thinkers. In 2003, he received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the arts.

A loving family man, Sir Ken split his time between Los Angeles, California and London, England, with his wife Thérèse (Lady) Robinson, their two children, James and Kate, son-in-law Anthony and granddaughter.

Please follow his team at Nevergrey for ongoing updates as we begin to follow Sir Ken's wishes and honour his legacy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sir Ken Robinson - The official website of Sir Ken Robinson

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sir Ken Robinson PhD died peacefully yesterday, 21st August 2020, surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer. A New York Times bestselling author, he led national and international projects on creative and cultural education across the world, unlocking and igniting the creative energy of people and organisations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I'm a husband and dad who teaches high schoolers in a small town. I am animated by a simple belief: all students and teachers should flourish. Every article I write, lesson I teach, and book I read is driven by the certainty that that can, and must, happen. I share my work through my popular email newsletter.

My weekly emails will show you how to...

Think more clearly about your work in education.

Increase your productivity, getting more done in less time.

Negotiate the conflicting pressures all educators experience.

Make class time the best possible investment toward the long-term flourishing of your students.

Join over 15,000 colleagues and sign up below.

Just enter your email below to join my weekly newsletter. As a welcome gift, I'll send you a free copy of my ebook, "These Five Things, All Year Long."

About Dave Stuart Jr.

I write about literacy instruction, student motivation, and the inner work of teaching. I speak about my work through keynotes and workshops at conferences and school-based events around the USA, and over 35,000 people read my articles each month. I've published one traditional book and multiple digital resources, seeking to share the things that most help me as a teacher.

Want to hear more? You can read my full story here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dave Stuart Jr. - Literacy Teacher, Speaker, and Writer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I'm a husband and dad who teaches high schoolers in a small town. I am animated by a simple belief: all students and teachers should flourish. Every article I write, lesson I teach, and book I read is driven by the certainty that that can, and must, happen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Icons and Stickers - Millions of images to download

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download Free Icons and Stickers for your projects. Images made by and for designers in PNG, SVG, EPS, PSD and CSS formats

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Civic Engagement with Project-Based Learning in All Content Areas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While individual efforts are valuable, students can learn the skills of collaborating on civic issues by working together as a whole class. Here are the five broad steps they should follow:

1. Identify issues important in their lives and community, and decide on one to address.

2. Research the chosen issue and decide how to change or improve the situation.

3. Plan an action, including determining a goal for change; identifying who or what body in the community has power to make the change; and deciding how to approach that person or those people.

4. Carry out the action through letters, talks, meetings with officials, policy proposals, and activities, depending on the specific goals of the project.

5. Reflect on the effort when it is over in order to understand their successes, challenges, and ways to continue learning in the future.

Two features are especially crucial to making the experience authentic and empowering. First, students must own the key choices and decisions and figure out solutions to problems themselves, so they discover that they can do this. The teacher facilitates the work, of course, but leaves as much of the decision-making as possible to the students.

Second, the work should culminate in some action focused on change in the school or community. It's not enough to just talk about change, practice mock legislatures, or serve in a soup kitchen (as valuable as these activities may be). Only when students see adults listening to them with respect, do they realize they have a voice and can make a difference in their world. Their efforts may not always succeed, but in being heard they come to value the studying, reading, writing and planning that they have done.

A good preparatory step is to start students thinking about democracy and whether it's important in our lives. (One way to begin? This series of Learning Network writing and discussion prompts on the question How Strong Is Your Faith in American Democracy?)

After a quick-write and some sharing of responses, invite students to discuss how they can promote democracy in their own classroom, not just by voting on matters but by become active citizens themselves.

_________
Step 1 - Identifying an Issue That Matters to Students

Here are several strategies to get students started:

Ask them! Young people often have a lot to say about problems and concerns in their school or community, and sometimes these are issues we teachers would never think of. It's a good idea to encourage focus on issues in their own school or community, since it's more likely that the students can have some influence on them. (For example, as I described in my book, one group of students at Roosevelt Middle School in River Forest, Ill., focused on solutions to the problem of repeated flooding in their neighborhood.)

Offer a list of social issues to help get brainstorming started. The Learning Network recently provided suggestions for possible charitable actions for individual students, and these can also be tackled by a whole class together. While many of the examples are about giving time or money, any of them can be expanded into larger efforts for substantive change. For example, providing warm clothing for the homeless can grow into advocacy for more essential programs to end homelessness.

Guide the class to survey fellow students in the school, or adults in the neighborhood, to identify issues of concern. Have students work in small groups to create draft surveys. They can try them out on one another, or on a sample of people outside the classroom to see which questions provide them with the most useful information. This Learning Network set of activities on surveys can help guide students in this work.
Step 2 - Researching the Issue
Another resource? This lesson plan, from Suzie Boss, a writer who specializes in Project-Based Learning: For Authentic Learning, Start With Real Problems.

_________

In Step 2, students become well-informed on their chosen issue. While local news items introduce students to conditions in their own community, national news on the issue can provide more information and perspective.
2017 Article | 2016 Article | Flint Weighs Scope of Harm to Children Caused by Lead in Water 2016 Op-Ed | Poisoned Water in Newark Schools 2013 Article | The Arsenic in Our Drinking Water America's Tap Water: Too Much Contamination, Not Enough Reporting, Study Finds
For example, the issue of lead in drinking water, which has been a major crisis in Flint, Michigan, is also proving to be a problem in places all over the country.

Students or teachers might then scroll through the Times Topics page on water, and find pieces like these that take the topic on from different perspectives:

This is just an example of one topic, but whatever topic your students take on, the more they can be charged with finding their own information, the more ownership they will have over the product. (Of course, a few quick lessons on how to find and evaluate information may help.)

Next, have students brainstorm other resources they might use to augment what a web or library search offers. For example, a class at Polaris Charter Academy in Chicago, concerned with gun violence in their neighborhood, talked to a local police official, leaders of neighborhood organizations, and their city alderman. It led to a project so rich it was described in The Times, as part of a piece on the question, Can Teenage Defiance Be Manipulated for Good?:
Step 3 - Identifying Solutions and Planning Actions

At Polaris Charter Academy on Chicago's West Side, seventh graders learning about the Second Amendment decided to start a campaign against gun violence in their neighborhood. They created four public-service announcements, which aired on television; published a book about peacemakers in their community; and presented their work to the mayor.

Ameerah Rollins, now 16 and a junior at Richard T. Crane Medical Prep High School, was one of the seventh graders. At first, she said, "none of us really thought we would make much impact." But as the students began to interview local officials and organize community events, "I noticed that people were starting to look at us, to acknowledge what we were doing." Nine out of 10 of her classmates knew someone who had been shot or killed. Taking action felt like a way to begin to avenge those deaths. "It triggered something very personal. And when it became personal, we actually started to put in the work."

From her experience, Ms. Rollins concluded that teenagers may have a distinct capacity to change society.

_________

At this stage, students can be helped to examine and compare solutions thoughtfully. A great tool is the "root cause tree" graphic organizer. Unlike some graphics that do most of the work in advance, this one invites real thinking and often further research, because it encourages students to consider the many factors that may influence a problem, rather than cavalierly jumping to a conclusion.

Considering a range of causes can lead students to search for creative solutions to problems. Here, for example, is a student-created debate and lesson plan from The Learning Network the topic of how to fix the criminal justice system.

Another example: If students are focused on homelessness (an issue many young people find they want to work on), they can start with a search of The New York Times, and find, via the Times Topics page on homelessness, a whole collection of proposals by experts on the issue.

As they read, they may realize that the need for jobs is one salient factor. A bit of searching could then uncover job strategies that already exist, such as this one developed by the city of Albuquerque.

This positive approach is often called " appreciative inquiry " - that is, instead of just defining the goal as an absence of the problem, look for solutions that already exist.

Once students have a proposal in mind, whom do they approach to advocate it? This calls for what organizers term a " power analysis " - but it's really a civics lesson students teach themselves.

If the concern is about the safety of drinking water in their community, students will need to inquire into exactly who is responsible for it, and who might have the authority to make changes in how it is assured. News articles often reveal the responsible agency or official. Another approach is for students to contact a local government official who can give them guidance, even if he or she is not the responsible party.

Now it's time to start preparing communications to advocate their solution. Depending on the target audience, this may involve:

· letter writing

· fliers

· presentations to local governing boards, commissions, local businesses, or civic groups

· podcasts

· public service announcements by video or audio

The support a teacher provides now depends very much on the students' decisions about how they plan to proceed.

In the Polaris seventh grade class mentioned earlier, students decided to make public service videos, like the one you see above, and persuaded their local alderman to run them on his YouTube channel. To help these young people create their videos, the teachers contacted a nearby high school video instructor to obtain expert high school students' help training their younger protégés.
Step 4 - Carrying Out an Action
In a high school algebra classroom at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, students who had analyzed statistics on minority standardized test performance created a website and distributed fliers to inform students in disadvantaged neighborhoods about free SAT prep programs. In a setting like that, a quick lesson from an art teacher could be especially helpful for promoting quality design of the fliers.

More ideas? A recent Times article, " A Low-Tech Guide to Becoming More Politically Active," gives ideas to help people educate themselves on an issue, engage with lawmakers, and find groups doing similar work who might help.

_________

Just as with planning, as students move to carry out their planned advocacy or civic improvement project, the support a teacher provides depends entirely on the specifics of the action. At this stage, the primary role is to cheer the students on, and make sure their efforts are positive and acceptable in the community.
Step 5 - Reflection
Teachers concerned with involving students in highly charged issues needn't worry, however. Most of the issues students identify tend to be quite local and noncontroversial - and, with teacher guidance, can be done in a way that gives all stakeholders a voice.

For example, the "S alad G irls," fifth graders at Park Forest School in State College, Pa., simply wanted to have non-meat salads in the school lunches because of their dietary needs. When they planned to make complaints about the quality of the cafeteria food, the teacher encouraged them to meet with the cafeteria manager first. When they did, they quickly learned that nutritional rules were made at the state level, and out of the hands of local administrators. You can read here about the monthslong process they then undertook that resulted in more salad offerings in the cafeteria.
Additional Resources
_________

Finally it's essential to guide students to reflect on their work after it's finished. One teacher expert in this work, Heather Van Benthuysen, explains that her assessment is primarily based on this reflection, since this is when she learns what the student has or has not learned.

_________

* The Learning Network's Teenagers in The Times monthly round-up collects articles about young people making news, many of them via civic action projects.

* The Anti-Defamation League: 10 Ways Youth Can Engage in Activism

* Mikva Challenge, an organization in Chicago that provides excellent, thorough civic action curriculums.

* " Upstanders: How to Engage Middle School Hearts and Minds W ith Inquiry," a 2014 book by Harvey Daniels and Sara Ahmed

* " Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way," a 2008 book by Brian Schultz

* My own Civic Action in Schools series at Medium

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guest Post | Ideas for Student Civic Action in a Time of Social Uncertainty

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While individual efforts are valuable, students can learn the skills of collaborating on civic issues by working together as a whole class. Here are the five broad steps they should follow: 1. Identify issues important in their lives and community, and decide on one to address. 2.