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5 Strategies to Teach Social Responsibility

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5 Strategies to Teach Social Responsibility

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What does it mean to teach for social responsibility? At Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, it means intentionally teaching young people to understand themselves, each other, and the world.

We help teachers create classrooms where students can air and solve conflicts, discuss controversial topics, have a say in what and how they learn, ask questions and engage in dialogue, and are sometimes moved to action as a result of their study.

Here are five essential ingredients to teaching for social responsibility:

Make Your Classroom More Democratic and Participatory

In the spirit of Occupy Wall Street, many teachers are considering how to "occupy the classroom" by infusing democratic principles. Think about how to give your students more say in the curriculum and what happens in your classroom.

Are you willing to let students determine classroom rules/guidelines and consequences?

How can students share their ideas about reading assignments, areas of study, and homework?

Can some decisions be made by consensus?

How about letting students take turns teaching the class, either individually or in groups?

Remember that it is human nature to be more invested in something if you have a say about it.

We've all felt the frustration of watching the same five hands shoot up over and over again in whole class discussions. Think about ways to get more students to participate. Mix up your teaching strategies to get more kids to contribute to the conversation: try small groups, pairs, fishbowls, collaborative groups, and micro-labs. Students who are usually quiet in class can sometimes be motivated to participate through activities that involve writing, theatre, or art.

Teach Kids to Solve Conflicts

Conflict is part of life. In fact, conflict often makes life interesting and can lead to greater understanding and deeper connections between people. Unfortunately, conflict in schools often causes disharmony, fighting, or even violence. That's where social and emotional skill-building comes in. Having these skills will help students navigate their social world, and help them do better academically (as a new study of Morningside Center's 4Rs Program - and other studies like it - have shown).

Begin by helping your class develop a sense of community by doing team-building activities and collectively determining the classroom rules (see above).

Teach active listening and practice "I-messages" (saying how you feel rather than blaming the other person) to cut down on the number of conflicts.

When conflicts do arise, don't brush them under the rug; use them as an opportunity to teach skills and promote healthy relationships.

Help students learn concrete problem-solving and negotiation strategies. Teach them how to stand up for what they need without putting down the other person in the conflict. We call this being "strong not mean." Help them get underneath their position to identify their underlying need. Work towards win-win solutions.

Be aware that sometimes prejudice and stereotyping are the root causes of conflict. To address this, integrate concepts of diversity and intercultural understanding into your curriculum as much as possible.

Address Controversial Issues

We live in a world filled with controversy. It is all around us, and it is compelling. Students are usually passionate about the hot topics of the day, and will want to discuss them in school. Be both proactive and reactive: Bring up difficult or controversial topics yourself, and also respond to their questions.

If students' questions come up at a moment when you don't have time for a long conversation, don't just change the subject. Acknowledge the question and come back to it if you can. Let the students know that nothing is off-limits.

Be sure to bring parents into the loop: Let them know what you're doing and be sensitive about what topics might hit particularly close to home.

And of course, always consider what's appropriate for your students' age. For example, if your third grade students want to discuss a devastating earthquake that has been in the news, you might focus on the science of earthquakes, how people have helped the victims, and perhaps how students themselves could help. High school students can better handle discussions about the death and damage the quake caused.

Ask Essential Questions & Promote Dialogue

When you begin a new area of study, determine what students know and don't know by listing and analyzing their questions. Start off by discussing content questions -- who, what, where, why, and when. But eventually get students to dig deeper until they reach some "essential questions."

For example, instead of asking "What is the role of different branches of government?" students might consider: "What would happen if we had no government?" Or if you're discussing a piece of literature, a question might be: "What causes some people to prevail in the face of adversity and others to fail?" These kinds of questions will help students think more deeply and critically.

Help students explore their own opinions as well as others' points of view. Do an "opinion continuum": Read a statement expressing a particular opinion about something, and have students choose: I agree, I strongly agree, I disagree, I strongly disagree, not sure. Then have students explain why.

Assign opinion articles reflecting different points of view. Have your students interview people with different perspectives -- each other, friends, or family members. This will complicate students' thinking and encourage them to reflect more on the opinions they hold.

Develop Social Action Projects

Find ways to encourage your students to take action on issues that concern them. This not only fosters active citizenship and builds students' leadership skills, it provides an antidote to feelings of powerlessness or apathy.

Whether the topic is the war in Afghanistan, climate change, or gay marriage, social action projects can connect students to your curriculum and to the wider world. Begin by having the students identify the problem(s) that need to be addressed. Brainstorm possible solutions, including a wide range of possibilities. Then vote or use consensus to narrow it down to a few options.

Actions can range from activist projects like letter writing, protesting, or testifying, to service-oriented projects like raising money or working at a local organization to help a group of people. Making the leap from investigation to action can be a powerful experience for young people.
How do you teach social responsibility in your classroom? Share in the comments section!
For more information about Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, visit our website at www.morningsidecenter.org .

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5 Strategies to Teach Social Responsibility

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What does it mean to teach for social responsibility? At Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, it means intentionally teaching young people to understand themselves, each other, and the world.

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Building a Pedagogy of Engagement for Students in Poverty

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Building a Pedagogy of Engagement for Students in Poverty

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Building Community and Combating Hate: Lessons for the Middle School Classroom

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Building Community and Combating Hate: Lessons for the Middle School Classroom

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The New Science of Wise Psychological Interventions

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The New Science of Wise Psychological Interventions

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Dr. Marc Brackett on Emotional Intelligence

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Dr. Marc Brackett on Emotional Intelligence

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Dr. Marc Brackett on Emotional Intelligence

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Dr. Marc Brackett of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence talks with Character Lab about emotional intelligence.

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What is Social Awareness?

Social awareness is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports. Research suggests that students with strong social awareness adapt more easily to their environment, empathize with the perspectives of others, and engage in fewer disruptive classroom behaviors. This, in turn, creates a setting where students can focus on learning. Findings also suggest that students who demonstrate strong social awareness are able to engage in constructive communication with their peers and resolve conflicts when they arise. These students benefit from peer learning and know how to take advantage of social supports.

Learn More about Social Awareness

Below, you can download our Social Awareness Toolkit - a 90-minute professional development session designed for educators seeking research-based strategies to help their students build this particular competency.

Why Download the Social Awareness Toolkit?

Our free toolkit provides educators with a variety of resources and strategies to support the development of students' social awareness.
The toolkit includes:

More information on what social awareness is and why it matters;

A video in which students describe the importance of social awareness in their own lives;

A range of strategies teachers can integrate into their practice at all grade levels; and

A facilitators guide (including an abbreviated guide for a 45-minute session)

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What is Social Awareness? Social awareness is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

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The Morningside Center for Social Responsibility - Teachable Moment Classroom Activities

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The Morningside Center for Social Responsibility - Teachable Moment Classroom Activities

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TeachableMoment Lessons | Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility

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Activities to support students' social and emotional learning and restorative practices

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The Information Library at Responsive Classroom

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The Information Library at Responsive Classroom

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"As their teachers, we hold in our hearts our own hopes and dreams for [our students]. We want them to engage in academic rigor and to be ideamongers who contribute to classroom learning-and we also want them to become the very best people they can be; to live the very best lives they can live; Read More "
Continue Reading

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"As their teachers, we hold in our hearts our own hopes and dreams for [our students].

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Educator Resources from Facing History and Ourselves

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Educator Resources from Facing History and Ourselves

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Our collection of educator resources includes a wide range of flexible materials. You will find resources that support teaching a complex moment in history or addressing today's breaking news.

Facing History students are 94% more likely than other students to report that their class motivated them to learn.

93% of Facing History students agreed that it is important to work for positive social change.

Current Events in the Classroom

Our current events resources help teachers lead effective and engaging discussions on today's news.
Learn More

"I can trust the materials to be easy to access, implement, and provide a way to engage students on sensitive topics."

Teaching Strategies

Our student-centered teaching strategies improve literacy skills, nurture critical thinking, and create a respectful classroom climate. You can implement these strategies with any academic content.
Learn More

Collections, Units, & Toolkits

Our collections, units, and toolkits provide you with a range of options to introduce students to themes that are relevant to their lives.
Learn More
Lessons & Mini-Lessons

Our lessons and mini-lessons include primary sources and news sources to support their head, heart, and conscience.
Learn More

- Facing History Educator Reflecting on Our Reconstruction Unit

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Find compelling classroom resources, learn new teaching methods, meet standards, and make a difference in the lives of your students.

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Create shared norms on how members of your class will interact with one another that become part of the classroom culture. This shared language and agreement contains familiar, understandable ways to communicate with others, including how to listen, show gratitude, or apologize. Read a how-to guide on facilitating classroom norming by using a T-chart here.

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Blogger Todd Finley explores the value of Classroom Norming to help learners.

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Before norming day, have students take a personality assessment (for example, the Kiersey Temperament Sorter or the True Colors Personality Test), and ask them to form groups with peers who have similar scores. Ask the groups to a) identify what their teammates have in common and b) decide what outside groups should know about them. Then, ask the groups to report on their discussions.

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Make your classroom more participatory by giving your students more say in what happens in the classroom. Consider letting students determine classroom guidelines and consequences, offering students the opportunity to share their ideas about assignments and areas of study, making certain decisions by consensus, and offering opportunities for students to teach the class.

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Create a safe and reflective classroom open for exchanging ideas and listening respectfully by using strategies that help students practice constructive civil discourse. Find a strategies guide from Facing History here.

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The ideas and tools in this guide will help you prepare students to engage in reflective conversations on topics that matter, whether you are in a remote, hybrid, or in-person setting.

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If you don't have an account, you can sign up -it's fast, easy, and free. Once signed up, you'll also have access to your own Workspace, where you can save resources and create collections.

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Fostering Civil Discourse: How Do We Talk About Issues That Matter?

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The ideas and tools in this guide will help you prepare students to engage in reflective conversations on topics that matter, whether you are in a remote, hybrid, or in-person setting.

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Engage families in their children’s education. Enhance family involvement by offering opportunities to be involved that are accessible to families who work multiple jobs, reaching out early and often, and facilitating ongoing communication, rather than waiting until something’s wrong.

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Explore the topic of empathy as a single classroom or in mixed-age buddy pairs with an interactive comic based on the PBS children’s series Arthur. Access the Educator’s Guide for this complete lesson plan and others here.

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Arthur . Being A Friend . So Funny I Forgot to Laugh | PBS Kids

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So Funny I Forgot to Laugh is an interactive comic book designed to help kids work through all the aspects of the issue of bullying.

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Foster an opportunity for students to become immersed in another’s perspective and experience by having students create text and visuals about the experiences of a historical figure and then conduct a “gallery walk” to learn and ask about each other’s work. In preparing to present their work and answer questions, students will learn about the historical figure’s perspective and circumstances. Find more information about gallery walks here.

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A gallery walk activity gets students moving as they explore a range of documents, images, or student work displayed around the classroom.

English & Language Arts

History

Social Studies

Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening.

- Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif

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A gallery walk activity gets students moving as they explore a range of documents, images, or student work displayed around the classroom.

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Build in a cooperative learning technique into a debate or group discussion on a variety of topics by implementing the Constructive Controversy technique. Find the steps for implementation in our Social Awareness Toolkit.

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What is Social Awareness?

Social awareness is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports. Research suggests that students with strong social awareness adapt more easily to their environment, empathize with the perspectives of others, and engage in fewer disruptive classroom behaviors. This, in turn, creates a setting where students can focus on learning. Findings also suggest that students who demonstrate strong social awareness are able to engage in constructive communication with their peers and resolve conflicts when they arise. These students benefit from peer learning and know how to take advantage of social supports.

Learn More about Social Awareness

Below, you can download our Social Awareness Toolkit - a 90-minute professional development session designed for educators seeking research-based strategies to help their students build this particular competency.

Why Download the Social Awareness Toolkit?

Our free toolkit provides educators with a variety of resources and strategies to support the development of students' social awareness.
The toolkit includes:

More information on what social awareness is and why it matters;

A video in which students describe the importance of social awareness in their own lives;

A range of strategies teachers can integrate into their practice at all grade levels; and

A facilitators guide (including an abbreviated guide for a 45-minute session)

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What is Social Awareness? Social awareness is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

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Facilitate an activity in which students can recognize the similarities and differences between one another and develop a working definition of diversity. Find the instructions for this lesson (Lesson 2) and others here.

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Explore central conflicts in a novel/story by applying collaborative approaches to resolving it. Have students imagine how characters could solve the conflict in a more collaborative way using this lesson as a guide.

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Explore the use of emotions in the media by reviewing commercials and social media ads to help students develop their ability to recognize and label emotions. Have students analyze political commercials or social media ads. (Elementary school students might select pictures about products or services and identify the emotions they are intended to elicit.)

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Encourage students to practice active, constructive responding by regularly sharing positive news with one another in a large group setting (e.g., during morning meeting). When students share something positive, have everyone practice using active and constructive responses, including:

- enthusiastic responses

- eye contact

- celebrating good news together

- asking open-ended questions

nodding head with a smile

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Have student collaborate on projects. Read more about fostering an ideal cooperative learning environment here. Provide an opportunity for reflection after group projects through journal writing by using the following prompts:

- How do you feel about the group’s effort toward finishing the assignment?

- List some actions you took to help the group finish the assignment.

- How did participants treat one another throughout the project?

How did it feel to work in this particular group? What made it feel that way?

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Encourage students to work together to build knowledge on a topic with The Jigsaw Classroom.  Find the steps for implementation here.

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OVERVIEW

The jigsaw classroom is a research-based cooperative learning technique invented and developed in the early 1970s by Elliot Aronson and his students at the University of Texas and the University of California. Since 1971, thousands of classrooms have used jigsaw with great success.

The jigsaw classroom has a four-decade track record of successfully reducing racial conflict and increasing positive educational outcomes such as improved test performance, reduced absenteeism, and greater liking for school.

Just as in a jigsaw puzzle, each piece - each student's part - is essential for the completion and full understanding of the final product.

If each student's part is essential, then each student is essential; and that is precisely what makes this strategy so effective.

JIGSAW IN 10 EASY STEPS

The jigsaw classroom is very simple to use. If you're a teacher, just follow these steps:

STEP SEVEN

Bring the students back into their jigsaw groups.

STEP EIGHT

Ask each student to present her or his segment to the group.

Encourage others in the group to ask questions for clarification.

STEP NINE

Float from group to group, observing the process.

If any group is having trouble (e.g., a member is dominating or disruptive), make an appropriate intervention. Eventually, it's best for the group leader to handle this task. Leaders can be trained by whispering an instruction on how to intervene, until the leader gets the hang of it.

STEP TEN

At the end of the session, give a quiz on the material.

Students quickly come to realize that these sessions are not just fun and games but really count.

ABOUT ELLIOT ARONSON

Elliot Aronson is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of California in Santa Cruz. He has long-standing research interests in social influence and attitude change, cognitive dissonance, research methodology, and interpersonal attraction. Professor Aronson's experiments are aimed both at testing theory and at improving the human condition by influencing people to change dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors.

Professor Aronson received his B.A. from Brandeis University in 1954, his M.A. from Wesleyan University in 1956, and his Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University in 1959. He has taught at Harvard University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Texas, and the University of California. In 1999, he won the American Psychological Association's Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, making him the only psychologist to have won APA's highest awards in all three major academic categories: distinguished writing (1973), distinguished teaching (1980), and distinguished research (1999).

MORE ABOUT
ELLIOT ARONSON

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The jigsaw technique is a cooperative learning approach that reduces racial conflict among school children, promotes better learning, improves student motivation, and increases enjoyment of the learning experience.

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Help students build self-awareness and emotional literacy by using the Mood Meter to help them understand and label their feels and those of others.  Watch Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence introductory video to learn more. See a sample mood meter and find more ideas about how to use it here.

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A Youth Development Resource From Boys & Girls Clubs of America

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MyWays' 5 Essentials Ways to Build Social Capital

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MyWays' 5 Essentials Ways to Build Social Capital

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Learn more about the social capital ecosystem and strategies to help students leverage social supports.