Changing the World….
One Project at a Time: Helping Youth
EA/UNCW Think-Care-Act Project Partnership.
EA/UNCW Think-Care-Act Project Partnership.
Introduction:
Dr. Elizabeth O. Crawford, an education professor at
University of North Carolina Wilmington, and Susan Gelber Cannon, a middle
school teacher, author, and developer of Think-Care-Act Projects, are pleased
to present our second collaborative year of sharing Think-Care-Act-Projects
[TCAP]. Our EA/UNCW Think-Care-Act
Project Partnership allows Episcopal Academy sixth graders and Dr.
Crawford’s senior UNCW pre-service education majors to consider personal
qualities and talents, identify passions for social change, and act to change
the world for the better. Through video
sessions, my students and those of
Dr. Crawford have inspired and encouraged each other to make a difference.
Below, and for the next blog post, you will read future teachers’ guest blogs about their TCAPs, with links for research and teaching suggestions. Happy reading and thinking, caring, and acting!—Sue Cannon
Below, and for the next blog post, you will read future teachers’ guest blogs about their TCAPs, with links for research and teaching suggestions. Happy reading and thinking, caring, and acting!—Sue Cannon
HELPING YOUTH: Think-Care-Act
Project by Meghan Lane, Eleni Carros, Kristin Skeen, and Zach Gerstenberger
University of North
Carolina at Wilmington, May 2016
Introduction
All around the world,
children go without a quality education, proper nutrition, and adequate
supervision on a daily basis. There are many ways in which children suffer, and
it is our duty as global citizens to help shape a more positive future for our
youth. Learning how to help children has been the capstone of our research
throughout the semester. We have found that through educational resources,
after school programs, and child labor watch groups, we can assist children in
having a brighter future. It is critical that we find ways to support our
children both inside and outside of the classroom. To do this, we need to find
ways to connect both their school life with their outside life. As teachers, we
have a responsibility to take action and ensure that our children do not fall
through the cracks of the education system. This can be made possible by
emphasizing the importance of working towards goals and letting our students
know that they are capable of making a difference.
How To Take Action, by Zach Gerstenberger
Recognizing that
children need help is the first step to building a bridge of support for our
students. As we teach, we become more familiar with our students everyday and
we can see the walls that are built up around them. These barriers can come
from a variety of sources such as issues with their families and problems that
may arise in school. However, while
children are at school their basic needs are met with proper supervision,
healthy nutrition and educational support. When students leave they may not
receive all of these basic needs.
To help aid teachers
and families we put together a document of resources for local after school
programs, national after school resources and lesson plans that can be shared
via email. This will help teachers and families find resources to help students
when they are outside of the classroom. Similarly we realized that sometimes
students don’t feel as though they are part of their classroom community and
this feeling can have detrimental effects.
Accordingly, we found a list of books that can be used for bibliotherapy
lessons so that students feel as though they are part of their classroom
community. The students can journal and discuss these books with the class and
their peers to find continuity within their world.
Moreover we found
that children want to be challenged. For
example, there are increasingly large numbers of jobs in the science,
technology, engineering, and math fields [STEM]. We can challenge our students through quality
STEM lessons and instruction. Additionally,
we as educators must give children a choice when it comes to their education,
and they need to be fully immersed. With over 10,000 students dropping out of
school in North Carolina alone in a year, we have to find ways to help children
in school and keep them motivated.
Supporting Youth In and Out of School: by Eleni Carros
“Today’s youth are
exposed to a variety of negative factors making them more at-risk to injury,
academic failure, and poor health. Youth who are likely to be more at-risk are
usually those that lack a strong support system at home, as well as teens who are
not coping well with the different challenges that they are facing” (“Information
on At Risk Youth Statistics,” para. 1).
One organization that
has made a big difference in helping underprivileged youth in the local
community and in many other places around the state is The Boys and Girls Club.
The mission statement of The Boys and Girls Club is “To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach
their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens” (Boys and
Girls Club of America, “Our Mission,” para.1). The Boys and Girls Club has positively impacted youth by providing
a safe place for children to go that allows them to build relationships with
caring professionals, while receiving assistance in various areas to help them
become successful.
Nationwide, there are
more than 4,200 Club locations, which are governed locally and serve youth and
communities. In 2014, Boys & Girls
Club youth development programs impacted nearly 4 million children and teens.
(Boys and Girls Clubs of America, “Our Facts and Figures,” 2016) While at the
club, youth are assisted with daily homework, given a snack and a hot meal, and
have the opportunity to participate in recreational activities that help them
feel like part of a family. The club is a place for them to go to stay safe and
out of trouble, while also being productive and having fun (Personal Interview,
April 29, 2016).
To
help raise money and spread awareness for The Community Boys and Girls Club of
Wilmington, I held a bake sale fundraiser at Defy Gravity, a trampoline park in
Wilmington, NC. Chocolate chip cookies, “Rice
Krispy” treats, and brownies were sold for $1, and all of the proceeds went to
the Community Boys and Girls Club of Wilmington. I raised $70 and was able to
spread awareness by sharing information about The Boys and Girls Club with the
customers. Additionally, when the children at Defy Gravity purchased desserts
they were able to help other children in the local community.
Be Part of the CHANGE: by Kristin Skeen
Education is a fundamental human right required for global survival and sustainability. Children of all ages, races, genders, and backgrounds deserve to have a safe place where they can receive a quality education; the children are the future and should be treated as such. We all need to be advocates for change. This does not mean that one person is responsible for changing the world; we just need to impact those around us. As teachers, one of the best ways that we can advocate for quality education on a global scale is bringing it into the classroom. Educating students about these issues and promoting global citizenship can have a significant impact on the future of our world.
Communities Helping
to Affect a New Generation of Education (CHANGE) is a project that I have been
working on to develop partnerships between schools and their communities. I
created fliers for this campaign to highlight the benefits of reaching out for
help. These fliers identify ways in which schools and businesses can benefit
from helping each other in the fight for quality education. Using fliers,
instead of a website, I created a situation in which people must be intentional
about their actions. Anytime I visit a school or business, I hand out fliers to
encourage this process and remind people that their actions can make a
difference.
Letters for Change: by Meg Lane
Children
may have their needs met at school, but for many that is not the case at home.
Some of these children work while not in school to help put food on the
table. This underage labor occurs all
across the globe, even in our own backyards.
Among many other things, North Carolina is ranked number one in the nation
for tobacco production. North Carolina’s
labor laws regarding age restriction are applied to all industries with the
exception of agriculture. Thus, children
as young as ten years old are legally able to work on farms with parental
consent, though there have been cases reported with children as young as six
working in the fields.
As
an intern in a fifth grade classroom, it broke my heart to think that any of my
kids could potentially go home and have to go straight to work in tobacco
fields. The health risks alone are
concerning, not to mention the stress such labor may put on children and their
academics. This needs to end now.
Through personal and
professional connections, I started a letter-writing campaign to inform and
persuade legislators to create more regulated age restrictions in the
agriculture industry. Everyone from the
local mayor, to state governors, to presidential candidates will receive a
letter. Writing a letter is so simple, and
anyone can do it. A letter alone will
not change legislation, but it will get the ball rolling. In time, the suggestions you proposed in your
letter could become law. If you have an
issue that needs to be addressed, send a letter to your local governor! Let them know what’s going on, why it’s
important, and how they can help.
Resources
Cox, J. (n.d.). How to
motivate students by letting them choose books. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from http://www.teachhub.com/how-motivate-students-letting-them-choose-books
-
This website offers insight into how allowing children to pick
their books can have a positive impact on them academically.
Stump, S. L., Bryan, J.
A., & McConnell, T. J. (2016). Making STEM Connections. The Mathematics Teacher, 109(8),
576-583. Retrieved April 9, 2016, from http://www.jstor.org.liblink.uncw.edu/stable/pdf/10.5951/mathteacher.109.8.0576.pdf
-
This website shows the importance of teaching children science,
technology, engineering and mathematics. (NOTE: available by LOG IN only.)
Williams, D. C. (n.d.).
Dropout prevention and intervention. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/dropout/
-
The website has statistics from North Carolina about dropout
numbers and why students are dropping out of school.
-
This document has resources for after school programs, bibliotherapy
books and lesson plans.
Child Labor Fact Sheet. (2012).
Retrieved May 02, 2016, from
-
This is a quick fact sheet on Child Labor in
North Carolina. Statistics and solutions
are described with detail.
Writing to Your
Legislators. (2015). Retrieved May 03, 2016, from http://www.nea.org/home/19657.htm
-
This is a helpful guide with tips and tricks on making the most
out of your letter to government officials.
It also has addresses for Congress members.
-
This is the flier created for Communities Helping to Affect a
New Generation of Education (CHANGE).
Information on
Think-Care-Act Projects: http://thinkcareact.blogspot.com/2014/11/change-world-local-global-think-care.html
References
At Risk Youth Programs.
(n.d.). Information on At Risk Youth Statistics. Retrieved May 1, 2016, from
Boys and Girls Clubs of
America. (2016). Retrieved May 1, 2016, from
Community Boys and Girls
Club of Wilmington. (2016, April 29). Personal Interview.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.