Raising Civic-Minded Kids in Today’s Indifferent Society
By: Angela Weight
One evening last week as I was watching news coverage of presidential candidates Barak Obama and John McCain, my three year old son Jack piped up, asking “who are those men that are always on TV?” I hesitated, silently wondering “how do you introduce young children to the heavy world of politics? How do I adequately explain who these men are without going into what the president’s job is, the difference between democrats and republicans, the Electoral College, term limits, media smear campaigns, our unalienable right to vote…?” Before I could condense the reams of information clogging my brain into a response, Andrew, my seven year old spoke up impatiently, saying “they’re the guys running for president. Now can I please turn it to Nickelodeon? Drake and Josh is on.”
That little exchange made me wonder how we as parents can emphasize the importance of being responsible citizens to our distraction driven kids? In a world where things like Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Polly Pockets and Club Penguin compete for kids’ attention, how do I squeeze in time for a quick political tutorial? Yet, it’s my job to do that; just like making sure they get their teeth brushed, eat five servings of produce a day and memorize this week’s site words. After all, today’s kids will shape tomorrow’s government.
Fostering Political Spirit in the Classroom
A big problem today is that many people don’t see the right to vote as a valuable privilege like our country’s earliest citizens or the suffragettes in the early 1900’s. It’s just another item far down on the never-ending to do list; and if it doesn’t get checked off, so what? “Voter apathy is a tremendous problem in our community,” says Arizona White, executive director for Kids Voting Bibb County, a non-profit organization hoping to improve voter turnout by promoting good citizenship in classrooms.
It appears to be working. Over 35,000 students in Bibb County's public and private schools participate in Kids Voting activities each year since its beginning in 1992. A 1999 survey conducted by Mercer University determined that students who participate in Kids Voting activities in school are 12 - 19% more likely to register and vote when they reach 18 than those students who did not attend Kids Voting programs.”
Kristina Graczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Sacred Heart Academy in Warner Robins strongly believes that politics should be a staple among classroom subjects. “We just reviewed the three levels and branches of government. Right now, we’re reading about and discussing the presidential election at least two days a week. Politics really comes alive to students when it’s not just something in their textbooks. It’s on TV. They discuss it at the dinner table. And they know that it affects their families and their futures in so many ways.”
To supplement textbook learning and generate classroom discussion, Graczyk uses grade appropriate election skills booklets by Scholastic. She also had her students write letters to the future president. “They each wrote a letter beginning ‘Dear Future President’ or ‘Dear Mr. Obama or Mr. McCain.’ “They let the candidates know that we’re praying and hoping for great things for our country during the next presidency. It was such an excellent way to demonstrate to kids that they matter, that they have voices that can be heard in Washington. We’ll write another round of letters after the election.”
At Hubbard Elementary in Monroe County, students kicked off the fall election season by celebrating Constitution and Citizenship Day, September 17th. “The entire school took part, but our fifth graders especially got involved by learning about the government, the presidency and the importance of voting,” explains assistant principal Michelle Windham. “Fifth graders even participate in the Georgia Student Mock Election, conducted through Youth Leadership. At some point before October 30th, classes will log onto http://www.youthleadership.net/. They’ll vote for the president, members of congress and even issues more exclusive to our school. In the last election, they got to vote on uniforms for our dress code. By voting on items like this, students get to experience first hand the results of their votes.”
What Parents Can Do
Let Kids Exercise Their Political Voices by Voting for Everyday Choices
When you think about it, there are so many fun and interactive ways to teach kids the importance of voting. Macon mom Melissa McLendon creates homemade ballots and has her kids Ryan and Lindsay vote on dinner and dessert choices. She recently conducted a top ice cream flavor election. “We all discreetly filled in our selections. Our kids know about proper voting etiquette, using silent ballots and not blurting out ‘I VOTED FOR ROCKY ROAD.’ My daughter would have us going to the polls about everything if we had time.”
Parents can conduct votes on what movie to watch, where to go on vacation, who to invite for a play date, or which Webkinz to sleep with. For bigger issues, have kids campaign for their favorite candidates. They can create posters, slogans, even have debates, as long as they don’t turn into free for all pillow fights. For more tips on helping kids campaign, visit www.scholastic.com/election2008.
Involve Kids in Real World Election Activities
Take your kids with you to vote. Watch televised debates together and visit sites like http://www.kidstalkpolitics.com/ and http://www.scholastic.com/ (mentioned above) where you’ll find a host of articles and broadcasts produced for kids by kids. According to Ally Condie, author of Freshman for President, a political novel for young teens, parents can include their kids in so many areas of the election. “Some kids are surprised to learn political rallies can be as fun as pep rallies. Take them to see the local action up close and what they see in the news will be more meaningful.” For example, local candidates Rick Goddard and Jim Marshall, who are running for the Georgia Eighth District seat in the U.S. Congress are often hosting rallies and campaign drives in Middle Georgia leading up to November 4th.
Help Them Relate
How can you get kids interested in politics when they’d rather be watching Drake and Josh? Open up a dialogue about the election and candidates on terms that they can relate to. For example, ask “If you could decide who gets to make the rules that you follow, what kind of person would you vote for?” Then explain a little about each presidential candidate and their stances on specific kid appropriate issues.”
Also, give them tidbits of information about each candidate; such as “John McCain was a war hero like GI Joe.” Or, “Barak Obama was a community organizer in Chicago, where Aunt Maggie lives.”
Another tip from author Ally Condie is to use pop culture to spark discussions: Though less effective by itself, pop culture coupled with conversation is a great way to spark interest. Reading political novels, watching issue based movies or satirical T.V. shows together are a great way to start a discussion or to get a child interested in researching an issue.
Keep the Election Spirit Alive All Year Long
According to Joel Blackwell, a Middle Georgia native and author of Keep on Voting after the Election, real voter impact happens, not just by casting a ballot, but by making phone calls, writing letters and organizing rallies. “I encourage young people to get involved in campaigning and advocating for their political choices in and out of school. They’ll have lots of fun, meet new people, find job opportunities and, most importantly, know they’re making an impact. “Even elementary school ages can benefit,” said Blackwell. “When my children were small, they licked envelopes and helped nail campaign signs in yards. They’ll both tell you they had a lot of fun doing it.”
Other things parents and kids can do throughout the year are to invite local leaders to speak in their children’s classrooms, look up addresses of city and state representatives online and then write to them. “So few people communicate with elected officials that those who do have disproportionate power. Our leaders are hungry for that kind of interaction with their constituents. That’s a great lesson to teach kids about the power of their voices in government,” continued Blackwell. To read more tips on renewing your family’s civic-mindset, visit Blackwell’s Web site at http://www.keeponvoting.com/.
By: Angela Weight
One evening last week as I was watching news coverage of presidential candidates Barak Obama and John McCain, my three year old son Jack piped up, asking “who are those men that are always on TV?” I hesitated, silently wondering “how do you introduce young children to the heavy world of politics? How do I adequately explain who these men are without going into what the president’s job is, the difference between democrats and republicans, the Electoral College, term limits, media smear campaigns, our unalienable right to vote…?” Before I could condense the reams of information clogging my brain into a response, Andrew, my seven year old spoke up impatiently, saying “they’re the guys running for president. Now can I please turn it to Nickelodeon? Drake and Josh is on.”
That little exchange made me wonder how we as parents can emphasize the importance of being responsible citizens to our distraction driven kids? In a world where things like Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Polly Pockets and Club Penguin compete for kids’ attention, how do I squeeze in time for a quick political tutorial? Yet, it’s my job to do that; just like making sure they get their teeth brushed, eat five servings of produce a day and memorize this week’s site words. After all, today’s kids will shape tomorrow’s government.
Fostering Political Spirit in the Classroom
A big problem today is that many people don’t see the right to vote as a valuable privilege like our country’s earliest citizens or the suffragettes in the early 1900’s. It’s just another item far down on the never-ending to do list; and if it doesn’t get checked off, so what? “Voter apathy is a tremendous problem in our community,” says Arizona White, executive director for Kids Voting Bibb County, a non-profit organization hoping to improve voter turnout by promoting good citizenship in classrooms.
It appears to be working. Over 35,000 students in Bibb County's public and private schools participate in Kids Voting activities each year since its beginning in 1992. A 1999 survey conducted by Mercer University determined that students who participate in Kids Voting activities in school are 12 - 19% more likely to register and vote when they reach 18 than those students who did not attend Kids Voting programs.”
Kristina Graczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Sacred Heart Academy in Warner Robins strongly believes that politics should be a staple among classroom subjects. “We just reviewed the three levels and branches of government. Right now, we’re reading about and discussing the presidential election at least two days a week. Politics really comes alive to students when it’s not just something in their textbooks. It’s on TV. They discuss it at the dinner table. And they know that it affects their families and their futures in so many ways.”
To supplement textbook learning and generate classroom discussion, Graczyk uses grade appropriate election skills booklets by Scholastic. She also had her students write letters to the future president. “They each wrote a letter beginning ‘Dear Future President’ or ‘Dear Mr. Obama or Mr. McCain.’ “They let the candidates know that we’re praying and hoping for great things for our country during the next presidency. It was such an excellent way to demonstrate to kids that they matter, that they have voices that can be heard in Washington. We’ll write another round of letters after the election.”
At Hubbard Elementary in Monroe County, students kicked off the fall election season by celebrating Constitution and Citizenship Day, September 17th. “The entire school took part, but our fifth graders especially got involved by learning about the government, the presidency and the importance of voting,” explains assistant principal Michelle Windham. “Fifth graders even participate in the Georgia Student Mock Election, conducted through Youth Leadership. At some point before October 30th, classes will log onto http://www.youthleadership.net/. They’ll vote for the president, members of congress and even issues more exclusive to our school. In the last election, they got to vote on uniforms for our dress code. By voting on items like this, students get to experience first hand the results of their votes.”
What Parents Can Do
Let Kids Exercise Their Political Voices by Voting for Everyday Choices
When you think about it, there are so many fun and interactive ways to teach kids the importance of voting. Macon mom Melissa McLendon creates homemade ballots and has her kids Ryan and Lindsay vote on dinner and dessert choices. She recently conducted a top ice cream flavor election. “We all discreetly filled in our selections. Our kids know about proper voting etiquette, using silent ballots and not blurting out ‘I VOTED FOR ROCKY ROAD.’ My daughter would have us going to the polls about everything if we had time.”
Parents can conduct votes on what movie to watch, where to go on vacation, who to invite for a play date, or which Webkinz to sleep with. For bigger issues, have kids campaign for their favorite candidates. They can create posters, slogans, even have debates, as long as they don’t turn into free for all pillow fights. For more tips on helping kids campaign, visit www.scholastic.com/election2008.
Involve Kids in Real World Election Activities
Take your kids with you to vote. Watch televised debates together and visit sites like http://www.kidstalkpolitics.com/ and http://www.scholastic.com/ (mentioned above) where you’ll find a host of articles and broadcasts produced for kids by kids. According to Ally Condie, author of Freshman for President, a political novel for young teens, parents can include their kids in so many areas of the election. “Some kids are surprised to learn political rallies can be as fun as pep rallies. Take them to see the local action up close and what they see in the news will be more meaningful.” For example, local candidates Rick Goddard and Jim Marshall, who are running for the Georgia Eighth District seat in the U.S. Congress are often hosting rallies and campaign drives in Middle Georgia leading up to November 4th.
Help Them Relate
How can you get kids interested in politics when they’d rather be watching Drake and Josh? Open up a dialogue about the election and candidates on terms that they can relate to. For example, ask “If you could decide who gets to make the rules that you follow, what kind of person would you vote for?” Then explain a little about each presidential candidate and their stances on specific kid appropriate issues.”
Also, give them tidbits of information about each candidate; such as “John McCain was a war hero like GI Joe.” Or, “Barak Obama was a community organizer in Chicago, where Aunt Maggie lives.”
Another tip from author Ally Condie is to use pop culture to spark discussions: Though less effective by itself, pop culture coupled with conversation is a great way to spark interest. Reading political novels, watching issue based movies or satirical T.V. shows together are a great way to start a discussion or to get a child interested in researching an issue.
Keep the Election Spirit Alive All Year Long
According to Joel Blackwell, a Middle Georgia native and author of Keep on Voting after the Election, real voter impact happens, not just by casting a ballot, but by making phone calls, writing letters and organizing rallies. “I encourage young people to get involved in campaigning and advocating for their political choices in and out of school. They’ll have lots of fun, meet new people, find job opportunities and, most importantly, know they’re making an impact. “Even elementary school ages can benefit,” said Blackwell. “When my children were small, they licked envelopes and helped nail campaign signs in yards. They’ll both tell you they had a lot of fun doing it.”
Other things parents and kids can do throughout the year are to invite local leaders to speak in their children’s classrooms, look up addresses of city and state representatives online and then write to them. “So few people communicate with elected officials that those who do have disproportionate power. Our leaders are hungry for that kind of interaction with their constituents. That’s a great lesson to teach kids about the power of their voices in government,” continued Blackwell. To read more tips on renewing your family’s civic-mindset, visit Blackwell’s Web site at http://www.keeponvoting.com/.
2 comments:
Can you even imagine being a woman and not being able to vote?
Thanks to the suffragettes, America has women voters and women candidates, and we are a better country for it!
Women have voices and choices! Just like men.
But few people know ALL of the suffering that our suffragettes had to go through to get the vote for women, and what life was REALLY like for women before they did.
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Recently an insurance company nearly wind up....
A bank is nearly bankrupt......filing chapter 11 protection.
How it affect you? Did you buy insurance? Did you buy mini note or bonds?
Who fault?
They bailout trouble finance company, but they will not bail out your credit card bills……And the bill out of company is still not enough yet…….You got no choice, and no point pointing finger but you can prevent similar things from happen again……
The top management of the Public listed company ( belong to "public" ) salary should be tied a portion of it to the shares price ( IPO or ave 5 years ).... so when the shares price drop, it don't just penalise the investors, but those who don't take care of the company.....If this rule is pass on, without any need of further regulation, all industries ( as long as it is public listed ) will be self regulated......because the top management will be concern about their own pay check……
Meanwhile if company was being acquired, there will be a great movement in terms of staff……eventually staff suffer also.
Some might feel that it sound stupid….. as there is long and Short position…but in reality there is still many different caliber CEO…..so there is still long and short…..They can ban short selling definitely they can do something about this.......
Are you a partisan?
Sign a petition to your favourite president candidate, congress member, House of representative again and ask for their views to not just comment on this, and what regulations they are going to commit and implementation the regulation, see who is hypocrite, which don’t implement after just mentioning in the election campaign.....If you agree on my point, please share with many people as possible.... Finance and Media are the two only industries can shaken politics ( Maybe Hackers can ), please help to highlight also...
Blog
http://remindmyselfinstock.blogspot.com/
Facebook, come and join as a friend and share with your friends…..
Remind.myself@yahoo.com
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