Our Most Important Job

 I know, I know. It’s TUESDAY. 

The first Tuesday after the first Monday, to be exact. 

And it is most certainly NOT Wednesday. And I am sending a Wednesday email on a Tuesday. What the heck?

Well, TODAY (in case you’ve been living under a rock) is Election Day. Which means tomorrow is a great/awful/hard/facinating day to teach Social Studies. 

On the one hand, it is your job, as a social studies teacher -- and nobody else in the world’s -- to teach the impartial, non-partisan part of the election. The PROCESS. The WHAT happened. (It’s the families’ jobs to teach what their family values and who they vote for. It’s YOUR job to teach the impartial part)

*And if you’re not a Social Studies teacher and you can allow your students to address the election in a fair and unbiased way, rock on. 

On the other hand -- uuggggghhhhhhhh!!!! Ew, David! I get it. No matter what happens, tomorrow is going to be ugly. There are going to be unhappy voters and unhappy students. We may or may not know the outcome. There is even talk of violence. Nicolas Cage is even going to steal the Declaration of Independence again! (JK). 

But imma be straight with you. 

It is entirely possible -- even probable -- that NOBODY ELSE that is going to teach what happened/is happening in a fair and unbiased way in most kids lives --  OTHER THAN YOU. Democracy depends on you -- not just because of your vote but because of your processing and debriefing in a fair and unbiased way with your students

And there is nothing more important than that. I don’t care what your pacing guide says. I don’t care if you teach Ancient World History or the American Revolution or Economics or AP HuG or whatever. I don’t care if you’re way behind. So is everybody else. 

The. Whole. Reason. Free and public. Education. Exists. Is For. Informed. Citizens. 

(It’s not for tests. It’s not for grades. It’s so they can be good citizens) ‘Kay. ‘Nuff preaching. 

And if social media is going to misinform them, you can take one day and talk about it the right way. 

What IS the right way?? (These suggestions are adapted from Facinghistory.org )

1. Start with yourself. You are a human. One that lives in the US and who has lived through the really tough year of 2020 and who has political opinions of your own. I hope you do! I hope you voted! Then be intentional in your own reflections:

1. What emotions does this election raise for you?

2. What perspectives will you bring to your reflection on the election with your students?

3. What can you do to ensure that students with a range of perspectives are supported in your class reflection?

4. As news continues to develop throughout the day, how will you continue to learn alongside your students?

2. Consider your students needs: Kids have feelings. Lots of them. And they don’t always control their feelings as well as you do. If results aren’t known, kids may feel anxious or uncertain. If results are determined, kids who supported the losing candidate may feel disappointed or maybe even unsafe! Use these questions to reflect on the students needs and emotions:

1. What emotions might your students bring to a discussion of the election? For example, which students might be feeling excited, disappointed, or vulnerable?

2. How can you foster a learning environment that respects a range of emotional reactions?

3. Are there any students who might benefit from one-on-one follow up from you or another staff member at your school?

 

3. Class Contract: Remind kids that your classroom is a safe and brave space. Make a class contract or refresh your class contract (especially with all the schedule changes!) and emphasize the respect and listening parts. If you already have a class contract, invite kids to add or modify the contract especially for THIS conversation. Use these questions to prompt their thinking: 

1. What would a meaningful conversation about the election look like, sound like, and feel like?

2. Which norms in our class contract are most important for guiding a meaningful conversation about the election and why?

3. Are there any new norms we need to add

1. For Online-kids, check out Contracting for remote learning (you might need a free account to Facinghistory.org, but it’s totally worth it) 

2.  

4. Update your kids: You, as a plugged-in, social-studies-teacher-adult may know what happened, but your kids may not. Especially if the results have been trickling in. They may not know the updates you know. TELL THEM in kind ways based on RELIABLE INFORMATION SOURCES (not social media updates). If violence or unrest is happening, you should also share reliable info about that in order to dispel rumors and misinformation. 

 

Helpful sources of information on the election include:

• New York Times 

• Wall Street Journal 

• The Associated Press

• LA Times 

• NPR

To share the results of local elections and ballot initiatives go to Tampa Bay Times and Bay News 9

5. Journaling: Doesn’t matter if it’s digital or pencil/paper, individual reflection time is the absolute best place to start. Give kids a few minutes to write in their notebooks or a Canvas assignment (NOT a discussion board today!). You might have them divide their paper into three sections and answer these three questions:

1. Section 1: What information do we currently know about the results of the election?

2. Section 2: How do you feel about the election and what is happening in the aftermath?

3. Section 3: How should individuals or politicians act in order to protect our democratic institutions? You may or may not choose to have your students share any of their reflections. If you choose to have them share, the Wraparound strategy can help make sure that all voices are heard.

1. If kids are simultaneous, make sure that all voices are heard. This is a touchy day. We want to be especially careful to make sure that all kids are given a voice!

6. Discuss how to find accurate information: Misinformation is everywhere on social media, and many kids don’t go anywhere BUT social media! Today is a great day to teach reliability! Ask kids:

1. How could seeing or reading misinformation about the election make people less likely to trust the results of the election?

2. What impact could it have if people lose trust in our government or elections?

3. Share the How to Know What to Trust resource and have students discuss if they follow any of those processes and if they can work on them

1. Invite students to write down their goals for how they will follow the news. Prompt them to respond to the following questions:

1. What can you do to ensure that the news and information you use to form your opinions is accurate?

2. How will you decide what news to share with your friends or family or post on social media?

3. What effect could misinformation have on our democracy?

7. Analyze the Election Results: Have kids write their answers first and then share what they’re comfortable with second. 

1. Why might the results of the 2020 presidential election matter to me?

2. Why might they matter to people around me (my family, friends, or community)?

3. Why might they matter to the country?

4. How might recent events in the United States have influenced the turnout and the outcome of the elections?

5. How are the election results making you and people you know feel in terms of their own agency, vulnerability, and inclusion in American society?

1. Lead a discussion around the answers, reminding kids of their agreements in the class contract. 

8. Look to the Future: Finally, ask students to think about how the results affect their thinking about the future. 

1. Because of the election results, do you think things will get better, worse, or stay the same?

2. How can we support people who are feeling vulnerable because of the election results?

3. What’s next for me/us? What can we do to strengthen our schools, communities, and country, regardless of the election results?

I know it’s a lot. I know you’re here, feeling your own feelings. But I promise you, this is the most important thing you will do all year. Stop teaching the Declaration of Independence. Stop teaching the legislative branch or Egypt & Kush. Stop teaching the Renaissance or US Imperialism or indicators of economic performance. 

Take a day to talk about what all the kids want to talk about anyway. There’s built-in engagement and social-emotional learning. It’s your civic duty as a social studies teacher. The tests don’t really matter (especially in a pandemic year). THIS is what matters. Not just the election, but how the kids PROCESS the election. 

Go with it -- but do it carefully, respectfully, and thoughtfully. 

And take care of yourself tonight! It’s hard to handle all those adolescent emotions if you haven't slept. Remember to practice self-care. This ain't a football game. Your candidate’s winning or losing isn’t dependent on your staying up late watching. Go to bed if the election isn’t clearly called by a REPUTABLE NEWS ORG by your usual bedtime. You are not going to affect the outcome by staying up late. 

But you ARE going to affect the way your classes go tomorrow.  

Take care of yourself and do the most important teaching day of your year! 

Email me if you want to talk through the lesson! I’m here! newmantr@pcsb.org