Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.

Samantha Power

Believing that suffering can be an “educative force,” Mahatma Gandhi began a six-day hunger strike on September 16, 1932, in protest of how the British government’s support of a new Indian constitution creating a caste system in India. His protest led to the acceptance of an alternative proposal, changed public opinion, and demonstrated the power of peaceful protest.

Historical movements such as Gandhi’s offer opportunities to inspire students to explore their passions and take the first steps toward student advocacy for passion projects. As students learn about activists and the power of activism, they understand how individual and collective actions often bring about meaningful change.

One of the key features of passion projects and advocacy is empathy for others. Developing empathy begins with age-appropriate activities such as:

Elementary School:

• Participating in kindness projects, such as a food drive ahead of the winter holidays.
• Promoting environmental awareness through initiatives such as recycling and school gardens.
• Integrating stories of change makers that into your classroom curriculum.

Middle School:

• Providing opportunities for service learning projects. You can share opportunities on your LMS or create a digital bulletin board for students to access anytime.
• Encouraging students to participate in student government to develop leadership skills and increase awareness of civic issues, including those within your school.
• Asking students to create social media campaigns for causes they care about.
• Implementing a Student Advocacy Week to highlight students in your school whose actions are making a difference.

High School:

• Supporting community service requirements that encourage students to explore different opportunities and find causes that inspire them.
• Supporting students in initiating clubs that meet their interests and passions.
• Sharing internships with students that provide hands-on learning opportunities.  

Advocacy and activism come in many different forms. Consider sharing examples of activism by hosting a week-long exploration of important events related to different activists. The example below takes place over the week of September 16, which features several anniversaries related to topics that might inspire students:

• September 16 (social activism) – Share books about Gandhi and discuss his role as a peaceful activist. This booklist includes several suggestions for readers of all ages. 
• September 17 (economic activism) – Occupy Wall Street began in 2011. This fifty-nine-day movement fought for economic equality and against corporate greed and money’s influence on politics. Learn more about this movement from this History.com article.
• September 18 (women’s rights activism) – On this date in 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor was confirmed as the first female Supreme Court justice. Visit our special topics collection “TeachersFirst’s Change Makers – Pioneering Women” to find resources to introduce students to other female trailblazers.
• September 19 (environmental activism) – On this date in 1988, the U.S. ratified the Montreal Protocol, one of the greatest examples of countries working together to protect the environment by controlling the use of harmful chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch “The Hole – A Film on the Montreal Protocol,” a short, informative YouTube video narrated by Sir David Attenborough. 
• September 20 (animal rights activism) – World Gorilla Day (September 24), World Rhino Day (September 22), and International Red Panda Day (September 21) encourage students to learn about efforts underway to protect animals across the planet. Visit this student learning page from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to find ways to help animals, links to local animal rights movements, and other ways to support ethical animal treatment.

Next Steps:

• As students identify their interests and passions, share DoSomething.org (reviewed here) to help them explore different causes and find meaningful ways to become involved.
• Participating in Across the World Once a Week (XW1W), TeachersFirst’s global collaboration opportunity for cross-cultural understanding, is a fantastic way to broaden students’ world knowledge. Each month during the school year, XW1W explores one of the Sustainable Development Goals through weekly discussions on X (formerly Twitter) for elementary and middle school classes. 

Advocacy helps students connect with causes that are more significant than themselves in meaningful ways. It also provides opportunities to develop empathy and a passion for a cause in real-world situations. 

How do you encourage student advocacy? We would love to hear ideas from your classrooms in the comments below.