Teaching Young People about

Social Change

Intro

Education happens everywhere - at home, on the playground, in stores, at the movies, and (sometimes) in classrooms. Educators usually have a hard time getting the resources they need, especially when it comes to teaching young people about social change. Whether working with adults or young people, educators - young and older - should have easy access to quality learning tools.

Point to Ponder

"It is... nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom; without this it goes to wreak and ruin. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty." - Albert Einstein

Resources

Following are different resource lists The Freechild Project has created for both community and classroom educators regarding social change led by and with young people.

Recommended Curricula, Lesson Plans, Websites, and More

This list included both free curricula and others to purchase. Topics cover many topics on Freechild, including student-led social change, peacemaking and conflict resolution, youth in decision-making, and more. Click here>

Freechild Project Resources

These are webpages and publications that Freechild has created for educators to lead social change with young people.

Web Resource Pages

• Stop the War on Young People

• Service Learning

• Homeschooling

• Deschooling & Unschooling

• Student Rights Directory

• FireStarter Youth Power Program

• Money for Youth-Led Activism

• Action Resource Center

• Reading List on Education

• Reading List on Community Involvement

Online Publications

• Why Play Games When There's Work to Do?

• So, You Wanna Be a Playa? The Freechild Project Guide to Cooperative Games for Social Change

  This short booklet offers a vision of a world united through cooperative games.  This short booklet provides an insightful tool to help community workers, teachers, and activists of all ages incorporate initiatives, teambuilders, "funners," and closing activities into their work for social change.

• The Original Firestarter Youth Power Participant Guidebook

• The Original Firestarter Youth Power Facilitator Guide

• ServiceLine Newsletter (Summer 2002) Meaningful Involvement Benefits All Students

• Reflection Activities

• Meaningful Student Involvement: Guide to Inclusive School Change A wide-reaching introduction to Meaningful Student Involvement, including a brief introduction, a description of the benefits to schools, several short stories of action, and useful assessment tools for your classroom or school, including the popular Ladder of Student Involvement. 

• Fist-to-Five Consensus Building

• Reflection Ideas Incorporating Multiple Intelligences

• Crossing the Line

• Open Space Technology

• Tower Building Activity

Additional Resources

These organizations and publications can help you learn about becoming an ally to young people leading social change.   click here>

Visit our friends, allies and partners: