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Incorporating Politics and Civic Engagement Into the Classroom. R. Michael Walsh Associate Professor, Communication Arts Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore, Maryland Contact: 443-840-3613 rwalsh@ccbcmd.edu. Communications 101. The four units: Principles of Communication
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Incorporating Politics and Civic Engagement Into the Classroom R. Michael Walsh Associate Professor, Communication Arts Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore, Maryland Contact: 443-840-3613 rwalsh@ccbcmd.edu
Communications 101 The four units: Principles of Communication Interpersonal Communication Small Group Communication Public Speaking Honors Program: • Promote active learning and critical thinking • Further develop skills in verbal and written communication • Encourage independent discovery • Foster analytical thinking and creativity
The Honors Projects • Rock the Vote • 2008 Presidential Campaign • Candidates Night • Oral History of Bethlehem Steele Mill/Turner Station Website • Changing Our Ways: A Student Lifestyle Experiment
Rock the Vote • Received certification from the Baltimore County Board of Elections • Visited classrooms and gave a 5 minute speech • Collected the registrations • Organized a Rock the Vote event 250 people were registered to vote!
2008 Presidential Campaign • Researched each of the candidates • Gave presentations advocating for one of the candidates • Participated in a panel discussion • Read Peggy Noonan’s On Speaking Well
Candidates’ Night • Drafted the invitations • Invited County Executive, Delegate, Senate, County Council candidates • Organized the event • Developed and asked the questions to panel • Read On Speaking Well
Oral History of Bethlehem Steel Mill/Turner Station Website • Interviewed past and present Steel Mill workers • Compiled interviews into a video • Created a website for Turner Station • Organized an event • Read Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Changing Our Ways: A Student Lifestyle Experiment • Assisted with Trash Olympics at local elementary school • Assisted in the Green House • Gave up meat, television, water bottles for a week • Organized event • Read Colin Beavan’sNo Impact Man • Gave presentations in class using themes from book
Additional Politically-Themed Assignment Campaign Speech • Become a fictional person giving factual information • Develop qualifications (work experience, volunteer/education) appropriate for position • Investigate the position and the issues • Highlight three important issues you would address if elected
Campaign Speech Sample Scenarios • You are a 23 year old college graduate with no political experience. You have the ability to be a successful delegate in the House of Delegates. • You are running for a position on the Board of Education. You have been an advocate for children for 15 years, including serving as the countywide PTA chairperson for 5 years. • You have been a pretty successful and popular member of the county delegation and were pulled over with a DUI. You paid your debt and apologized to the public. You are running for re-election and hope that the voters will forgive you.
Campaign Speech Sample Scenarios • You are running for re-election on the County Council and have been recently accused of using tax payer money to finance your campaign. This is not true. Your opponent will say anything to win. • You are running for States Attorney and have been an attorney for 15 years. Voters say that crime is their number one concern.
Additional Environmentally-Themed Assignments Persuasive Speech • Select a topic • Follow the issue for several weeks • Select three articles and write an article summary using MLA format • Students will use resource guide created by the librarian • Create a bibliography • Articles summaries will be used to develop persuasive 7-8 minute presentation
Persuasive Speech Topics • SB236 SepticsBill (Why we should support the SB236 bill) • Energy Production usage (Why we should use solar energy) • International approach to sustainability (Select a country and persuade us to follow their lead) • International business (Select one business …like WalMart…and persuade us to boycott their business because of environmentally unfriendly practices) • Presidential Campaign (Select a current candidate for president and support or oppose one of his/her environmental issues that will positively/negatively impact the world) • American consumerism (Why consumerism is hurting our environment)
Mass Communications Course • Evaluate the impact of historical and emerging media as aesthetic art forms in the Humanities • Explore how the media reflect and inspire cultural, political, and ethical norms • Distinguish, discuss, and estimate the unique effectiveness of different media formats
Group Project • Work in groups of 4-5 students • Appoint a project manager • Select an organization or issue to support • Create and implement an event designed to raise awareness or funds • Develop a promotional campaign using three forms of media • Develop a budget • Assess outcome of event • Give a final presentation
Issues/Organizations Juvenile Diabetes/ADA Haiti Earth Day/Sustainability Day Maryland Zoo Special Olympics American Cancer Society Bread and Cheese Cleanup Toys for Tots Henrietta Lacks Scholarship Soles for Souls World AIDS Day Autism Speaks Domestic Violence Stiggy’s Dogs
Types of Events • Booths at the End-of-the Year Picnic • Talent Show • Small Circus for Kids • Demonstrations (self defense) • Community Events (parades, booths) • Walks and Fundraisers • Performances (musical, dance) • Creek Cleanups
Outcome Total Raised: $12,000 (and they learned a lot too!)
Partnerships • Dundalk Chamber of Commerce • Dundalk Renaissance Corporation • Non-profit organizations • Fleming Senior Center • Local businesses • Elementary Schools • Churches • Bread and Cheese Creek Cleanup • CCBC Student Life • Elmo!
What you need to do • Work with Student Life (budget, direction) • Identify outside organizations willing to partner (develop a mutually beneficial experience) • Identify community events (easier to be a part of then to plan from scratch) • Determine unique aspects/issues in community (historical, economic, lifestyle) • Empower students but manage them (don’t assume they are fine without you) • Plan, Plan, Plan (must be very focused and organized)
What Students Learn • Government, Politics, Human Rights • Local, National, and International Issues • Write, Speak, Evaluate, Create, Lead • Giving back to the community • Care for others and themselves!
