You've probably seen Rock the Vote ads on MTV that feature famous actors and artists from P.Diddy to Christina Aguilera. Here is your chance to get involved! Future Educators Association members can practice their teaching skills and help their peers learn about voting through a new program that brings Rock the Vote right into their schools!
What is it?
Through a partnership with Rock the Vote and the National Education Association, FEA is offering student members the chance to practice their teaching skills by presenting Democracy Class to their peers. Democracy Class is a non-partisan lesson that uses music, pop culture, video, classroom discussion, and a mock election to teach young people about the election process. This is a great way to gain teaching experience while encouraging your peers to register to vote once they come of age.
Lesson Plan Overview
- Class begins with a video covering the history of voting rights and how young people are affected by elections.
- Class continues with a discussion of national and local issues identified by the students, showing how the leaders we elect to office impact most of our daily concerns.
- Eligible students are then registered to vote, and non-eligible students have an opportunity to "pledge to vote."
- The lesson ends with an in-class mock election where students run for office based on a platform of issues they support.
Make the pledge!
Get started now! Even though Democracy Day was on March 23, you can still pledge to present Rock the Vote's Democracy Class in your school (be sure to say that you heard about it through FEA) and Rock the Vote will send you a packet containing all the resources you'll need to put on this 45-minute lesson. (Don't forget to ask a teacher for some class time to teach this lesson!)
Be sure to select the Future Educators Association when asked “How did you hear about us?”
Sign up for Democracy DaySpread the Word
You can also share this program with your friends by using our sample Twitter and Facebook updates below, or write one of your own!
Twitter: I just pledged to present @RockTheVote 's #DemocracyClass in my school with the #FutureEducators Association! http://ow.ly/4bThS
Facebook: I just pledged to present Rock The Vote's Democracy Class in my school with the Future Educators Association! http://ow.ly/4bThS
You can even "Like" FEA on Facebook first and then tag us when you post! Just put the @ symbol before "Future Educators Association" in your status update.
About Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote is a nonprofit organization that engages young people in our democracy and builds their political power by registering, educating and turning them out to vote. For more than 20 years, Rock the Vote has used music, popular culture, new technologies and old-fashioned grassroots organizing to engage and mobilize young people to participate in every election.