Search

Suggestions to help you navigate—and teach about—this year’s presidential election.

This toolkit for “Native Voices, Native Votes” charts a five-step plan for how educators can increase students’ knowledge about the history and current state of the Native vote.

Whenever I go into an unfamiliar school, I look closely to see what the walls tell me. I’m not just looking at signage—although that is important—but everything on the walls. A school’s “cultural ecology” is mirrored on its walls. Of course, some physical features of a school come with the territory, but the important question is, “what have they done with the place?” It starts with the halls. A building that is several decades old may feature clinical tile walls, harsh fluorescents and windowless hallways. Some buildings in that age range look like prisons, with bare, gleaming walls. Others of similar vintage shimmer with colorful student art, invite the viewer to explore ideas through posted classroom projects, or offer information for upcoming games, plays, elections, charity drives or concerts.

A former teacher from Crystal City, Texas, remembers the student walkout that helped launch the Latino civil rights movement 40 years ago.

Let’s talk about voting. Yesterday, we asked our 65,000 Facebook followers if they had held mock elections in their schools. We heard from one lone voice that reported her middle school had 100 percent turnout.

This year, students are absorbing a lot of negative and inflammatory messages related to the election—often from the adults in their own school communities. We’ve got something that can help.