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Facilitator’s Manual and Script for PD Out of the Box:“Voting: An Important and Powerful Way to Advocate for the Teaching Profession”

Before the Meeting1. Download the activity materials from the KDP website.2. Read through the Facilitator’s Manual so that you’re familiar with the content and your part of the activity.

You will need to stop the recording when directed, because the activity is designed to be very interactive for the participants. There are discussion questions and hands-on activities for the participants to complete during the activity.

3. Arrange the chairs in the room so that participants can talk to one another.4. Provide the participants with paper and pens so that they can take notes during the workshop.5. Duplicate the handout for the participants. Distribute the handout to the participants when directed to do so

during the activity.6. Duplicate the evaluation. Distribute the evaluation to the participants at the end of the activity.7. When you are ready, welcome the participants and begin the recording.

Suggested Time for Each Slide (Feel free to adjust the time for the hands-on activities.)

Slide # Amount of Time What happens on this slide1 1 minute Narrator talks.2 1 minute Narrator talks.3 5 minutes Small-group and whole-group discussion [Stop recording on this slide.]4 5 minutes Narrator talks.5 7 minutes Hands-on activity [Stop recording on this slide.]6 7 minutes Hands-on activity [Stop recording on this slide.]7 7 minutes Hands-on activity [Stop recording on this slide.]8 5 minutes Small-group and whole-group discussion [Stop recording on this slide.]9 1 minute Narrator talks.

Slide 1

Narrator: Hello and welcome to the PD Out of the Box titled “Voting: An Important and Powerful Way to Advocate for the Teaching Profession.” This activity is sponsored by Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor

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Society in Education. My name is Nathan Bond, and I am a member of the Kappa Delta Pi Public Policy Committee. Today, I will serve as your narrator.

Slide 2

Narrator: This activity hopes to achieve several objectives. By the end of the activity, you will register to vote or verify your voter status. You will locate and analyze your legislators’ views on education. And you will identify the dates for the next election at the local, state, and national levels. This activity will be very interactive, so be prepared to talk to the people sitting near you and to use your smart phone to locate some information online.

Slide 3

Narrator: Before we begin the activity, think about your answers to the following questions. When given the signal by the facilitator, discuss your answers with the participants sitting nearby. Be prepared to share your answers orally with the whole group.

Facilitator: STOP RECORDING: (The facilitator should stop the recording, wait a minute or two for the participants to think of their answers to the questions, and then direct the participants to share their answers with colleagues sitting nearby. After a minute or two, the facilitator should ask participants to share orally their answers with the large group.)

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Facilitator: You have identified several reasons why people in the United States should vote. Let’s compare our reasons to the ones that are listed on the next slide. Scholars at the University of North Carolina have compiled a list of ten reasons why college students should vote.

Facilitator: DISTRIBUTE HANDOUT

Facilitator: START RECORDING

Slide 4

Narrator: Scholars at the University of North Carolina have identified ten reasons why college students should vote. The following list and explanatory information comes directly from their website. Often people feel that their vote really doesn’t matter. Actually, it does. Hopefully, these reasons will give you some food for thought and motivate you to vote in the next election.

First, America is a democracy. Our government is organized so that citizens of our country elect representatives to pass laws that will guide our behaviors. These representatives are counting on the voters to share their thoughts about various proposed laws. You remember from your social studies courses that there are other forms of government, such as monarchies and dictatorships. In these types of governments, citizens are not given the chance to have a voice in government.

Second, do you remember the presidential election in 2000 and the issue of the hanging chads in the state of Florida? George W. Bush was running for president against Al Gore. There were some issues with the ballots, so the ballots had to be counted again by hand. The results were unclear. Ultimately, George W. Bush won the election in the state by a margin of 537 votes out of almost 6 million cast in the state. Because he won Florida, Bush won the presidency. This election demonstrated the importance of each and every vote.

Third, no one else votes with college students in mind. Many people vote while thinking of other constituencies: older folks, people without health insurance, and the like. But very few voters are focused specifically on the needs of college students. When issues like student loan rates, educational standards, and admissions policies are on the ballot, who else is better qualified to vote than those currently experiencing the implications of such initiatives?

Fourth, college students -- also known as millennial voters -- are a key constituency in any, and every, election. With 44 million millennial voters eligible to vote, your vote can make a huge difference when banded with others in your demographic.

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Fifth, millennial voters are more diverse than any other constituency. According to Rock the Vote, "Sixty-one percent of millennials identify as White, while 17% are Hispanic, 15% are African American, and 4% are Asian." Who else is going to vote to represent the needs of such a diverse constituency?

Sixth, no one likes a hypocrite. You're in college. You're expanding your mind, your spirit, your life. You're challenging yourself in new and exciting ways and learning things you may not have ever considered before. But when the time comes, you're going to pass on empowering yourself by voting? Really?

Seventh, many people fought for your right to vote. No matter your race, gender, or age, your right to vote came at a price. Honor the sacrifices others made so that your voice could be heard when theirs wasn't.

Eighth, college voters really can swing an election. Joe Courtney was running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 2006. According to a Rock the Vote analysis, he won the election by 83 votes out of more than 242,000 total votes. The results showed that he won the election because of the high turnout at the polling station on the University of Connecticut campus. The huge number of college-aged voters at that polling station swung the vote in his favor. So, do you want to phone Courtney’s opponent, or even Courtney himself, to see if every vote by a college student matters?

Ninth, within the next 4 years, you may be getting a job, owning or renting your own housing, getting married, starting a family, paying for health care, or building a business. The policies you vote for today will have a huge influence on your life after college. Do you really want to leave those decisions up to someone else? Why do you want to have other people make decisions for you? By voting, you have an opportunity to have your voice heard.

Tenth, you're living life as an adult now. Despite conventional attitudes about college students not being in the "real world," much of your daily life involves very serious and important decisions. You manage your finances; you are taking charge of your education and career; you are doing your best, every day, to improve yourself through higher education. In essence, you are becoming an adult (if you aren't one already). Your vote, then, matters most because you are finally able to cast it. Go voice your opinions on issues, policies, candidates, and referendums. Stand up for what you believe in. Vote!

Now that we have examined the reasons for voting, let’s turn our attention to three steps that you need to take. Remember that voting is a form of advocacy. And it’s easy if you follow these three steps.

Slide 5

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Narrator: Step 1: You need to first register to vote. How do you do this? It’s easy. And you can do it now using your smart phone. Simply Google the phrase “Register to vote in [your state]” such as Texas, New York, or Indiana. Please note that you may be directed to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In some states, this department coordinates voter registration. On these sites, you can verify your eligibility to vote, register to vote, or change your voting address. Take a few minutes to register to vote.

Facilitator: STOP RECORDING: (The facilitator should stop the recording and help students to register to vote. Encourage participants to help one another and share strategies so that all can successfully complete this task.)

Facilitator: START RECORDING

Slide 6

Narrator: Now that you are registered to vote, you need to identify the people who represent you at the local, state and national levels. There are elected officials who represent you at all of these levels. And you have the opportunity to vote for these people.

Because of the short amount of time that we have today, I would choose one legislator to identify. In your free time in the future, you can identify the legislators at the other levels. So, for today, let’s find the person who represents you in the United States House of Representatives.

How do you find this person? Again, conduct a Google search. You can type in questions, such as “Who is my representative in (your state)?” Choose the website that will give you this information. On these websites, you often have to supply your zip code and, in some cases, your street address.

After you have identified your representative, conduct another Google search to locate the representative’s website. Scan the website to find the representative’s position on education. Be prepared to share orally your findings with the whole group.

Facilitator: STOP RECORDING: (The facilitator should stop the recording and help students to identify their legislator. Encourage participants to help one another and share strategies so that all can successfully complete this task.)

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Facilitator: (Ask participants to share their findings.) Who is your legislator? What is his/her position on education? How does your legislator’s position on education compare and contrast with your own?

Facilitator: START RECORDING

Slide 7

Narrator: In step 1, you registered to vote. In step 2, you identified your legislator and his/her position on education. Now in step 3, you will want to determine when the next election at the local, state, or national levels will be held. How do you do this? Using your smart phone, conduct a Google search by typing in a question, such as “When are the elections in [your state]?” If you’re searching for the election dates in your state, you will often go to the website maintained by the Secretary of State in your state. Remember that voting is one of the most powerful forms of advocacy.

Facilitator: STOP RECORDING: (The facilitator should stop the recording and help students to determine when the next election will occur. Encourage participants to help one another and share strategies so that all can successfully complete this task.)

Facilitator: (Ask participants to share their findings.) When is the next election? What is some additional information about voting did you find on this site? Is early voting an option? Is there a FAQ section? If so, what are some of the questions that people often ask?

Facilitator: START RECORDING

Slide 8

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Narrator: The well-known Kappa Delta Pi member, John Dewey, stated that we do not learn from experience. Instead, we learn from reflecting on experience. Think about your answers to the following questions. Then, when given the signal by the facilitator, share your answers with the participants sitting nearby.

Facilitator: STOP RECORDING: (The facilitator should ask participants to share their answers.)

Facilitator: START RECORDING

Slide 9

Narrator: Thank you for participating in today’s PD Out of the Box titled “Voting: An Important and Powerful Way to Advocate for the Teaching Profession.” I hope that you learned how to register to vote, who are your representatives and their positions on education, and when the next elections will occur. More importantly, I hope that you learned the importance of voting. It’s the easiest, yet most powerful, way that we can advocate for the teaching profession.

As a result of today’s workshop, you may be inspired to advocate in other ways. You are cordially invited to join the Kappa Delta Pi Public Policy Committee. Email the chair of the committee. This contact information is located on the KDP website. Also, you are invited to connect with us on KDP Global.

As a way to help us to improve our advocacy efforts, please complete the evaluation and give it to the facilitator at the end of today’s workshop.

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Facilitator: STOP RECORDING: (The facilitator should ask participants to complete and submit the evaluation.)

Facilitator: DISTRIBUTE EVALUATION

END OF ACTIVITY