“Sure, there’s a certain interest in inspecting the past and it can be fun, sort of like a detective story. I can make an argument for knowledge for its own sake as something that can add to your life. But while that’s good, it is small in relation to the very large objective of trying to understand and do something about the issues that face us in the world today. Students should be encouraged to go into history in order to come out of it, and should be discouraged from going into history and getting lost in it, as some historians do.” — Zinn (1994)

In the spirit of diving in to history in order to take action, as a class, we will produce an interactive online timeline recounting at least 20 events in United States bilingual education history.

Then, you will create an artifact to appeal to members of a specific audience in which you use the history as a call to action.

Part 3 Call To Action

What to do:

• Pick one of the following audiences: middle/high school students, parents, teachers, school administrators.
• Pick a format:
  • A letter
  • A blog post
  • An assignment and assignment rationale
  • The script for a meeting you would have with them
  • A short lecture you would give to them
  • A script for a video you would show to them
  • A comic strip / web comic (example of format here, here)
  • Or another format that speaks to you.
    • Past students have created PowerPoints, newsletters, HS newspaper articles…
• In your chosen format (should not go beyond 2 pages, double spaced), your job is to recommend that your audience take some action related to bilingual education, drawing on 3 historical moments to help you make your case
• Your piece should include:
  • Statement of purpose — what action(s) would you want your audience to take regarding bilingual education, and why? We will do some brainstorming in class to get your juices flowing about this.
  • What overarching ideas and themes do you want your audience to know about the history of bilingual education? Why?
  • Which 3 historical events from the timeline will best help you communicate those overarching ideas and inspire them to take action? Describe each of those events in one sentence.
  • Why is it important for your audience to know about those events?
  • Inspired by learning this history, why is it important for them to take the action(s) you recommend? What is the simple next step for your audience to take?
  • As an addendum to your piece (could be inside of it, if it seems appropriate, or just tacked on at the end), describe an ethical issue you face as you determine what kind of action to promote, and how you reconciled that issue. Some ideas to consider:
    • Though all actions are inherently “political” in the sense that they take a stand, the action you suggest can more or less advocate that the audience take some overtly political action. There is a difference between advocating that students write letters to their senators about their opinions and having them design an information campaign for new parents at their school, or making a video about bilingual education for their peers, for instance.
    • How do you also avoid presenting only one side of an issue to advance your own view, and how are you promoting multiple perspectives so your audience can make up their own minds? Consider the blurry lines that teachers navigate when discussing controversial issues in the classroom, for instance: http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/08/06/415498760/the-role-of-politics-in-the-classroom

Other guidelines:

• Think about the language(s) your audience would be most familiar with, and therefore, the language(s) you should use to communicate with them.
• Think about actions that would be appropriate for the audience you’ve selected given their ages and positions and other identities.
• Your piece should be about 2 pages double-spaced and cite any sources in APA format

For some inspiration, see this list of resources regarding teaching during the Trump presidency.

Example project premises:

• Write a speech that you will deliver to the PTA in Spanish and English using historical data to advocate that they create a Facebook/Whatsapp chat group with prospective parents to inform them about the bilingual education programs at your school and to share information about opportunities for their children.
• Write a letter to your administrator in which you use history to advocate that your school create a promotional video to attract more families to the dual language program.
• Write a short, 5 minute interactive lecture in which you use history to ask high school students in dual language programs to share their experiences as “English Language Learners” in letters to their local school officials.

 

Part 3 Rubric

	Full Credit	Grade and notes
Actions promoted(2 point)	You call on your audience to take a meaningful action in the realm of bilingual education that is appropriate for their age, position, identities.
Overarching themes and supporting historical events / Argumentation(2 points)	You use evidence from at least 3 historical events to justify that your audience take these specific actions and describe those events accurately in at least one sentence per event. You provide convincing reasoning for why your audience should know about this history.
Audience(1.5 points)	The language you use is appropriate for the audience that you are engaging. You draw on the language practices and experiences of your audience.
Addendum about related ethical issues (1.5 points)	You consider at least one ethical issue of intentionally incorporating politics into your work as an educator, citing a source to support you.