This semester I am teaching a class titled, "Social Order and Social Change". As a new instructor, I have been consistently developing classes to teach for the first time. This particular class was more challenging, though, since I had never taken anything like it as a student. It was truly starting from scratch...and pretty intimidating.
I have come up with some crazy ideas to include in my class, but this one might win out for craziest. I thought there was no better way to teach social change then to try to make it. The student's main assignment for the class is the Change the World Project (if you'd like you can see the actual assignment here Download Change the World Project). Students need to figure out a societal need they are passionate about and try to work towards change. The goal of the project is to learn from the process, to make consistent effort towards trying to make a difference.
When I was describing the project plans to a friend she mentioned the "butterfly effect", which I loved. I included the concept in the first class meeting when we discussed the project. We have referred to it numerous times in the last few week and they laugh because I can't say it without flapping my arms a little. All jokes aside, it is a powerful idea...
I also told the students on the first day that I would be working on my own project. I could not ask them to put forth effort to make change without committing to the project myself. I did not give them the specifics because I have just been figuring this out myself...working on it as they work on theirs.
My project has to do with making change on the state school campus I work on. I have been able to speak to so many students who are fighting their way through school. Many are the first in their family to attend college. Almost all of them work to support themselves. I know from being a state school student myself, just a couple of years ago, that tuition has gone up at least thirty percent. Another aspect that inspired my project was the Shiver Report that came out in January. Its key finding was that college degrees are the strongest possible solution to solving social inequalities, "Higher education generates the momentum that wipes out inequity for generations to come."
My project is to start a scholarship based on the Change the World Project. I have worked with the campus scholarship office to create it starting next fall. I want to focus on the butterfly effect and ask for $5 donations...a small amount that can add up. I know we all have numerous financial responsibilities. Many of us need to figure out a way to send our own children to college. Therefore, it is understandable to not donate money so a perfect stranger has a little easier time paying their college fees.
With that said, if you do have $5 you would like to try to make a difference with, it would absolutely mean the world to me to collect it and create a scholarship for a student. In their application students will be asked to write an essay exploring the idea of social change and the difference they ultimately dream of making in the world. Thank you so, so much for your consideration in supporting a change I want to try to make.
Please use the link above to donate. I have opened a Paypal account specifically for the scholarship to collect donations in addition to what I will be donating from my paychecks this spring. Thank you.
