3C — Get Set: Setting the Tone

Introduction

Chapter 1 — Overview

A — Social Action's Role in U.S. Experiment in Democracy B — US College Social Action C — Benefits of Social Action for Students, Campuses, and Society D — The Vision: Bringing Social Action into the Classroom E — Overcoming Challenges of Teaching Social Action

Chapter 2 — Developing a Social Action Class

A — Academic Course vs Co-Curricular & B — Prerequisites  C — Creating a Social Action Syllabus D — Teaching Style & E — Classroom Norms F — The Students G — Building Campus Allies and Community Partners H —The Role of Place & I —Each Semester vs Every Year (or Other Year) J — Using Mural Board (option)

Chapter 3 — Launching Student Campaigns

A — On Your Mark: Preparing Students for the Road Ahead B — Go! Students Choose Their Issue C — Get Set: Setting the Tone D — Change Theory E — Building Power F — Walking Tour G — Research: Historical Overview, Power Mapping, & Target Analysis H — Group Dynamics I — Strategy & Tactics J — Campaign Kickoff

Chapter 4 — Campaign Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation

A — Timeline & Campaign Plan B — Campaign Implementation: "Series of Actions" Begins C — Campaign Execution & Case Studies D — Campaign Evaluation E — Day of the Final: Campaign Notebook & Group Presentation

Chapter 5 — Where to Go From Here

A — Next Semester B — Mainstreaming Social Action C — Social Action Internship Program D — Pipeline to Jobs & Graduate School E — Status of Current Campaigns F — Impact of Social Action on Former Social Action Students

Read CHANGE! A Guide to Teaching Social Action

• Chapter 3C - Get Set: Setting the Tone (p. 68-73)

Sociology 164: Social Action assignment

TEXTBOOK: CHANGE! A Student Guide to Social Action, Chapter 2 — Setting the Tone (p. 20-25).

Discussion

While you are "setting the tone", you will want to consider dedicating one-half of this class to working on the student's campaign demands and figuring how who is the decision-maker. For me, this on Day 4, and I remind them that in the first 5 days of class, the campaigns are quite fluid and they can switch groups easily. At the same time, I remind them that they can switch groups at anytime, particularly if there is a problem in the group dynamic that cannot be easily resolved.

Below is an example of several student campaign demands and targets sent to me after Day 4. Notice my responses, which are encouraging them to follow the text and create simple demands that are clear and quantifiable, and have a yes or no answer, and that identifies the decision-maker

Campaign Case Study

I posted "DEMAND" and "TARGET" on the Mural Board, and ask the Students for Filipino Farmworkers (and other groups) to share their responses.

Notice that the amount of money for the art installation. I recommended that they include a specific amount, as this makes the demand more clear and powerful, and gives the decision-maker something concrete to respond to. This is in alignment with what makes a good demand (see textbook).  Without it, the target might say, "yes I support it, but there is no money." With the money included, this will make it clear if the target does or does not support the demand.

The Students for Filipino Farmworkers also created a shared Google Doc to draft text and take notes from their stakeholder interviews:

Course Development Reflection Questions

1. The textbook discusses an inclusive and empowering leadership model: how might you use this model to encourage engagement, where everyone in the group is participating?
2. What might you use from the two CHANGE books, as well as other sources, to improve the setting of the tone for your students (developing a culture of accountability, active listening skills, etc.), ? What other ways things might you include in setting the tone for the road ahead?
3. What are the ways you might teach how privilege, and lack of privilege, play out in a group?