This is the time of year when the tests are behind students and the fun begins. Teachers are free to liberate their student’s genius and allow them to Choose2Matter by engaging in work that is worthy of the world. Angela Maiers says that learners who believe they have unique abilities early on will be more likely than others to:
- Harness their talents more quickly
- Develop self-confidence and a belief that they can succeed
- Maintain their optimism and confidence under stress
- Learn to rely on themselves more than others to get what they need in life
- Live a productive and fulfilled life
"Genius Matters: A Framework for Epic Transformation is a free book with 20 lessons that teachers can implement with students to find their unique abilities and do work that matters such as volunteering.
Setting Up A Volunteering Campaign
Now there is extra support for those students who Choose2Matter by volunteering their time and talents. WE Volunteer Now helps teachers help students organize volunteer activities to address issues and raise awareness about a cause they find important.
You can sign up for WE Volunteer Now to learn more about how to start a volunteer campaign at your school. You’ll also get access to grade-specific lessons you can use right away. Plus, 500 schools will receive a $250 grant to use towards their volunteer project.
The grants will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to all eligible schools/groups, to be used towards supporting your volunteer project! The eligible school or youth organization must:
- Complete this application
- Be based in the U.S.
- Use the funds by October 2018
- Include youth in grades K-12
- Participate in the WE Volunteer Now Campaign
[Apple, Google, & Microsoft... Oh My! Which is Best for Your School?]
Get AP Credit
The We Volunteer Now kit contains ideas for teachers and students to brainstorm and helps students set goals. The kit also includes teacher checklists to help teachers keep students and themselves on track. There are lessons for all grade levels that easily align with your current curriculum. For high school AP teachers there is an AP® with WE Service Course that allows teachers the opportunity to incorporate service learning into their existing AP courses. This gives students real world experiences with AP content that traditionally has a reputation of being rather dry and tedious.
Showcasing Student Volunteer Efforts Helps Schools Stand Out
There are many reasons to join WE Schools. Showcasing the wonderful ways your students are making the world a better place is a fantastic way to help your school stand out from the rest and garner community support. You can do this when students projects are finished educators have a great opportunity to celebrate and share the work on the school’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, website and other spaces.You can also share your results with We Volunteer Now for a chance to earn your way to WE Day. It’s a stadium-sized event (there are 6 held annually in select cities across the country!) that brings together amazing speakers and performers. And YOU and YOUR students could be honored, or students can tune in and watch them live! You can see what this looks like below.
Read more.
Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about learning innovatively and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen has worked for more than a decade in various capacities to support learning in real and innovative ways that will prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as Huffington Post, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.
