Question of the Month

 

October/November 2004

GET INVOLVED! TELL US HOW YOU MOTIVATE YOUR STUDENTS TO VOTE

As the next presidential election quickly approaches, FACCC wants to know how you get your students involved. Share your most successful strategies, either implemented or observed, in motivating your students to vote. Feel free to share successes as well as failures.

Please e-mail responses to Communications Director Keri Goulart at kgoulart@faccc.org, by September 30. (Please use the subject "September Question.") Your response, along with your name, e-mail address and college, will be published here at www.faccc.org, and may be published in other FACCC publications.

Responses:

Fri 10/22/2004 8:12 PM, Adelle Reinert (Adelle.Reinert@gcccd.net), Grossmont College/San Diego City College

I offer the following option in my course calendar (I teach composition):

Chance for Extra Credit! (A mediocre job will be worth one point and
a great job will be worth two points): In a one-page paper, typed and MLA
formatted, explain why you voted for the presidential candidate you did, and
why you voted the way you did for one particularly important proposition.
(I am not judging your political ideals, only your argumentation.) Stick
your "I Voted!" sticker from the poll at the top of your paper for credit.

I usually get a great response, as by this point in the semester, my
students are desperate for extra credit, and this is their only opportunity.

Fri 10/22/2004 11:27 PM, Beyrer, Gregory (BeyrerG@crc.losrios.edu), Cosumnes River College

I usually get a great response, as by this point in the semester, my
students are desperate for extra credit, and this is their only opportunity.

In my classes I give students an extra-credit assignment dealing with the election. My hope is that they will learn about the candidates, how their positions might affect students, and therefore decide to make a difference and vote. Here are the instructions:

Pick one of the six candidates for president that will be on the ballot in California this election (websites linked above) and write a paragraph on how one of that candidate's promises would affect you as a college student if enacted.

This assignment must be completed before election day, November 2.

Sat 10/23/2004 2:38 PM, Robin Roth (rroth@ccsf.edu), City College of San Francisco

Many of us at City College of San Francisco, especially in the Women's
Health Issues classes, have shown the video "One Vote." It's a powerful 6
minute video targeting the 22 million single women who did not vote in the
last Presidential election. Graphically compelling, it combines history and
testimonies about why voting is important and why one vote really does
count. Download it at www.onevotefilm.org.

Everyone can find 6 minutes in their classes, and those with more time
will find it sparks great discussions. We've posed the question - what
issues would you most want to effect with your vote? We also passed out
voter registration forms and many students signed up.

Do you have suggestions for future questions?
E-mail FACCC Communications Director Keri Goulart with "Question Idea" in the subject line.

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