Category Archives: Education/Training

Today I was unanimously voted in as a new board member of the Democracy Matters Institute.  Democracy Matters is an outstanding organization doing great work with young people on college campuses across the country.  I worked for Democracy Matters for two years, first as a regional field organizers and then as the assistant director.  It is an honor to stay connected with this organization in this new capacity and I look forward to contributing to their continued success.

Yesterday was the final class of the semester.  This marked the second time my Dad and I co-taught the class, Education for International Development (see post from beginning of semester).

The last three weeks of the semester were dedicated to the students working together in teams to analyze development challenges within a particular country and then design an education/training program that addresses those challenges.  My Dad and I use a fictional country called Afrinia – a country that faces a lot of challenges related to the topics we covered in the class – ethnic tension, inadequate access to education (particularly for women and girls), high levels of international debt, emerging from a civil war, monoculture economy, high rates of HIV/AIDS, and more.

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This past weekend I had the honor of attending my third Democracy Matters student summit.  This year I facilitated three workshops:

(1) Organizing 101: How to Organize S.M.A.R.T. campaigns – This workshop looked at five ways campus organizers can think about their campaigns strategically.  The SMART model (slightly amended for the purpose of this workshop) asks if your campaign is Specific, Measurable, Advertised (adapted from achievable), Realistic, and Timebound.

(2) Winning Over Your Audience: Tips for Great Public Speaking – This workshop helped students organizers get comfortable speaking about money in politics and how it connects with other hot button issues.

(3) Interactive Audience Engagement Techniques – This workshops introduced students to a couple activities they can use to increase participation among their audiences.

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I just got back from Belize where my colleague Althea and I facilitated an introductory workshop on the theory and strategy of nonviolent conflict.

We were invited by the Central American Black Organization (CABO).

This past weekend I participated in a Training for Change workshop.

Training for Change is an outstanding organization started by Quaker, nonviolence theorist, and practitioner, George Lakey.

Today, the fall semester at American University begins and I start teaching, “Education for International Development.”  Here is a snippet from the syllabus I put together.

This course will expose students to various perspectives from across the globe that seek to address the myriad development challenges societies face around the world. Students will investigate such questions as: what are the most pressing development issues facing humans around the world? How do theories of international development approach these challenges? What role does education play in empowering individuals and communities to address these challenges? What barriers do communities face in gaining access to an adequate education? How can ordinary people get involved in helping advance development goals and achieving education for all?

To answer these questions, the course is designed to look at education for international development both theoretically and programmatically in achieving specific development goals and outcomes in the following fields: economic growth, health promotion, civil society, youth development, peace building, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability.

The course will include a mixture of readings, videos, class discussions, activities, papers, guest speakers, and group projects. This mixture will allow you to delve into the core questions of the course, develop a basic understanding of the various fields and educational approaches within international development, and provide each of you with an opportunity to participate in the learning experience in ways that play to your strengths while at the same time challenging you to develop other skills and knowledge.