Doing Good
Inspiring Activities and Ideas for Young People to Make the World a Better Place
By (author) Thomas Nazario, Kelly Quayle
Not available to order
Publication date:
23 January 2017Length of book:
184 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781475832471
“When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.” —His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama
Are young people more interested in Snapchat than actually talking to each other? Is the local mall the first place families think of to go when they want to be happy? Too often we get caught up in acquiring more things instead of engaging in meaningful experiences with others. This can create distance between people which makes it more difficult to resolve disputes or respond compassionately when someone is in need. We can better understand what another person is thinking or feeling if we can imagine being in their shoes and experience a moment in life as they see it. It makes it easier to bully someone who is perceived to be different on the outside when, in fact, on the inside, we all basically need the same things to be happy – kindness, acceptance, purpose. Through engaging classroom activities, thoughtful homework assignments, relevant videos, and suggested projects, young people are introduced to some of our most pressing global challenges. As they work together on proposed solutions, they begin to create for themselves a meaningful life.
Are young people more interested in Snapchat than actually talking to each other? Is the local mall the first place families think of to go when they want to be happy? Too often we get caught up in acquiring more things instead of engaging in meaningful experiences with others. This can create distance between people which makes it more difficult to resolve disputes or respond compassionately when someone is in need. We can better understand what another person is thinking or feeling if we can imagine being in their shoes and experience a moment in life as they see it. It makes it easier to bully someone who is perceived to be different on the outside when, in fact, on the inside, we all basically need the same things to be happy – kindness, acceptance, purpose. Through engaging classroom activities, thoughtful homework assignments, relevant videos, and suggested projects, young people are introduced to some of our most pressing global challenges. As they work together on proposed solutions, they begin to create for themselves a meaningful life.
In a world where students are surrounded by material things, social media, and reality celebrities, Doing Good is a much needed resource for all teachers. Students learn to feel and express gratitude for things in their lives when examining the difference between needs and wants leads them to feel compassion for those who do not have their most basic needs met. Most importantly, Doing Good illustrates to students that compassion requires action and provides students with actual projects to make a difference in the world. When students reflect on these projects, it is beautiful to see them realize that “doing good” for others makes them feel truly happy.