Teaching and Learning about Social Responsibility

The Call of Service: A Witness to Idealism
By Robert Coles. Houghton Mifflin, New York, 1993. A primer on social responsibility from an internationally recognized authority on the inner lives of children, who has inspired many in education. A great book for discussing idealism in the context of community service, civil society, citizenship, social movements and international work.

The Kid's Guide to Social Action
By Barbara A. Lewis, Free Spirit Publishing, Minneapolis, 1998. Designed for individual or group use, this guide contains stories about kids and teens who are leaders and activists, step-by-step guides to social action skills, ideas for working with government and the courts, real social action tools such as petitions and news releases, plus an up-to-date resource guide with addresses, etc.for contacting other social action groups. Appropriate for grades 6-12.

Taking Back Our Lives in the Age of Corporate Dominance
By Ellen Schwartz and Suzanne Stoddard, Berrett-Koehler Publications, San Fransisco, 2000. Drawing connections between daily life and the global economy, the authors use real-life stories to show that choice is the tool we have for renewing our world and ourselves. Also includes 75 action steps to bring your personal life into balance while working more powerfully in the outer world.