Tell us more about Lessons in Good Trouble. What inspired it, and what are the lessons all about?

We felt this (engaging students in a conversation around social justice) was something that needed to be done, and we wanted to do it in a space where kids are already active and bring it to life for them.

We wanted students to be able to see themselves replicated in these worlds, because representation really matters. That’s why we didn’t just want to focus on the Black Lives Matter movement or the Civil Rights Movement. We wanted to focus globally on people who have been catalysts for change and for good trouble. That’s why we included people like Gandhi and Malala: we know no matter where you are, there are people being catalysts for change, and we wanted students to know that they too can be a catalyst for change. We wanted a takeaway for students to be that you don’t have to be famous; you can do what these people did because they were just like you.

The “Good Trouble” title came about because where I live and work in Atlanta is the 5th Congressional District (where Congressman John Lewis served). We wanted to do something to honor Congressman John Lewis, because he always felt that it was good for us to get into “good trouble.” And we wanted to distinguish the difference between “getting into trouble” and “good trouble.” It really exposes kids to the positive side of change.

We also try to build in a lot of resources for teachers, because we know not everyone is comfortable talking about these topics and having these conversations. That’s why for some of the lessons we give an FAQ—we wanted to answer any questions they have about the Black Lives Matter movement or any hesitancy a teacher may have about teaching this content and provide support for them.

Alongside having conversations about social justice, what are some of the key learnings students take away from participating in these lessons?

Students are truly learning 21st century skills, as well as social and emotional and empathy skills—they’re learning so much from these lessons. They’re also learning acceptance and tolerance, and being able to do that self-reflection, which sometimes is different for all of us. Even just having an open mind about someone who may be different from you, understanding another person’s situation and what they’ve gone through, and what we can do to help each other when things aren’t right.

What advice do you have for other schools and teachers?

I would say to a teacher who wants to use Minecraft but is intimidated by it, not to be. Because your students I’m sure are experts. You have experts in the room with you and they can walk you through it if you just make it available. Let your students teach you. We created a Minecraft Ambassador Program so our students could be the teachers of Minecraft in our district.

How does the project work? What types of activities are involved?

It’s a six week-long project. Every year we invite 5,000 students to take part, and target two of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—goal #4 which is about quality education, and goal #16 which is about peace, justice and strong institutions.

In the first week, every student interacted with friends in other countries—we called it Peace Buddies. For example, say I’m a student talking to someone named Helen. Helen is in Pakistan and I’m in India. In the first week I’ll get a chance to talk directly to Helen, ask about her hobbies, what she likes and doesn’t like. It’s about building friendly relations with each other.

In the second week, students present their ideas and thoughts about why we’re fighting still between India and Pakistan. In the third week, we talk about similarities and differences between these countries. In the fourth week, we learn about empathy and compassion. In the fifth week, I invite guest speakers from peaceful countries like England, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and they share their experiences—how their country became peaceful, what it means to be peaceful, the benefits of being peaceful. Last, students find out a solution: we call it ‘what next.’ Students are expected to share their learnings from the project among their friends at school. We do activities like essay writing and poster competitions and we give out awards—most peaceful students, most peaceful country.

How did technology help with the project?

We’ve been using Skype for many years. It helped us reach out to students and schools, to have video conferences and share our learning. We used Flipgrid to share feedback during the project, as well as PowerPoint to share information. Technology helped us bridge the gap between India and Pakistan and become friends with each other.

What did students learn from the project?
Students learn friendship, to follow the principles of non-violence, to become peaceful and not fight each other, to help each other, to have empathy and compassion for each other and to become global citizens—they don’t want to limit themselves between the four walls of a classroom or the borders of a country.

What advice do you have for other schools and educators?

When you use technology in a meaningful way, it leads to authentic learning. It can bridge the gap between regions, between countries. It’s like a powerful weapon in the hands of teachers—use it wisely, and use it for the betterment of the world.