Journal Reflection on the Model Legislature
by Esther J. Covert, 2001Participant
Question: What do you get when you bring together one Minnesota State Representative,
two large rooms, three high school social studies teachers, eleven gavels, twelve Winona State University education students, 100 middle and senior high school students and 15,000 (multi-colored) pages of bill books? Answer:
The 2001 Model Legislature! As it turns out, this is a monumental answer. Based on my observations and experiences, a small treatise about the Model Legislature could easily be written. However, I will
limit myself to a discussion of the following: My Role, Rolls and Gavels, The Year of the Donut, The Warning, The Facilities and What I Learned. My Role As a WSU student, enrolled in Education
331: Teaching Social Studies, I was required to attend the Model Legislature (hereafter referred to as M.L.) and assist in some fashion. Our class had twelve students. Traditionally the role of ED 331 students is to
provide administrative assistance to those M.L. students in leadership positions. These positions include: committee chairs, Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Chief Clerks, and Speakers of each legislative
body. Since we had enough students to cover these administrative posts, I volunteered to be the official photographer and videographer -- a kind of one-women- Press-Corps. The WSU students were interested
in obtaining pictures of their participation for their M.L. Journal and their electronic portfolio. My assignment was both interesting and useful as we were able to get good pictures of everyone, lots of them, and in a
useable format. Reportedly the quality was better than in past years, since one person focused on getting pictures of everyone, in a variety of functions and settings. This camera was checked out of the education computer lab for both days. In addition, we obtained a digital still camera from the Media Center, which
recorded pictures on a floppy disk. This second camera was especially useful. The pictures were in Jpeg format. Each student provided his or her own disk. They were able
to immediately access the pictures for their Journal. It required some administrative effort to keep track of twelve disks, but the end result was so practical. Each
person brought their own disk and went home with it. Once the disk was full, I reviewed the results with each of my fellow classmates. If there were any pictures
that they did not want, they were immediately erased and replaced with new photos. There were several advantages to having one person designated to the task of
Press Corps. First, everyone knew who to go to for pictures and/or video. Any time a photo op was about to take place, I was notified. It meant that few
must-sees were missed -- and I have the videotape to prove it! Secondly, we only had to have one person check out cameras and obtain the necessary cords,
batteries, film, etc. Finally, the picture taking became a great cooperative venture between the WSU students. There was no competition for equipment, time, photo ops, etc. Rolls and Gavels
Many times during the two days of M.L. I wondered -- what motivates these students to put so much time and effort into their participation. I was impressed
that so many chose to participate repeatedly. They seemed truly interested in and quite enthusiastic about the entire experience. I estimate that both the House and
the Senate met for a total of 5-6 hours over a two-day period. In addition, numerous hours were spent in committees. This was not fun and games. This was
a lot tedious, detailed, intellectual work. This was even truer when the legislature was in session. The work was constant and consisted of speech giving, listening,
debate, deliberation and voting. As tiresome as this may sound, I observed several attempts to prolong rather than streamline this process. One such attempt was to
change the rules, which limit each representative to three speeches of three minutes in length on each bill. Although the motion to increase this limitation to four speeches did not pass, it was brought up twice.
A second example, also from the House, occurred at the end of the second (and final) day. A motion was made around 2:15 pm to adjourn the House. Some of
the representatives thought they had until at least 2:25. They chose to continue for another ten minutes. They managed to pass another bill during that time.
I imagine that a number of circumstances motivate these students to be so diligent in their M.L. participation. For many, the manner in which it is set up and executed
probably seems real enough that they have a sense of having power -- decision-making power. This undoubtedly factors into their enthusiasm. I would
also assume that for many there is always the challenge and thrill of having one's bill or viewpoint be accepted by one's peers. At the end, for example, I overheard
several students congratulating a fellow student on the fact that her bill had actually been passed and signed into law. She was quite excited by that fact and the
recognition she was receiving from her friends and classmates. There were over 100 bills submitted and the governor signed only 15. I had the impression that she
had participated previously and this was the first time one of her bills had passed However, I think the GAVELS are the real reason these students become so
motivated, especially for those who participate for several years. Each committee chair, the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate get to use a gavel
throughout the proceedings. Even more importantly, those in key positions receive an incredibly nice plaque at the end with an actual gavel on it. For many of the
students who received one this year, it was the culmination of a two or three year effort. Then, of course, there are those who participate each year with no intention or
hope of receiving a gavel to use or hang on their wall. For them the rolls are the obvious payoff. They are not only delicious, but also abundant. Some of these students might just be coming back for the rolls....
Whatever it is that encourages the students to participate year after year, it is critical to the success of the M.L. The returning participants are role (or is it roll)
models and provide valuable leadership to novice participants (also known as peer teaching, I believe). The Year of the Donut
This year's M.L. will undoubtedly be remembered as the Year of the Donut. To understand this theme, it is necessary to take a look at the position of the governor.
This is an elected position, the voting of which takes place in the first few hours of the M.L. This year Governor Collie became embroiled with the Ways and Means
Committee over a bill he had sponsored. He, apparently, was quite intent on signing his own bill. For this to happen it would need to go from the Ways and
Means Committee pass both Houses and then come back to his desk. The Ways and Means Committee deliberated on his bill and ultimately decided not to pass it
out of their committee. When they notified him of their decision, they sent him a donut as a condolence. In response, Governor Collie met with individual Senators and Representatives to
see if they could garner a 2/3 majority vote in either Chamber in order to get his bill out of committee. This series of maneuvers failed, and in the end he invited those
with whom he had locked horns to share a donut with him -- so they could all eat their war of words together. This donut situation went on all day during the second
day of M.L. It created an exciting and memorable governorship. The really interesting aspect is how much these students seemed to care about their bills and
the process itself. There was true passion involved. The Warning Prof. Pelowski warned us many times that the students would exhibit stunning skills
in parliamentary procedure. This was definitely the case. The experienced participants not only used their knowledge to their own advantage, but they also
corrected and taught other students. In one of the first debates in the House, the sponsor of the bill under consideration was asked to speak on behalf of her bill.
She was sitting in the front row, so she turned around and addressed the rest of the representatives. She was immediately stopped and told to address the speaker.
She started to protest that everyone was behind her. One of the students pointed out that all questions and speeches are addressed to the Speaker as a matter of protocol.
In both instances the students responded quickly and kindly towards their wayward peers. The students who were corrected did not seem offended, but just
somewhat confused. They understood that there were certain procedures about which some of their fellow students knew more. They quickly adapted and took on the proper conduct. It was very interesting to observe.
The Warning was verified in numerous situations. These were two of the situations I felt were good examples of The Warning. The Facilities
The facilities were, in a word -- Superb! The conference rooms in the Maxwell Center on the WSU campus seemed perfect. It is hard to imagine a space and a
function more perfectly matched. What was also interesting is how each room took on the character of its legislative body. The smaller conference room serves
as the Senate Chamber and largely escapes the hubbub associated with committee work, caucusing, and the clerical and housekeeping chores necessary to the M.L.
For two days, this smaller room remains the quite, dignified haven of the Senate. The larger room, on the other hand, serves as the Chamber of the House of
Representatives, as well as the supply room, committee meeting space and the Governor's office. Not one square inch went unused in either room. The larger
room quickly reflected the size, energy and commotion of the House of Representatives. I understand that the students covet the Senatorial positions.
However, I found the House to be a much more interesting place to be, both in terms of its physical space and its proceedings. In addition to being spacious, convenient and practical, the Maxwell Conference Center was
stately and elegant (certainly by high school standards) and lent an air of legitimacy to the entire event. The furniture, decor and condition were all wonderfully maintained. It is hard to imagine a
better, more suitable location, which could so effortlessly (to an observer) meet such a variety of needs and be so easily reconfigured for each stage and function of the Model Legislature. Even the
informal seating areas, complete with comfortable couches and chairs, were effectively used. There may have been a few flirtatious exchanges there, but for the
most part these areas (and these students) were all business. They turned out to be busy meeting places for caucusing, networking and deal making. What did I learn from the Model Legislature?
That secondary school students are capable of a tremendous and astounding amount of knowledge, decorum, focus, energy, discipline, and productivity.
That high school students can run a more civilized and productive legislative body than some states and/or nations. (I just happened to catch two news clips on T.V.
the night before M.L. started. They showed actual fighting and violence in the Taiwanese and Bangladeshi Parliaments. In the latter, they were disconnecting
their microphones and throwing them numchuk-style at each other. ) That these same students exhibit great wisdom and common sense in their discussion and passage of bills. This is what our own elected officials wish they
could achieve, except for all the party politics. That a well-run event runs itself. The students basically ran the entire legislature.
Once it was started and underway, the adults were strictly in supporting roles.
That the governor cannot enter either Chamber of the Legislature without being invited. And, that a suspension of the rules is necessary for a joint session and/or an address by the governor to take place.
That this is a great embodiment of various learning methods, including: multiple intelligences, cooperative learning, reciprocal peer teaching, and experiential learning.
Finally, I learned that historians need to rewrite the record books. President Roosevelt receives high marks for the fact that he got 15 pieces of legislation
passed in 100 days. Well move over FDR, our Model Legislature passed 15 pieces of legislation in two days! 
I used a digital video that recorded on a small, specialized videotape. The videotape will
be saved and edited into a short film and burned on to a CD. 
Shortly thereafter, another student had spoken on behalf of his bill. A second
participant asked if he would yield to a question. He agreed. As he started to answer the question, he was looked at the person who had asked address the Speaker of the House. He
protested that the Speaker had not asked the question. He too received a quick lesson in the proper procedure and protocol of the House of Representatives. 
That a phenomenal amount of learning takes place. Judging by the knowledge and leadership present in those who had previously participated, it is clearly a learning experience. Most
teachers of government classes (even at the college level) would be content with students who knew one tenth of what these students know about the legislative process and parliamentary procedure.
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