July 10, 2023
In an age of book bans, technology bans, and polarized politics it’s hard to imagine anyone signing up to teach civics. To say the climate is bad is an understatement. Between aggressive parents, district priorities, and a slew of new state policies (depending on your state)—many teachers have been caught in the crossfire between effectively teaching civics and staying employed.
One can spend hours speculating how the situation has come this far. I wonder if it might be a better use of our time to focus on what we can do to best support those on the front line simply trying to do their jobs and advance civics education. Teachers are stressed, students want real conversations, and we need to have more holistic discussions on how we can best serve our students.
As I’ve talked to various organizations and educators from the U.S. and the EU there are a few opportunities I believe will take some of the tension out of teaching civics. We need to ensure that teachers feel supported to facilitate needed discourse and are encouraged to help our students find outlets to step up, use their voices, and take action on the issues they care about.
One thing schools and districts can do to mitigate any misunderstandings is to better communicate with parents about why we teach civics, our goals as educators, and what outcomes to expect when students effectively engage in the course. We need to build back the trust that teachers know what they’re doing and help squash parental fears and assumptions about what’s taking place in the classroom. Districts and schools should use this sort of parent communications toolkit to make it clear they have their teachers’ backs and will support them in the work they do.
This work would be best supported if schools and districts first carved out time for social studies teachers and administrators to come together and craft their statements on what it means to teach civics, what learning experiences look like, and why/how we use materials, technology, and other learning opportunities to help students become engaged citizens. In a time when social-emotional learning is a polarizing topic, it must be made clear why we need to support students to manage emotions, tolerate the viewpoints of others, effectively communicate with one another, and make good decisions. Working with staff to create this sort of manifesto would not only strengthen communication between parents and educators but ensure staff are aligned with their goals and feel supported in carrying out their work.
It also seems an opportune time to have more discussions on how we might all do our part to contribute to this work. A one-and-done course is often inefficient in helping students build a sense of civic-mindedness. Perhaps we should host more professional learning opportunities that go beyond social studies teachers to engage other educators to think deeply and differently about what good citizenship looks like. Every subject area offers a unique lens that can benefit our students and support them to become engaged citizens, but we must provide the narrative. Even in math, imagine how differently citizens respond to crises when they understand statistics or exponential growth!
Most importantly, and perhaps these discussions can happen in the examples listed above, we need more discourse on what a civics education looks like. As a former civics teacher, I have always aimed to empower youth to recognize their power in shaping our collective future. With that as my North Star, it has enabled me to reflect on the skills students need to do this and what pathways might we showcase to help them become a part of their local communities and beyond.
From a curriculum perspective, it might be worthwhile to introduce “futures” literacy into education. “Futures” thinking helps students to develop a lens through which they imagine what the future might hold. In understanding signals and the various scenarios that will play out based on our actions today, students understand the relevance and value of policy and law in shaping what the world will look like. From AI to health to the environment to infrastructure to public transportation there is a vast range of issues and signals we might use to help students expand their thinking about the areas we need to work on and the goals we set for our nation.
From a pathways perspective, we might try to expand the opportunities we create for students to take action. If we think about the various pillars on which our democracy stands, like law or advocacy, we might fine-tune outlets for students to do their part. For instance, the free press is a critical component of democracy. Students who might be interested in “influencing” might not have the insights to differentiate between popular posts and quality journalism. Programs like PBS’s Student Report Labs or Story Maker can help students use their social media savvy to engage in local journalism. Students who might be interested in a certain issue may not realize just how easy it is to attend a school board meeting or approach their town hall. The more practical and real-world opportunities we craft, the more likely our students understand how to shape their world.
It seems fairly unanimous that civics education is important, and that there is much to be done to improve the space. It does seem critical though that we recognize all the good work that is happening out there from both teachers and organizations. In a time when negative news dominates it proves imperative we shift the narrative and get back on track so that both teachers and students are getting the support they deserve. It’s fair to say this starts at home. Let’s do what we can to open up the lines of communication so teachers can do what they do best without fear of retaliation.
You may also be interested in reading more articles written by Michelle Blanchet for Intrepid Ed News.
