Teaching Civics in Turbulent Times

Foster civic engagement in students and navigating political discussions in the classroom.

​In conversation with

Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang
CPET Executive Director & Host of Teaching Today ​

​Dr. Cristina Compton
Director of Program Development

Elizabeth Clay Roy
CEO of Generation Citizen

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Snapshot

What role do schools and administrators play in supporting teachers to engage students in discussions about civic issues? How can structured curricula and coaching help educators facilitate constructive dialogue across political and social differences?

In this episode of Teaching Today, Roberta and Cristina are joined by Elizabeth Clay Roy, CEO of Generation Citizen, who shares her background in urban planning and her passion for fostering social justice and community engagement. Elizabeth explains how she became interested in Generation Citizen's work, which aims to engage young people in their communities through project-based civics. She highlights the organization's success with students, leading to meaningful change in their communities.  Over the course of the episode, the group discusses the importance of civic education, experiential civics, and relationship building in democracy, and share simple, effective ways of integrating civics education across content areas and grade levels. 

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Breakdown

In this episode, we bridge theory and practice in the classroom as we discuss the following:

• The Nature of Civic Education
• Navigating Political and Social Discussions in Schools
• Strategies for Implementing Civic Education

The Nature of Civic Education 
Civic education extends beyond teaching government processes — it's about understanding the dynamic relationship between individuals and institutions. Drawing inspiration from experienced educators like Elizabeth's great aunt Ruth, modern civic education emphasizes experiential learning and real-world engagement. Through approaches like Generation Citizen's democratic classroom model, students learn to identify community issues and build relationships with stakeholders, making civic education both practical and meaningful.

Navigating Political and Social Discussions in Schools 
Teachers face significant challenges when addressing political and social issues in today's polarized environment. Many feel hesitant to discuss major events due to potential backlash, yet recognize the importance of creating space for these conversations. To help navigate these sensitive discussions, educators can utilize resources like Explore Generation Citizen's Navigating Social Issues: A Toolkit for Educators. Success requires building strong relationships with students, parents, and administrators while creating a supportive environment for authentic civic engagement.

Strategies for Implementing Civic Education
Schools can effectively integrate civic education by using strategic entry points like cultural months and holidays to discuss complex topics. This approach allows teachers time to prepare and involve parents while creating meaningful connections between classroom learning and community involvement. Critical thinking skills and multiple perspectives should be emphasized even with young children, because it's never too early to discuss community issues. Resources like GC Connect and open-ended writing assignments can help prepare students for more engaged civic education by late elementary or early middle school.

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Taking Action

• Set the table: spend time “setting the table” for your classroom conversations. Agree on shared language for discussion and provide guidance for how students can handle disagreements. Better yet, support your students to develop their own ideas of how to navigate their discussions with respect and kindness. 
• Start with cultural entry points: Use upcoming cultural celebrations, holidays, or heritage months as natural opportunities to explore civic engagement. Plan lessons that connect these events to local community issues and involve parents / guardians and other family members in the discussion. 
• Build bridges: between your classroom and the local community:
  • Invite community leaders or public servants to speak to your class virtually or in person
  • Have students identify one issue in their school or neighborhood they'd like to improve
  • Create simple writing assignments where students practice composing letters to local officials
  • Begin a classroom service project that addresses a need students have identified

Summary assisted by Zoom AI Companion and Claude (Anthropic, 2024) ​​​​