3. Participants will leave with:
– Strategies to leverage the
CCSS to promote literacy
building & civic engagement
with any social studies
content.
– Classroom ready ideas.
– Great ideas from your fellow
educators.
12. “The civics framework specifies that the assessment questions address
the following three interrelated components: knowledge, intellectual
and participatory skills, and civic dispositions. Taken together, these
components should form the essential elements of civic education in
the United States.” - The Nation’s Report Card: Civics 2010
21. % of Students Proficient or Above
Grade Level 1998 2006 2010
4th Grade 23 24 27
8th Grade 22 22 22
12th Grade 26 27 24
22.
23. Need statistics on Dropout v.
Graduate in terms of civic
engagement
Corporation for National and Community Service and the National Conference on
Citizenship. Civic Life in America: Key Findings on the Civic Health of the Nation, Washington, DC. 2010, September.
A large body of research demonstrates the tangible benefits of civic learning. First and foremost, civic learning promotes civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions—research makes clear that students who received high-quality civic learning are more likely than their counterparts to understand public issues, view political engagement as a means of addressing communal challenges, and participate in civic activities. Civic learning has similarly been shown to promote civic equality. Poor, minority, urban, or rural students who do receive high-quality civic learning perform considerably higher than their counterparts, demonstrating the possibility of civic learning to fulfill the ideal of
civic equality.
Research also demonstrates noncivic benefits of civic learning. Civic learning has been shown to instill young people with the “twenty-first century competencies” that employers value in the new economy. Schools that implement high-quality civic learning are more likely to have a better school climate and are more likely to have lower dropout rates.
Research also demonstrates noncivic benefits of civic learning. Civic learning has been shown to instill young people with the “twenty-first century competencies” that employers value in the new economy. Schools that implement high-quality civic learning are more likely to have a better school climate and are more likely to have lower dropout rates.
Proven Practice #1: Provide instruction in government, history, law, and democracy. Formal instruction in U.S. government, history, and democracy increases civic knowledge. This is a valuable goal in itself and may also contribute to young people’s tendency to engage in civic and political activities over the long term. However, schools should avoid teaching only rote facts about dry procedures, which is unlikely to benefit students and may actually 6alienate them from politics.
Proven Practice #2: Incorporate discussion of current local, national, and international issues
and events into the classroom, particularly those that young people view as important to their lives. When young people have opportunities to discuss current issues in a classroom setting, they tend to have greater interest in politics, improved critical thinking and communications skills, more civic knowledge, and more interest in discussing public affairs out of school. Conversations, however, should be carefully moderated so that students feel welcome to speak from a variety of perspectives. Teachers need support in broaching controversial issues in classrooms since they may risk criticism or sanctions if they do so.
Proven Practice #6: Encourage students ’ participation in simulations of democratic processes and procedures. Recent evidence indicates that simulations of voting, trials, legislative deliberation, and diplomacy in schools can lead to heightened political knowledge and interest.
