Educating for American Democracy Through Effective Civics Instruction

In order to ensure that the students in today’s classrooms are going to be the responsible American citizens of tomorrow, they need to have the knowledge and skills that will allow them to actively participate in a civic life. Yet, today we see evidence of an American public with limited civic knowledge.

In fact, according to a 2022 survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, less than half of U.S. adults can name the three branches of our government. There was also a decline in the number of those surveyed who could name the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment, with only 24 percent able to name the freedom of religion.

If we want to sustain our democratic form of government and even our American way of life, we need a society in which our citizens have strong civic knowledge and play an active role within their communities. Without it, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people will suffer.

“Civic Deserts”

Many reasons can be attributed to this decline in civic knowledge. One of which is the presence of “civic deserts” – remote places within our country where there are few opportunities for people to come together in person and discuss issues and solve problems that arise within their communities. Without these opportunities for civic engagement, people aren’t able to develop and practice the knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors needed to participate in civic life.

Schools are ideal environments to practice civic skills and engagement. Afterall, school is where students not only learn about the Constitution, the function and role of American government, and our elections, but it’s also where they learn to develop the skills to be able to participate within a community. These skills – to speak, listen, ask questions, and to collaborate with others – are necessary for robust civic participation. But, according to the results of the Annenberg survey, civic instruction in schools today may not be hitting the mark. What can we do to fix the current situation? One solution is: investing in our students’ civic education with effective, high-quality instruction that sticks.

There have been several recent initiatives that aim to ensure schools adequately incorporate civics into their curriculum. In fact, many states have adopted new civics standards and many more are in the process of establishing new requirements for civics. In addition, the Civics Secures Democracy Act, if passed by Congress, would provide federal funding for resources to support and expand access to civic and U.S. history education in schools.

“Students in today’s classrooms are in the process of becoming the future citizens and leaders of our country. We need to make sure they are prepared.”

It’s clear that the need for civic education is on the rise, but instruction should include more than learning facts about how our government is structured and operates. While content knowledge is critical to civic learning, it’s equally important that instruction also includes opportunities for learning and practicing skills so that when students become adults they will be equipped with the skills needed to communicate effectively, think critically, and be engaged citizens in our system of self-government.

What Does Quality Civic Education Look Like?

A strong civics program will integrate skills development and practice with content that is updated consistently in order to stay current. Here are some examples of skills that should be taught, along with the content, in a well-rounded civics program.

• Critical Thinking Skills: Students should be taught to argue with evidence as well as how to evaluate the reliability of sources for their evidence. They should be able to identify biases in the sources they choose and be able to separate fact from opinion. They should be encouraged to ask questions, such as, Why should I believe this? Is this information accurate or trustworthy?
• Listening and Speaking Skills: Students should be able to listen respectfully to what others have to say. They should be encouraged to look at topics through the lens of multiple perspectives while also developing the confidence and ability to thoughtfully advocate on behalf of an issue that they believe in.

A good civics program will also use examples or scenarios in its instruction that students can relate to, in a language that they can understand. If the language is too academic, it won’t be relatable to students.

Students in today’s classrooms are in the process of becoming the future citizens and leaders of our country. We need to make sure they are prepared. All of civics learning is designed to help students build the knowledge and skills they can use as members of a civic community. Beyond the classroom, there are other ways students can increase their civic engagement, such as participating in a local community group, serving in school government, or volunteering at a nonprofit organization.

In order to ensure that the students in today’s classrooms are going to be the responsible American citizens of tomorrow, they need to have the knowledge and skills that will allow them to actively participate in a civic life. Yet, today we see evidence of an American public with limited civic knowledge.

In fact, according to a 2022 survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, less than half of U.S. adults can name the three branches of our government. There was also a decline in the number of those surveyed who could name the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment, with only 24 percent able to name the freedom of religion.

If we want to sustain our democratic form of government and even our American way of life, we need a society in which our citizens have strong civic knowledge and play an active role within their communities. Without it, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people will suffer.

“Civic Deserts”

Many reasons can be attributed to this decline in civic knowledge. One of which is the presence of “civic deserts” – remote places within our country where there are few opportunities for people to come together in person and discuss issues and solve problems that arise within their communities. Without these opportunities for civic engagement, people aren’t able to develop and practice the knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors needed to participate in civic life.

Schools are ideal environments to practice civic skills and engagement. Afterall, school is where students not only learn about the Constitution, the function and role of American government, and our elections, but it’s also where they learn to develop the skills to be able to participate within a community. These skills – to speak, listen, ask questions, and to collaborate with others – are necessary for robust civic participation. But, according to the results of the Annenberg survey, civic instruction in schools today may not be hitting the mark. What can we do to fix the current situation? One solution is: investing in our students’ civic education with effective, high-quality instruction that sticks.

There have been several recent initiatives that aim to ensure schools adequately incorporate civics into their curriculum. In fact, many states have adopted new civics standards and many more are in the process of establishing new requirements for civics. In addition, the Civics Secures Democracy Act, if passed by Congress, would provide federal funding for resources to support and expand access to civic and U.S. history education in schools.

“Students in today’s classrooms are in the process of becoming the future citizens and leaders of our country. We need to make sure they are prepared.”

It’s clear that the need for civic education is on the rise, but instruction should include more than learning facts about how our government is structured and operates. While content knowledge is critical to civic learning, it’s equally important that instruction also includes opportunities for learning and practicing skills so that when students become adults they will be equipped with the skills needed to communicate effectively, think critically, and be engaged citizens in our system of self-government.

What Does Quality Civic Education Look Like?

A strong civics program will integrate skills development and practice with content that is updated consistently in order to stay current. Here are some examples of skills that should be taught, along with the content, in a well-rounded civics program.

• Critical Thinking Skills: Students should be taught to argue with evidence as well as how to evaluate the reliability of sources for their evidence. They should be able to identify biases in the sources they choose and be able to separate fact from opinion. They should be encouraged to ask questions, such as, Why should I believe this? Is this information accurate or trustworthy?
• Listening and Speaking Skills: Students should be able to listen respectfully to what others have to say. They should be encouraged to look at topics through the lens of multiple perspectives while also developing the confidence and ability to thoughtfully advocate on behalf of an issue that they believe in.

A good civics program will also use examples or scenarios in its instruction that students can relate to, in a language that they can understand. If the language is too academic, it won’t be relatable to students.

Students in today’s classrooms are in the process of becoming the future citizens and leaders of our country. We need to make sure they are prepared. All of civics learning is designed to help students build the knowledge and skills they can use as members of a civic community. Beyond the classroom, there are other ways students can increase their civic engagement, such as participating in a local community group, serving in school government, or volunteering at a nonprofit organization.

Learn more

To learn more about the new Civics Interactive program from Savvas Learning Company that incorporates the elements of an effective civics program, go here to request more information and to explore this innovative learning solution.