We're living in an era of #TruthDecay: Americans increasingly disagree about basic facts. This can have dire consequences.
Civic education is key to reversing the course. Our new report identifies ways to spark an American civics revival. [thread]
🏫 the state of civic education and media literacy in public schools
✏️the challenges teachers face in promoting kids' civic development
🇺🇸 ways to enhance civic learning opportunities for students.
1️⃣Think outside the textbook.
Hands-on experiences, such as school-based elections and mock trials, could be used more often to engage students and help them learn about democracy.
Many teachers said that pressure to cover other subjects was a barrier to teaching civics. But there are ways to weave civics lessons into other subjects, including language arts and math.
Teachers could use social & emotional learning practices to guide students through discussions of controversial topics in a safe & respectful way. This could help kids learn how to have productive conversations about tough subjects—rather than avoid them.
Overall, teachers need more support to promote students' civic development. But this is especially true for teachers in schools that serve more students of color and low-income students.
🔹how they promote civic development
🔹the barriers they face
🔹what they're observing in their students.
https://t.co/O22eNbL5lj