Democracy Schools Network

Monthly Update

April 2024

SAVE THE DATE!!

Democracy Schools Network Annual Convening

Monday, September 23, 2024

Registration details will be available later in spring.

Voices of Change

For the last three years, the EdSurge Voices of Change writing fellowship has brought together diverse groups of K-12 educators and school leaders to share and reflect on their experiences through narrative storytelling. In these personal essays, fellows offer their thoughts on how teaching and learning are changing and discuss how they’re tackling challenges in their schools and classrooms. The most recent cohort of fellows courageously told stories about important issues such as embracing identity, leading with joy, teaching through grief, questioning curriculum , and rethinking classroom culture.

Are you a passionate educator or school leader fascinated by the intersection of identity, teaching, and learning? Do you have something to say about some of today’s pressing themes such as identity development, student success, mental health, technology, and how societal factors exacerbate inequities in education? Are you interested in sharing your perspective with a wider audience, while honing your writing chops under the guidance of EdSurge editors? Consider applying for this paid, 10-month fellowship, which will run during the 2024-25 school year.

Applications are now open for the fourth cohort of writing fellows. More information is available here.

Tracy Freeman: Empowering the Next Generation in McLean County

Congratulations to DSN member, Tracy Freeman (Normal West, 2016) for being recognized as a person making a difference in the lives of young people! In honor of Women's History Month, The Pantagraph recognized several women in McLean County who not only taught their students about Social Studies, but were emphatic about including lessons as well!! Read the article here.

MyImpact Challenge



MyImpact Challenge is a civic engagement contest from the Bill of Rights Institute that rewards student service projects with cash prizes of up to $10,000. The goal is simple: foster robust comprehension of citizenship and get students active in their communities now!

MyImpact Challenge gives students a strong understanding of the role of the citizen in civil society by exploring the pillars of citizenship: entrepreneurship, charity, and government. It is developed with multiple implementations in mind, including classrooms, afterschool programs, and social clubs. With original background essays, guided resources, and rubrics, students will write a research report on the impacts of these different efforts, then develop and implement a project that exemplifies everyday citizenship.

Submissions must be received by Sunday, May 19, 2024. More details are here.

Participatory Budgeting Update

In the DSN January Monthly Update, we reported on a current joint project of the Illinois Democracy Schools and the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University. Through a grant from NNERPP (National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships) students in three of our schools are exploring Participatory Budgeting. NNERPP promotes “research-practice partnerships—mutually beneficial, formalized collaborations between researchers and practitioners ... producing more relevant research, improving the use of research evidence in decision-making, and engaging both researchers and practitioners to tackle problems of practice.”

This project was featured in a webinar at the NNERPP Annual Conference in February. You can watch the webinar here (use password nnerppbb for viewing), and learn more from the teachers who guided them. Schools involved in this initiative are Alton High School (2016), Spoon River Valley High School (2022), and West Chicago Community High School (2006). 

National Poetry Month

Poetry and Civic Agency: Several ideas and lesson plans that demonstrate how poetry can help students amplify their voices, challenge inequalities, and consider social change in verse.

Latin Poetry as New Hip Hop: Read about the program that Kevan Self (Spanish teacher, Cobden HS, 2023) sponsored this month to have his students explore how Latin hip hop artists are advancing the poetic traditions of their countries in unique ways.

Unlocking the Power of Poetry: How it can inspire active citizenship, moral reasoning, and ethical behavior. Through poetic expression, we are able to explore difficult concepts and ideas in a way that is accessible and understandable. We can use poetry to think about complex issues from multiple perspectives and to develop our own moral compass.

Media Literacy Professional Development

• Generative AI for Educators: This two hour, self-paced course (built by AI experts at Google in collaboration with MIT RAISE) will guide you in exploring how to use generative AI tools to assist your teaching practice by saving time on everyday tasks, personalizing instruction to meet student needs, and enhancing lessons and activities in creative ways. Begin here.

Earn Your Microcredentials 

Become a Guardian of Democracy Educator

The Illinois Civics Hub has partnered with the Lou Frey Institute at the University of Central Florida to provide educators the opportunity to earn microcredentials in the proven practices of civic education embedded in the middle and high school civics course requirements in Illinois. Courses include:

• Current and Controversial Issue Discussions—Learn from academic experts Dr. Diana Hess & Dr. Paula McAvoy as you explore the purpose, role, and function of discussion strategies as pedagogical tools to equip young people to be engaged citizens. This course will enhance the practice of educators with strategies and resources to create a classroom climate in which there are equitable opportunities for ALL students to engage in dialogue about essential questions across the curriculum.

• Simulations of Democratic Processes—Learn from academic experts Dr. Walter Parker & Dr. Jane Lo as you explore how democratic processes and procedures occur as part of the regular functioning of government, in each of the three branches of government, and at each level of government. This course will guide you through the purpose, planning, and implementation of three simulations: town hall meetings, legislative hearings, and moot courts.

• Informed Action through Service Learning—Learn from academic experts Dr. Joseph Kahne and Jessica Marshall as you explore the purpose, role, and function of informed action through service learning as a pedagogical tool to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be active members of their community. In this course, you will interact with strategies and tools you can use in your classroom to support student-centered informed action through service learning.

• NEW: Constitutional Democracy as Content and Practice—Learn from academic experts Dr. Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Dr. Shawn P. Healy, and Dr. Bonnie Laughlin Schultz as you explore how the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap can help teach constitutional democracy as both content and practice across disciplines K-12.

Registration information is available on the Guardians of Democracy homepage. Those who successfully complete the 5-week online course will earn a Bronze Certified Guardian of Democracy Educator badge via Badgr and the University of Central Florida Center for Distributive Learning.

Participants can earn 15 PD hours through the DuPage Regional Office of Education for an additional fee.

There are three strands of courses for each proven practice of civics education. Graduate credit is available through the University of St. Francis for completing all three courses. For more information, please visit the Guardians of Democracy homepage.

Check out our website for PD opportunities, resources and inspiration.

illinoiscivics.org