Democracy Schools Network

Monthly Update

June 2023

You are invited to the

Democracy Schools Network

Annual Convening

"Civics for All!

A K-12 Approach to Civic Learning Across the Disciplines

with the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap"

Thursday, September 28, 2023

8 am – 2 pm

Hilton Doubletree | Lisle, IL

Presentations by our civic partners, including:

Illinois Holocaust Museum, Retro Report, Constitutional Democracy Project, Chicago History Museum, American Bar Association, Learning Tech Center, Mikva Challenge, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Facing History, University of Illinois at Chicago,

Sampling of Sessions:

Using the Internet to Check the Internet

Civics with Stories

Enhancing Civics through Games

Action and Advocacy through the Arts

Creating Space for Student Voice (and Action)

Investigating Social Justice Issues in the Mathematics Classroom

How to Create a School-Community Partnership with a Speaker Series

Water Quality: A STEM and Society Issue

Youth Resistance in Nazi Germany

Learning to Teach with AI, One Small Bite at a Time

What's in Store for 2024?

We also welcome teachers, staff, and administrators from your K-8 district and feeder schools, as we launch our new model. (Please feel free to share the link below with those who might be interested.)

You can register 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 with the opportunity to earn their 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.

PRACTICING CIVIC LEARNING ACROSS DISCIPLINES

A reminder that we have a significant archive of material that includes expert suggestions, resources, lesson plans, and presentations for civic learning activities across all disciplines and areas of the school. Recordings of all webinars and blog posts are listed here.

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

illinoiscivics.org