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Should middle schools teach students about civics and how to be civically engaged? 

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Should middle schools teach students about civics and how to be civically engaged? 

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This presentation is intended for educators, specifically at the middle school level. It will examine why middle school is the perfect time to formally begin teaching students about the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Also, it will explore the importance of teaching civics and civic engagement, as it relates to their identity, social, emotional, and cognitive development.

This presentation can also be useful to parents because it can provide them with information and resources to be involved in their child's learning. It can help stimulate conversations about civics and current events that will help reinforce what their children are learning in school.

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A website founded by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. It provides educational interactive online games and lesson plans that promote a quality civics education and encourage students to become active citizens.  I have used this website multiple times. The "Race to Ratify" game was very popular with 7th graders this year, and some even play during their free time. This website is geared towards middle schools.

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In this new Private i History Detectives unit, Elementary students analyze primary sources to discover how Constitutional Amendments attempted to address slavery's wrongs, how the courts challenged unfair laws, and how individuals and groups fought for civil rights.

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In this new Private i History Detectives unit, Elementary students analyze primary sources to discover how Constitutional Amendments attempted to address slavery's wrongs, how the courts challenged unfair laws, and how individuals and groups fought for civil rights.

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Generation Citizen is an organization that has created their own curriculum and guidelines to transform civics education, so young people are equipped and inspired to exercise their civic power. Their solution to the lack of civics education is called "Action Civics", which is student centered and allows students the opportunity to experience real world democracy through projects.

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Beyond the Ballot is an initiative of Generation Citizen to turn the unprecedented negativity and frustration caused by the 2016 presidential election into meaningful and passionate participation. We want to begin a path to rebuild the foundations of our democracy. Our initiative is meant to teach, inspire, and empower the next generation to engage with-and lead-the political system.

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Generation Citizen | Empowering Young People

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Beyond the Ballot is an initiative of Generation Citizen to turn the unprecedented negativity and frustration caused by the 2016 presidential election into meaningful and passionate participation. We want to begin a path to rebuild the foundations of our democracy. Our initiative is meant to teach, inspire, and empower the next generation to engage with-and lead-the political system.

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This website was designed to help students develop an increase understanding of constitutional democracy and its fundamental principles. It also helps teach the skills needed to participate as responsible citizens, and how to use democratic principles to solve problems. It has interactive programs for students, teaching resources, and professional development resources.

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An interactive website created by Leonore Annenberg. It provides comprehensive, multimedia resources and curriculum on the Constitution to help students understand their rights and responsibilities outlined in the document. This website is geared towards middle and high schools.

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Why is all this free?

AnnenbergClassroom.org is a project of the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics, a nonprofit, nonpartisan program of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands.

Our founder, Leonore Annenberg, believed that engaged and well-informed citizens are vital to making our government work at the local, state and federal levels. AnnenbergClassroom.org strives to help develop citizens who demand and support a functioning democracy, realizing Mrs. Annenberg's vision of generations who will go out and fulfill their civic calling.

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Annenberg Classroom's free resources include over 65 videos on constitutional concepts and Supreme Court cases as well as games, lesson plans, timelines, downloadable books, a glossary, and a Constitution guide.

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The Center for Information and Research on Civic and Learning Engagement (CIRCLE)

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The Center for Information and Research on Civic and Learning Engagement (CIRCLE)

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This website is from the Civics department at Tufts University. It is easy to navigate for teachers, and provides a great resource to understand youth civic engagement, and why it's important. They also do a lot of research with adolescents and their civic beliefs and attitudes. This website is for teachers, and should be used to help teachers understand the importance of teaching students civics.

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Campaign contact, digital outreach, young people engaging their peers, and action on racial justice all contributed to higher youth voter turnout.

Youth electoral participation in 2020 was high and could be even higher if we support young people, who have varied priorities for the new administration.

The full report of our study of civic education in the Commonwealth highlights challenges and recommendations for more inclusive and equitable K-12 civics.

The data suggests outreach to young Black voters worked, and their overwhelming preference for the Democratic candidates may have been decisive.

The runoff elections for both Georgia seats will determine control of the Senate, and mobilizing Black youth in the state may be a decisive factor.

Campaign contact, digital outreach, young people engaging their peers, and action on racial justice all contributed to higher youth voter turnout.

Youth electoral participation in 2020 was high and could be even higher if we support young people, who have varied priorities for the new administration.

The full report of our study of civic education in the Commonwealth highlights challenges and recommendations for more inclusive and equitable K-12 civics.

The data suggests outreach to young Black voters worked, and their overwhelming preference for the Democratic candidates may have been decisive.

The runoff elections for both Georgia seats will determine control of the Senate, and mobilizing Black youth in the state may be a decisive factor.

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Campaign contact, digital outreach, young people engaging their peers, and action on racial justice all contributed to higher youth voter turnout. Youth electoral participation in 2020 was high and could be even higher if we support young people, who have varied priorities for the new administration.

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As mentioned earlier, early adolescents want to be part of group, but they want to independent too. Their new awareness of the world around them, a need to be involved with their peers, and a mind that is open to all possibilities allow them to seek and act on solutions that are seemingly out of the realm of adult thought (Brown and Knowles 2018). When teaching civics and civic engagement, it is extremely important to let students work collaboratively because it allows students to build peer relationships and solve problems with a diverse group of people, who may have differing opinions. Collaborative learning empowers students to explore topics from a variety of angles by problem solving, and by having students work together, it automatically promotes better teamwork and citizenship (Reiss 2012). These are skills that students will need as they become adults, and are useful and transferable across many settings. Also, by allowing students to take the lead on the projects, they are given autonomy, but they can use the teacher as a resource, if needed. The main takeaway is that collaborative learning will effectively teach civics to students, no matter the content area because they are practicing democratic concepts and learniyn to work with a diverse group, and students are empowered because the teacher is letting the students find a solution.

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Young adolescents want to learn about the world they live in and how they fit into it. 

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Young adolescents want to learn about the world they live in and how they fit into it. 

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Civics is often an academic afterthought, and is usually condensed into a semester long elective in 12th grade. However, civics is extremely important, especially for younger students, because it teaches students how to be an informed and involved citizen, and teaches students about their rights and obligation as citizens. Teaching civics is not just about teaching students American government and politics, but it is teaching students about how to exercise their rights and work together to make their community better. Middle schools are uniquely suited to address the need to teach civics because they reach almost every young person in the country, they represent a community of different opinions, and they are equipped to deal with the critical thinking and deliberation aspects of good citizenship (Hansen 2011). Also, middle schools have a student population that is curious, learning how to think critically, learning about the world, and trying to find a way to fit into society. This is the perfect group to begin formally teaching civics to and practicing civic engagement. This inquiry is to suggest that students begin to learn civics and civic engagement beginning in middle school, and that civics should not be condensed into a semester long course with no relevance to student lives. For students to truly become knowledgeable about the civic process, they must be exposed to this information beyond a semester  because it will give students a consistent opportunity to develop a better understanding of the world around them (Journell 2014). If schools are meant to prepare students to become functioning and valuable members of society, then students should learn about how society works and the role they play in it. Otherwise, students leave school with no informed understanding of the power they hold as citizens.

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"...an understanding of and appreciation for democracy is not an inherited trait that is passed along through the gene pool. It has to be taught anew to each generation"- Retired Justice O'Connor  

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"...an understanding of and appreciation for democracy is not an inherited trait that is passed along through the gene pool. It has to be taught anew to each generation"- Retired Justice O'Connor  

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This was a common theme throughout my research. All the sources seemed to put an emphasis on teaching young people to appreciate democracy and to continue being actively involved citizens. However, to truly appreciate and be involved in a democracy, you must understand its foundations and reasonings. Unless young people are constantly taught and practice civics, they will not know their rights and how to exercise them effectively to create change.

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The foundations of civics begin in middle school

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The foundations of civics begin in middle school

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The 2016 election brought a renewed interest in engagement among youth, but only 23% of eighth graders performed at or above the proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress civics exam, and those levels have stagnated since 1998 (Shapiro and Brown 2018). It seems that the problem is not that young adolescents are not interested in civics, but that they are not given the proper education or exposure to civics to perform well on civics exams. Early adolescents are naturally inquisitive, so they want to ask questions about the world because they are trying to find their place in it, and it is the job of the teacher to help guide their students. Due to early adolescents increased social media use, they now have unlimited access to news, issues, and perspectives, which students will want to discuss in the classroom.  Unfortunately, civic learning has become an afterthought since Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act that has teachers focus on reading, writing, math, and science (Reiss 2012). When thinking about teaching civics in school, middle school seems to be the perfect time to begin formally teaching because they are at a stage where they want to be independent and have their own beliefs, but they need help from educators and caretakers to form solid, evidence based opinions. Early adolescents is the time when students become aware of the prejudices and injustice in the world, and they need to be formally educated on their rights and responsibilities, so they can know that they have the power to create change. Teaching civics also makes schools more responsive because they are teaching relevant material to students, and they are teaching students how to advocate for themselves and stand up for their rights. Also, it has been proven that teaching students about civics and civic engagement has benefits that go beyond an understanding of government. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic and Learning Engagement (CIRCLE), students who experienced interactive civic education show a better ability to clearly express their options, have better collaborative groups skills, have a better ability to work in culturally diverse teams, and feel confident in speaking in public (Reiss 2012). When talking about the importance of teaching civics to young adolescents, it is important to recognize the significance of educating the next generation of voters on their rights, and how to be involved in a democracy. However, teaching civics to young adolescents also helps them gain valuable skills that translate well outside of the classroom because they are learning how to work together with diverse groups, make an informed decision, and participate in service learning activities where they can see the change that they've made.

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Why civic engagement is important for middle school students

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Why civic engagement is important for middle school students

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After young adolescents learn the fundamentals of civics, they can apply what they've learned in their communities and take those lessons into adulthood. When talking about civic engagement, the most common forms are volunteering or protests. However, service learning is a really great way to teach students important theories and have them apply it through volunteer activities and reflections. Civic instruction and engagement should "bottom up" because students need to learn how to interact directly with their local governments before they can make changes at the federal level (Graham and Weingarten 2018). This can begin with having students work with a local organization to start a community garden, or ask the school board to start a Little Free Library, both are things that get students involved and positively impact their communities. However, service learning should teach students how to systemically address issues in their communities, and civic lessons should prepare students with the tools needed to become engaged and effective citizens (Shapiro and Brown 2018). Teaching civics and civic engagement in to early adolescents is important because it is teaching them how to make a change, even if it is a small local project. There’s a tie in to participation that comes from learning about civics at a young age and through higher education, and politically knowledge and involvement (Reiss 2012). When students actively participate in service learning, they are learning to care about their communities, learning how to work together, and how to problem solve. These are skills that are relevant and transferable to students, and will help them become confident in themselves and their role in society.

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“Young people seem to feel more victimized by politics and government,” Marcie Taylor-Thoma (Maryland Council for Civic and History Education)

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“Young people seem to feel more victimized by politics and government,” Marcie Taylor-Thoma (Maryland Council for Civic and History Education)

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This quote really stood out to me because young people often feel like they don't have voice when it comes to politics or injustice, but they are the ones most affected. When I was doing my research, I came across a lot of articles that said how powerless students felt when it came to making a change because they are young and their ideas get dismissed quickly by adults. Students may associate civics as being useless because nobody will listen to them because they are "too young". For example, students suffer when there are cuts to education fundings, and they have to learn in overcrowded classrooms, or have their favorite art class cut. Also, students are living with the fear of gun violence, and have to practice active shooter drills, while the government seems to do nothing to protect them from this. Now, if young people were to realize their power and their voice in society, then they might not feel so powerless, and not think of civics as a waste of time.

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"One of the biggest roadblocks to participatory democracy is the perception that everyday Americans can’t influence government policy, and that only the privileged and special interests can command the levers of power or change bureaucracies." Graham and Weingarten (2018).  

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"One of the biggest roadblocks to participatory democracy is the perception that everyday Americans can’t influence government policy, and that only the privileged and special interests can command the levers of power or change bureaucracies." Graham and Weingarten (2018).  

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This quote stood out to me because I think it relates to so many Americans, who think that they have no power or say in their government. However, if students are continuously about civics and civic engagement, then they can realize their power. When students finish a service learning project, they see the difference that they've made in their community, and they grow confidence in their ability to create change. By teaching students their rights and responsibilities as students, they can understand that they have the ability to influence democracy.

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Early adolescents are civically involved, but not in the traditional sense 

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Early adolescents are civically involved, but not in the traditional sense 

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Middle school students often get a bad reputation for being detached from the world because they spend too much time with friends or on social media. It's not that students are less engaged now, but they are less exposed to civics from fewer parent discussions at the dinner table and few classroom discussion (Reiss 2012). Social media seems to fill that gap because it provides young adolescents with constant news coverage about events all over the world, and they can read multiple opinions. Early adolescents are informed, they just are not informed in the traditional way that we define civic engagement. Today, early adolescents show their civics engagement by participating in social media trends, and participating in protests or marches. We have seen the power of youth on social media when it comes to social issues like Black Lives Matter, or School Strike for Climate Change, and the truth is that young adolescents know how to effectively mobilize online to get their voices heard.

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How a civics education inspired March for Our Lives

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How a civics education inspired March for Our Lives

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I came across an article by Bob Graham and Randi Weingarten titled, "The Power of Active Citizenship: A Renewed Focus on Teaching Civics Education." This article really caught my attention because it focus on the importance of teaching civics to students at a young, and it related to to the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and how they became civically engaged after a tragic school shooting. Florida started teaching civics beginning in middle school in 2010, after almost 50 years of omitting it from the curriculum (Graham and Weingarten 2018). After the tragic events at their school, the students have been acting as informed and activated citizens, utilizing their constitutional rights to assemble and speak freely, and they have learned how to effectively petition the government for the redress of their grievances (Graham and Weingarten 2018). They successfully created the student led March for Our Lives movement, and have organized large scale protest against gun violence. The students credit their teachers with introducing them to the civic knowledge and skills they have been using so effectively, and for helping them feel empowered to take a stand on their own behalf  (Graham and Weingarten 2018). These students knew their rights as citizens and took action to demand change, and educated other young people on how to exercise the power of active citizenship. These students used social media to spread their message and to mobilize others to join them and have the largest march against gun violence. Despite the horror of their circumstances, the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas were able to fall back on their civic education and integrate social media to create a relevant and effective civic engagement opportunity for young people.

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Is civics being taught to some students and not others?

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Is civics being taught to some students and not others?

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It is obvious that the socio-economic status of students and the community they live in impacts their quality of education. When it comes to a topic like civics, that is seen as an elective or add-on, it becomes a luxury that not all students can afford to learn. However, once students leave school, they will be going into the same world with the same rights and civic responsibilities. Sadly, there is a growing civics achievement gap between white, wealthy, native born youth who demonstrate consistently higher levels of civic knowledge, skills, attitudes, and participation and poor, nonwhite and immigrant youths, who are thus at a disadvantage politically (Hansen 2011). The advantages of teaching civics go far beyond a knowledge of politics because students learn how to form an opinion, work together, and gain confidence in their ability to create change. If students are not taught their power as citizens, then they go through life without knowing the power they have to influence society. Sadly, schools that offer civics courses are often dependent on the schools geographic placement or socio-economic status of a school’s student population (Journell 2014). Civics should be integrated into school curriculum in middle school and high school because it will allow all students to fully understand their role in society and the rights they have as citizens. Students who have a solid background in civics become informed and engaged citizens, and help create a healthy democracy. The civics achievement gap between white and non-white students is extremely scary because the information students receive in school directly impacts their adult lives. If students are not made aware of their power as citizens, then they will believe that their voice doesn't matter and only the wealthy and influential can make changes in the world. When all students learn about civics, then they can take those skills and knowledge into adulthood to become active and involved citizens.

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Graham, B., & Weingarten, R. (2018). The Power of Active Citizenship: A Renewed Focus on Teaching Civics Education. American Educator, 42(2), 4.

Hansen, M. (2011). Flunking Civics: Why America's Kids Know So Little. ABAJ, 97, 32.

Journell, W. (2014). Teaching politics in the US History classroom. The History Teacher, 48(1), 55-69.

Reiss, D. (2012). Why teaching civic engagement is essential. District Administration, 48(9), 57-61.

Shapiro, S., & Brown, C. (2018). The State of Civics Education. Center for American Progress.

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Early adolescents is a unique developmental period 

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Early adolescents is a unique developmental period 

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During early adolescents, students gain the ability to think critically and abstractly. It almost like the world is a new place, with a lot of problems that adolescents believe they can solve. Teaching civics relates very well to adolescent development because early adolescents have a strong moral compass, care deeply about social issues, want to question everything, want to change the world, and want to learn everything. Middle school students are learners in the purest sense of the word because they can think abstractly, are very curious, and this curiosity leads to the desire to participate in practical problem solving and activities that reflect real issues (Brown and Knowles 2018). Early adolescents are not only curious about the world, but they are aware of the world and how their own characteristics affects their role in the world. By teaching them civics, it allows students to problem solve, work together, and integrate real life issues into the classroom, so students' curiosity is properly met. Early adolescent development also comes with the increased need to belong to a group, but the need to be independent as well. When teaching civics and civic engagement, teachers are empowering students to think about their own beliefs and share them, but also allowing students to work in groups to solve a problem. Lastly, moral development and maturity is heightened during early adolescents, which causes middle school students to have a strong desire for justice, world peace, and environmental issues (Brown and Knowles 2018). Early adolescent develop relates to teaching civics in middle school because students are aware of the injustices in the world, and have the cognitive, moral, and critical thinking skills that make them question all the inequality in the world, and try to solve it. Early adolescents are aware of the world and the issues that plague it and by giving them a formal civics education, they can learn how to effectively create change. Teaching civics also allows students to create peer relationships through projects, and gain confidence in their options and autonomy.

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Teaching civics makes schools more responsive 

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Teaching civics makes schools more responsive 

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When talking about adolescent development, it is important to note how schools can meet the needs of their students. Early adolescents need to learn by doing because it keeps them engaged and gives them a sense of autonomy. All young adolescents deserve schools that them become competent and confident individuals who feel a sense of agency, are proud of who they are, are optimistic about their future, feel connected to those around them, and are prepared to succeed in our ever changing world (Bishop and Harrison 2021). Teaching civics allows schools to respond the developmental needs of adolescents because it allows adolescents to feel connected to the world, but it also prepares them to be active and engaged citizens. Along with the ability to think critically and abstractly early adolescents also develop the skills and dispositions to understand and embrace diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds different from their own belief system (Bishop and Harrison 2021). By teaching civics, teachers are helping facilitate conversations and projects that allow students to research different perspective and work with people who may disagree with them, which are very real components of life they will face as adults. Also, teaching civic engagement helps schools meet the developmental need of adolescents because service learning is active, engaging, purposeful, challenging, and tangible. Youth engaged in purposeful actives experience higher self- esteem, achievement, and a sense of meaning in life, and students benefit from seeing that their work can make a difference in their communities (Bishop and Harrison 2021). Early adolescents need a proper civic education because it meets their developmental needs. It allows students to question everything, look for answers, communicate with peers, explore different viewpoints, actively learn, and become knowledgeable about how they can influence their communities and the world.

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When it comes to learning about civics and civic engagement, it is important to start with the community. Students need to see that their work can make a difference because it will encourage them to continue with civic engagement. The community is a robust resource, serving as a site for authentic learning experiences that cannot be provided in the classroom, as a source of materials and guest experts, and providing assistance in appropriate leaning initiative for students (Bishop and Harrison 2021). It is important to start with the community because students are familiar with it, they know who lives there, and they know what is needed to improve it. However, working within the community is also important for teachers because most do not live in the community that they teach in, and are unaware of what happens outside of the school building. Community partnerships can also advance the learning of middle grades educators, enabling them to develop a deeper cultural understanding of students’ lives (Bishop and Harrison 2021). Using the community that the students live in to begin students' journey in civics is the first step to encouraging them to continue to be civically involved because they care about their communities, are knowledgable about what is needed, and can see the results of their project. However, I think the most important think is that teachers can become more connected to their students and communities that their students live in through service learning, which can strengthen the bond between the teacher and their students.

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Early adolescents want to learn about the world they are living in because it is the environment that they have to adapt to as they grow. Early adolescents develop an increased awareness of the broader social world with an accompanying concern for social justice (Brown and Knowles 2018). With their increased cognitive and critically thinking skills, adolescents can use complex thinking to analyze and become aware of the issues in the world. When students become aware of issues, they want to know more about them, and how to solve the problem. Early adolescents want want to learn how to solve complex problems, but they need the guidance and experience of teachers and adults in their lives to help them. Also, when making civics relevant to students lives, their cognitive processing will improve because they are given powerful learning experiences and opportunities to make genuine connections between content and their experiences (Brown and Knowles 2018). Students are more likely to be engaged in their learning when it is relevant to their lives, and teaching students their rights as citizens and how to use those rights to create change will allow students to connect the content to their experiences.

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Civics can help with early adolescent identity development 

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Civics can help with early adolescent identity development 

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Middle school is often defined by Erik Erikson's identity vs role confusion stage. Early adolescents begin their search for an authentic and durable identity that is true to themselves. Beginning in middle school and along the way early adolescents construct the attitudes, values, and dispositions that will form who they become as adults (Bishop and Harrison 2021). Adolescents form their identities through learning experiences and the values, dispositions, and experiences they have throughout their lives. Civics teaches early adolescents how to be independent, form an opinion, work in diverse groups, and communicate their ideas clearly to their peers and others. Teaching civics helps adolescents answer that daunting question, "who am I?", because it allows students find their voice and autonomy through problem solving, and it allows them to engage with their peers, who provide a sense of security and a model for behavior. Teaching civics also allows students to practice advocating for themselves and their beliefs because they will be questioned by teachers and peers about their opinions. Civics gives students a feeling power because they are taught how to justify their ideas in the face of criticism, and not turn to a "strongman" to defend them or solve their problems (Graham and Weingarten 2018). Civics gives students the opportunity to experience with different issues and opportunities to work with diverse classmates, which can help students develop an authentic identity because students are exposed to a lot of different ideas, opinions, and theories.

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Students are the victims of what their teachers don't know 

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Students are the victims of what their teachers don't know 

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Just like with any subject or topic, if the teacher is not knowledgable about the subject, then the students can not properly learn. Any serious effort to ensure that young people are fully educated about the values, processes, and institutions of democracy depends on experienced teachers who know the subject well and actively engage students in their learning (Graham and Weingarten 2018). Since most teachers went through their formal schooling without taking a comprehensive civics class, it is a concern that teachers are being asked to teach something they do not fully understand. Early adolescents want to be independent, but sometimes they will completely depend on their teachers (Brown and Knowles 2018). Early adolescents rely on their teachers to teach them valuable and correct information, while they may want independence, they need guidance and wisdom from their teacher to help get them to become independent. Civics is not a common class that most teachers had to take, so it is difficult for them to teach it, but teachers should continuously educate themselves to benefit their students.

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This inquiry began out of my own curiosity after working in a middle school this, which was a time of many challenges in the world. I was surprised to see how many students were well informed about what was going on in their communities and the world. Yet, none of them would take a civics class until 12th grade. Civics was mixed in with social studies, where students learned about their rights, as listed in the Bill of Rights. However, just by hearing how informed students were and how involved they were, I wanted to research more. After my research, I think the answer to my question is that middle school should be when students are formally introduced to and taught about civics and civic engagement. They are going through developmental changes that make them more aware of the injustice in the world, and more willing to want to solve the world's problems, but they need the proper foundation and knowledge about their power as citizens. Teaching civics also has a profound impact on student engagement, confidence, problem solving skills, ability to work in a group, and the ability to create an informed opinion. Teaching civics in middle school, and beyond will ultimately give student useful and transferable skills that they can use to become engaged and informed citizens.

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Bishop, P., & Harrison, L. M. (2021). The Successful Middle School: This We Believe. Association for Middle Level Education.

Brown, D. F., & Knowles, T. (2018). What every middle school teacher should know. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

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Bishop, P., & Harrison, L. M. (2021). The Successful Middle School: This We Believe. Association for Middle Level Education.

Brown, D. F., & Knowles, T. (2014). What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know. Heinemann.