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Civil and Reflective Classrooms

Creating a Civil, Brave and Reflective Spaces

All teachers are civics teachers. We send messages to students about power, equity, justice, and representation by our classroom routines, relationships, and curricular choices. While the following resources have explicit connections to the civic learning practices in both the middle and high school civics course requirements, they are also best practices for all teachers.

Engaging Students’ Lived Experiences In Curriculum Design

Please review the entire Let’s Go There: Making a Case for for Race, Ethnicity and a Lived Civics Approach to Civic Education report by Cathy Cohen, Joseph Kahne, & Jessica Marshall for a more thorough understanding of the lived civics approach.

Fundamentally, a Lived Civics approach signals to students that their personal and community-based knowledge is valuable. It is not the total understanding of civic engagement and democratic processes, but it is a critical starting place for exploration and interrogation, placing questions of power, belonging and effective methods for social change on the agenda.
Cathy Cohen, Joseph Kahne, & Jessica Marshall
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Professional Development Resources From Illinois Civics

  • Professional Development Calendar
  • Webinar Archive of online professional development offerings for teacher use on demand.
  • If you would like deeper learning and training in this proven practice, register for the free Guardians of Democracy Microcredential Course on Simulations of Democratic Processes.
  • Illinois Civics Instructional Coaches are available to work with teachers in their region to plan and implement classroom climate strategies.