Thematic Educator Guide: Teaching Civic Engagement

In her 2021 TED-Ed student talk, poet Amanda Gorman said, “Poetry has never been the language of barriers. It’s always been the language of bridges.” With the current emphasis on culturally responsive, student-centered education and social emotional learning in schools, the bridge-building power of poetry is especially important. Poetry plays a significant role in teaching

In today’s society where children hear about climate change, school shootings, global pandemics, and more on a daily basis, resiliency has understandably become more of a challenge. However, scientists know the ability to face and overcome adversity is a learned trait. Educators play a crucial role in teaching children to manage emotions, develop healthy identities,

In a 2021 Carnegie Corporation article titled “What We Owe Our Children,” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned, “Civic duties and behaviors are learned, not inherited. If the seeds of lifelong, prepared, and engaged participation are not planted… they will never grow.” How, then, do we plant the seeds of citizenship in young children?

Comics hold a special place in the literary landscape of schools, but as a form or medium, comics don’t often get a lot of teacher approval. In fact, some research has found that elementary teachers are afraid they won’t be taken seriously if they use comics in their classes. But, here’s the thing: teachers who

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2020, during the first six months of a global pandemic, the number of elementary-aged children seeking emergency services due to a mental health crisis increased 24 percent compared to the same time a year prior. Health experts had already labeled childhood anxiety a “crisis,”

Climate change is an interdisciplinary problem facing all of us. Sometimes, educators shy away from discussing climate change with young students because they’re overwhelmed by simplifying the science for their students. They worry about causing anxiety by discussing big issues like rising seas and temperatures. They fear pushback from community members. But young students hear