13. Instructional Keys
“Instructional Keys” The Keys to Effective Civics Instruction
The most important facets of quality civics teaching are:
- Intentionality
- Relating the topic and tensions to current events
- Remembering that civics is politics and that political angles are often easiest to find and leverage for student engagement
- Choosing topics that lend themselves to controversy and that are of interest (relevant) to the pupils
- Finding the tensions/questions/conflicts in the topic – Essential questions are very helpful for this (see links)
- Providing students with frameworks for analysis – (e.g. the political spectrum)
- Engaging the students in deliberative discourse, debate, or both
