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