Civics class creates civil discourse

I am an 8th grade Civics teacher at the Gettysburg Middle School. Not an easy task during this time of sharp polarization in ideas and views. The 8th grade Civics curriculum is entrusted with developing students who will become engaged citizens in the future. We are not an end of the year “tested” subject.  Our “test” is to produce students that are active, responsible citizens in their community!    

The Civics curriculum in the Middle School emphasizes good, healthy, responsible deliberation and evidence based persuasive writing and debate on current controversial issues. Our first unit was Citizenship, Immigration, 9/11 and Symbols of America. Our deliberation topics were the Patriot Act, Flag Burning and Taking a Knee. Prior to any deliberation, we discussed the "civil" way to talk to each other effectively. Each student is provided with evidence based, unbiased information on both sides of the topic. They are to take notes on their side and concede one piece of evidence on the other side. They may take their notes to the deliberation.  We discuss the rules of debate, which are posted in each of our rooms, prior to starting. If it is a writing assignment, they are to write 2 pieces of evidence for their side and write one piece of evidence for the other side. Good "civil" discourse is the cornerstone of democracy; hopefully we are building that base at Gettysburg Middle School .

In Unit 2, Local Government, we started our Service-Learning Project, in collaboration with a grant from the Gettysburg Education Foundation that came from the Robert C. Hoffman Trust. Our goal is to demonstrate to the students that volunteering to help your community can be done at any age. We are asking students to volunteer 3 hours of time to a non-profit by April of 2018. This has 4 benefits:     

  1. It meets real needs for individuals and communities.
  2. Community residents have opportunities to build positive relationships with young people.
  3. Communities see youth in a different way-as resources, not problems.
  4. A new generation of caring and experienced citizens, activists, and volunteers is cultivated.

Another goal is that the students who volunteer will form a connection to their community that would extend beyond their years in school!

Our Civics course does not stop there. We learn about world problems and how the United States fits into the world we live in today. Students learn about underdeveloped countries and countries that are emerging. Sometimes they learn about dysfunctional countries that are reigned by tyranny. When we finish with that unit, most students say they are so happy they live in the good old U.S.A.

We conclude our year with the final 8th grade “right of passage,” The Debate Unit. This unit is in collaboration with the Language Arts teachers. Students are assigned a topic and choose the side that they prefer. They are put in groups of 4. They prepare for the debate by first writing a paper, with citations, on their side of the debate. Each student has a subtopic so the papers are not the same. The debates are held in the auditorium and students stand and speak from the lectern. One by one they get up and speak for a maximum of 3 minutes. Parents are invited to attend. Students dress for the occasion and only notecards are allowed for the oral presentation. This final unit is the culmination of a year of civil discourse, writing and deliberation. 

From local perspectives to global perspectives, deliberations to debates and self serving acts to Serving the Community, we try to expand and develop young 8th grade Civics students at the Gettysburg Middle School and prepare them for a lifetime of civic involvement.

Carol Kessel teaches Civics at the Gettysburg Middle School and is a guest writer for the Education Task Force of the Gettysburg Democracy for America. This op-ed was published in the Gettysburg Times on December 28, contributed by the DFA Education Task Force. For more information email Carol at  ckessel@gettysburg.k12.pa.us.