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Civics Pathway 2: Going Deeper with the Student-led Civics Project

LOCATION: In person and online options available
COST: Massachusetts Educators: Free, All Others: $15
Dates: to
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CIVICS PATHWAY 2: POWERFUL PEDAGOGIES FOR CIVIC LEARNING

Civic learning does not happen only in civics classes. This pathway will help you extend your use in any subject of instructional approaches that help students build skills and dispositions important for civic engagement and community life. The workshops and modules are designed and facilitated by Massachusetts teachers and will include examples and applications for both middle school and high school.

Intended audience: Teachers and other educators in grades 6-12

If you have any questions, please email civiclearning@gse.harvard.edu


 

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP DAY (Up to 7 PDPs)

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025; 9am - 3:30pm; Springfield, MA area

Join teachers from across Massachusetts for a day of civics-focused learning. All sessions will be facilitated by Massachusetts civics teacher leaders and will include materials for both middle school and high school.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend three sessions:

  • Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy for Civic Learning
  • Linguistically Sustaining Pedagogy for Civic Learning
  • Managing Classroom Conversations about Difficult Topics

These workshops will also be offered virtually in January and February. See workshop descriptions and schedule below. You should register for EITHER the in-person day OR for virtual sessions.


 

VIRTUAL INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS (1 hour, 20 mins / 2 PDPs each)

Pajama PD! Join these weekday evening and Saturday morning opportunities to learn with and from experienced civics teachers! All workshops will take place on Zoom. (The sessions will not be recorded. You must attend at the scheduled time in order to engage with the content.)

Culturally Sustaining Practices for Civic Learning

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025; 7-8:20pm ET

Culturally sustaining learning environments, where students' identities and experiences are viewed as assets for academic achievement and sociopolitical awareness, are a critical foundation for civic learning and development. Join us to deepen your understanding of principles and strategies for making civic instruction more culturally sustaining and to reflect on applying your learning in your classroom.

Registration deadline: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, 5pm ET

Linguistically Sustaining Practices for Civic Learning

Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025; 7-8:20pm ET

Every student deserves civic instruction that meaningfully draws on their assets and experiences. Linguistically sustaining practices help create learning environments where this is true for multilingual students. Join us to deepen your understanding of principles and strategies for creating linguistically sustaining environments that foster the civic learning and development of all students.

Registration deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, 5pm ET

Managing Difficult Conversations

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025; 7-8:20pm ET; REPEATED ON Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025; 9-10:20am ET

Engaging students in conversations about difficult topics develops important civic skills and dispositions, but can be tricky to implement. Join this workshop to gain new strategies and resources for preparing for and facilitating discussions of difficult topics in your classroom.

Registration deadline: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, 5pm ET for Feb. 5 session; Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, 5pm ET for Feb. 8 session

SELF-GUIDED ONLINE LEARNING MODULES (6 hours / 9 PDPs each)

FOR 2024-25, OPEN ONLY TO MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS

Modules open on Feb. 10, 2025, and close on April 14, 2025. Participants can complete the modules at any time during this period. (Register by March 31, 2025.)

Go deep at your own pace and schedule! These self-guided learning modules let you explore a focused topic in depth, with examples, resources, and application for both 8th grade and high school teachers.

Module structure:

  • Reading and exploring strategies and resources: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Reflecting on and applying learning: 2 hours 30 minutes

Learning through Inquiry

Guiding questions

  • What is inquiry-based learning?
  • Why is inquiry-based learning important in teaching and learning civics?
  • How can I support inquiry-based civics learning for all of my students?

Registration deadline: Friday, March 31, 2025

Engaging with Primary Sources

Guiding questions

  • What are primary sources and why is engaging with primary sources a powerful opportunity for civic learning?
  • How do I support students in accessing primary sources?
  • How can I help students become critical consumers of primary sources?
  • What is the importance of producing primary sources in civic engagement?

Registration deadline: Friday, March 31, 2025

Developing Media and News Literacy

Guiding questions

  • What are media literacy and news literacy? Why are they important to civic learning and civic participation?
  • What are some key practices of media literacy and news literacy?
  • What resources and strategies help young people develop media and news literacy?

Registration deadline: Friday, March 31, 2025

PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING HOUR (1 hour / 1.5 PDPs each)

FOR 2024-25, OPEN ONLY TO MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS

Thursday, Jan. 30, and Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025; 7-8pm via Zoom

Engage with other teachers to exchange ideas and plan for applying your learning from the pathway. Facilitated by DESE civics teacher leaders.

Registration deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 29, 5pm, and Wednesday, Feb. 26, 5pm

Use the same form to register for one or multiple sessions.


 

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