What are the challenges, ideas, and best practices associated with teaching about elections in our polarized environment? To find out, we were joined by Dr. Paula McAvoy and Dr. Wayne Journell for a webinar, where our panelists shared tips, strategies, and resources for educators as they navigate this issue all over the country. Continue reading for a summary.
Tips for Teaching During a Polarizing Election
Tip 1: Don’t avoid it
In an age of polarization, it’s understandable that you might want to avoid talking about politics. But don't avoid it. If you're worried about addressing hot-button issues, take refuge in teaching about governmental and political processes. Teach about the governing bodies, offices, and powers at the local, state, and national levels. Research where these elements are defined and described. Dig in and investigate how people register to vote, where they go to do it, and what they do when they get there. Not only are these areas of investigation relatively free of controversy, but they’ll also equip students with information that will help them be active participants in our democracy.
Tip 2: Acknowledge feelings and personal experiences
Many of us are afraid that emotions will be heightened when we discuss an election. And that fear isn't going to go away if we ignore the anxiety and fear that students might be feeling too. Ask students to share their personal experiences with elections, political issues, and other challenges of politics. Giving students this space and opportunity can elevate discussions by helping everyone understand the far-reaching or personal implications of issues on the ballot.
Tip 3: Keep administrators and parents in the loop
If you're worried about the experience of students or the reactions of parents to an election unit, let your administrator know what you're doing and why. Keeping them in the loop will help them better support you if concerns arise.
Keeping parents informed might be a good idea as well. Some parents might assume you're lecturing your students, sharing your opinions, or imposing your beliefs. If you let parents know that you're taking an inquiry-based approach to an election – with student-led questioning, discussion, and research as the main instructional practices – they might be less likely to misinterpret what they hear from their children.
Tip 4: Choose strategies that build consensus and encourage civil discourse
Skip class debates, mock elections, or other practices that divide students into groups and encourage them to win at the expense of their peers. Remember, despite the partisanship of our current politics, civics shouldn’t be taught as a zero-sum game where there are losers, winners, and little room for compromise. Besides, dividing students in this way often gives the mistaken impression that there are only two sides, two ways of thinking, or two choices. The reality is much more complicated.
Instead, try Structured Academic Controversies, a strategy recommended by both our webinar panelists:
"Structured Academic Controversy (SAC)" from Teachinghistory.org
"Structured Academic Controversy" from New Global Citizens
Tip 5: Don’t assume you know your students’ experiences
An election can mean a lot of things depending on your socioeconomic status, background, and circumstances. While issues like immigration, the social safety net, tariffs, or subsidies may seem like abstract policy debates, they may directly affect the safety, security, and happiness of your students and the people they love.
So much of the media we consume promotes sweeping generalizations about groups of people, like Black voters, suburban white women, and more. Avoid sharing these generalizations with students. In reality, some students and their families may fall into these categories, and they might have very different beliefs and opinions.
Also, be patient and forgiving toward students who come in ready to argue and insult – they are probably mimicking what they see and hear every day in the media. Our classrooms can serve as the antidote to that hyperbole and vitriol, laboratories for the thoughtful politics that our country needs to move forward together.
Tip 6: Investigate what happens after an election
Challenge students to discover what happens after elections, how they can make their voices heard, and how they can work to improve and empower their communities. Voting is an important right and responsibility, but it’s not the only outlet for civic participation.
Discussion and collaboration resources
Mismatch, a platform that connects classrooms of diverse political orientations together for discussion
"The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies" from Cult of Pedagogy
Making Thinking Visible, a book about a research-based approach to developing a culture of thinking and it's connection to student engagement
Street Law, Inc.'s Free Resource Library about deliberation, which can help teachers facilitate cooperative discussions about political issues that consider multiple perspectives
The Political Classroom, a book that argues that schools are (and should be) political sites that engage students in deliberation
Organizations with Election Resources
ProCon, whose mission is to promote critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting the pro and con arguments to controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, and accessible way
Civics Renewal Network, a consortium of nonprofit organizations that provide high-quality, no-cost learning materials on topics like citizenship, democracy, and more
C-SPAN Classroom, which provides social studies teachers with free video-based materials
Kidizenship, a media platform for tweens and teens that merges civics education with creative self-expression and community action
About inquirED
inquirED was founded by teachers with the mission of bringing inquiry-based social studies to every classroom. Inquiry Journeys, inquirED’s elementary social studies curriculum, is used in schools and districts across the country to help students develop deep social studies content knowledge and build the inquiry skills that are essential for a thriving democracy.
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