As a member of the iCivics pilot program for teachers in Indianapolis, I was honored to be asked to share not only my experience as an attendee of the institute, but also how my attendance affected how I taught civics the next few months.  This article provides some insight on my experience.

This is my eleventh year of teaching and my principal always makes sure that all the social studies teachers at my school cover something about the Constitution on September 17th.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  Thomas Jefferson

"If men expect to be ignorant and free, they expect what never was and never will be."  Thomas Jefferson.  These immortal words by the inspired writer of the Declaration of Independence set the tone for civic involvement in the newly created United States of America.  And for many years, commitment to public service was practiced with zeal and sacrifice for the betterment of a society that had disconnected itself from the Old World to begin a new adventure in citizen participation.

Before leaving for iCivics training mid July, I assumed that the highlight of the trip would be meeting Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice. Upon returning from iCivics training, I’ve realized the true highlight was being able to meet and collaborate with twenty-two other motivated, creative, intelligent teachers who are the iCivics Teachers Council.

As part of my curriculum in teaching 8^th grade social studies, I am required to teach a quarter of government. I would often find myself struggling to make that quarter interesting and relatable to my students. The iCivics website changed everything in my classroom.  I felt comfortable using iCivics because iCivics lessons are aligned with state and Common Core standards.  You may think that yes, the iCivics website is just another tool for your tool belt, but the website is more than just a tool- it's an engaging experience.

We’ve all seen the statistics…The Nation’s Report Card (NAEP) has consistently revealed that students, K-12, are not proficient in civics and government.  As of 2006, only 27% of 12^th graders were proficient in civics and government.  The statistics for adults don’t get any better.  A study conducted by the American Bar Association (2005) revealed that less than half of American adults could identify the three branches of government and only 57% could identify even one Supr

During the month of June, iCivics welcomed Baylor Teaching Fellow, Tyler Ellis an Ed D candidate at Baylor University and 6th grade reading teacher at Rapoport Academy (Waco, TX).  Tyler spent his time with the curriculum team working on DB Quest, Drafting Board 2.0 and other parts of the iCivics curriculum.  As an educator, Tyler is part of a long tradition of teachers.  He doesn’t take this responsibility lightly and finds teaching to be challenging, enjoyable and a natural fit for his personality.

Today the Wall Street Journal released an op-ed from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Executive Director Jeff Curley highlighting the tension between "old and new".  "Learning can happen anytime, anywhere..." (Justice O'Connor, WSJ 4/22/14) and technology provides avenues to solidify each student's understanding of foundational documents.