CIVICS PATHWAY 1: FACILITATING THE STUDENT-LED CIVICS PROJECT

Whether you are new to facilitating the student-led civics project or have facilitated it multiple times, this pathway offers learning opportunities for you! The workshops and modules are designed and facilitated by Massachusetts teachers and will include examples and application for both 8th grade and high school teachers.

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


 

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.)

Managing Difficult Conversations

Thursday, Sept 26, 2024; 7 - 8:20pm ET

Explore resources to deepen your skills and strategies for preparing for and facilitating discussions of difficult topics in your classroom.

  • Intended audience: Teachers and other educators in grades 6-12
  • Registration deadline: Wednesday, Sept. 25, 5pm ET

Introduction to the Student-led Civics Project

Tuesday, Oct 1, 2024; 7 - 8:20pm ET

Explore sample projects and case studies to build your understanding of the components of a high quality student-led civics project and how to facilitate the project in your context.

  • Intended audience: Teachers in 8th grade and high school who are new to facilitating the student-led civics project
  • Registration deadline: Monday, Sept. 30, 5pm ET

Supporting English Learners in the Student-led Civics Project

Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024; 9-10:20am; REPEATED ON Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024; 7-8:20pm ET

Learn and practice a planning process that will help you support meaningful engagement with the student-led civics project for English Learners.

  • Intended audience: Teachers who facilitate the student-led civics project in 8th grade or high school
  • Registration deadline: Friday, Oct. 4, 5pm; Monday, Nov. 11, 5pm ET

Process-focused Assessment in the Student-led Civics Project

Monday, Oct. 7, 2024; 7-8:20pm ET

Deepen your understanding of what it means for the student-led civics project to be “process-focused” and explore tools for taking a process-focused approach to assessing skills and learning in the civics project. Reflect on how you can use process-focused assessment to support high quality student-led civics projects for all your learners.

  • Intended audience: Teachers who facilitate the student-led civics project in 8th grade or high school
  • Registration deadline: Sunday, Oct. 6, 5pm ET

Strategies for Supporting Student-led Learning

Monday, Oct. 21, 2024; 7-8:20pm ET

Deepen your understanding of what “student-led learning” entails in the student-led civics project and explore procedures and routines to enhance the student-led nature of your students’ projects, considering the needs of your students.

  • Intended audience: Teachers who facilitate the student-led civics project in 8th grade or high school
  • Registration deadline: Sunday, Oct. 20, 5pm ET

Strategies for Facilitating Multiple Projects Simultaneously

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024; 7-8:20pm ET

Explore strategies for addressing common challenges teachers face when facilitating multiple student-led civics projects at the same time. Reflect with other teachers on how you can adapt the strategies to your context and your learners’ needs.

  • Intended audience: Teachers who facilitate the student-led civics project in 8th grade or high school
  • Registration deadline: Monday, Oct. 28, 5pm ET

Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Student-led Civics Project

Monday, Nov. 4, 2024; 7-8:20pm ET

Learn and practice a planning process to help you support meaningful engagement with the student-led civics project for students with disabilities. The workshop includes pictures of practice from Massachusetts teachers facilitating the civics project with students with disabilities.

  • Intended audience: General education teachers who facilitate the student-led civics projects in 8th grade or high school
  • Registration deadline: Sunday, Nov. 3, 5pm ET

 

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

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

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

Modules open on Nov. 12, 2024, and close on Jan. 6, 2025. Participants can complete the modules at any time during this period. (Register by Dec. 16, 2024.)

Facilitating the Student-led Civics Project, Stages 1 and 6 (Examine Self & Civic Identity and Reflecting & Showcasing)

Guiding questions

  • How can I help students deepen their understanding of their role and responsibilities in their community?
  • How can I develop civics project resources centered around student identity as well as the identity and needs of the community?
  • How can my students share their work with the community in a form that authentically reflects our school’s and student body’s individuality or character?

Registration deadline: Monday, Dec. 16, 2024

Facilitating the Student-led Civics Project, Stages 2 and 3 (Identifying an Issue and Researching & Investigating)

Guiding questions

  • How can I help students identify and build consensus around a focus issue for the student-led civics project?
  • How can I help students conduct quality research, including identifying credible sources and effectively analyzing root causes?

Registration deadline: Monday, Dec. 16, 2024

Facilitating the Student-led Civics Project, Stages 4 and 5 (Developing an Action Plan and Taking Action)

Guiding questions

  • What knowledge and skills are important for students to develop in Stages 4 and 5 of the student-led civics project?
  • What strategies and resources help students effectively plan and take action in their civics project?
  • How do I ensure that all learners have the necessary support to plan and take action?

Delve into the stages of the student-led civics project that focus on action and support students in exercising their voice in the world beyond the classroom.

Registration deadline: Monday, Dec. 16, 2024

Conducting Research in the Student-led Civics Project

Guiding questions

  • How can my students formulate research questions to understand varying and often-underrepresented perspectives on an issue?
  • How can I enhance the accessibility of online research for my students?
  • How can I diversify the research approaches my students use in order to help them consider many perspectives on their issue?

Registration deadline: Monday, Dec. 16, 2024

Connecting with the Community to Deepen Learning in the Student-led Civics Project

Guiding questions

  • How does connecting with the community contribute to a high quality civics project?
  • What community connections are important in different stages of the student-led civics project, and what strategies or resources can help at each stage?
  • How can I support all learners, including English learners and students with disabilities, in their efforts to connect with the wider community during their civics projects?

Registration deadline: Monday, Dec. 16, 2024

 

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

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

Tuesday, Oct. 15, and Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024; 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: Monday, Oct. 14, 5pm, and Monday, Nov. 18, 5pm

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


Register (Massachusetts Public School Educators) Register (All Other Educators)