Civic Education

Walling’s article “The Return of Civic Education” argues for a renewed commitment to Civic learning within Social Studies classrooms. He insists that “teaching students about their constitutional heritage so that they will become knowledgeable, thoughtful citizens of democracy” is key to improving both political and community engagement and learning (285). I still find myself a little confused about the distinction between “government” and “civics” as separately offered classes. In my government classroom in 12^th grade, we discussed the principles of the constitution and the duties and expectations of citizens in a democratic nation. Walling explains that back in the 1960’s “civics” used to include exhaustive analysis of government functions that actually turned people away from civic engagement (286). I would be really curious to learn more about the proposed focus on “civic outcomes” that teach students how to work within their community to solve problems and encourages civic learning projects. I agree with the author that this type of learning is only truly valuable if it engages students. When the learning is hands-on and “real world”, it becomes more relevant and useful in the eyes of students. Since young people today are more motivated to volunteer, there should be opportunities within the classroom to discuss the reasons why we volunteer and how we can positively impact our communities. I also didn’t realize how many organizations and resources are available that promote civic education. It would be great if teachers shared this information with students and incorporate activities in the classroom to encourage debate and engagement.

An Inconvenient Truth, indeed: the Use of Documentaries in the Classroom

When I think back to “movie days” in school, I envision an unproductive classroom where the lights are switched off as students struggle to stay awake and the teacher occupies himself at the back of the class grading papers. I experienced these days firsthand when “movie-time” was more like “nap-time.” So it was interesting to see these two articles present the use of documentary films as a worthwhile learning opportunity in the Social Studies classroom.

The article by Marcus and Stoddard suggests that documentary films can be a useful way to fulfill “three goals for history education… promoting reasoned judgment, promoting an expanded view on humanity, and deliberating over the common good” (281). The authors then provide examples such as “Bowling for Columbine” and “When the Levees Broke” as meaningful films that can be viewed and analyzed to achieve those goals. I agree with them that the value in watching these films is not for the content- because even though it may seem objective, the filmmakers certainly do have a viewpoint to express- but in students analyzing the perspective. Much like students would do in an English class when reading a novel, students would pinpoint the “author’s” (filmmaker’s) intent and point of view, as well as those of the various “characters”. Subsequent assessments would have students selecting certain characters for further study.

But after reading both of the articles, I can’t help but ask why none of the authors pointed out how this is such a time-consuming process. To view a film in its entirety would take multiple class periods, followed by analysis such as Socratic Seminars, and assessments. In all, an entire week could be devoted to discussing a Michael Moore film. Is this really worth it? I agree that documentaries provide a unique look at controversial and often over-looked issues, but I don’t think it necessitates quite that much study. And how would a teacher incorporate a documentary on modern Navajo Indian pageants into the curriculum, as suggested by Hess? None of the documentaries showcase time periods older than the World Wars. It is so rare that teachers move beyond the 1970’s when teaching History. How do documentaries fit into the ancient world? Both of the articles mention modern and even current day events, but how can they be effectively integrated into a classroom where the focus is on events before the advent of film?

While I think there are some useful aspects of documentaries, they might be better served in a weekly after-school History club where interested students can watch and discuss the merit of the filmmaker’s stance without taking up valuable class time.