The New Progressive Era

The New Progressive Era PDF

Author: Peter Levine

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 0847695735

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A century ago, Americans launched a period of civic renewal and political reform. Today, amid deep dissatisfaction with our major institutions, there are signs that a new movement may revive the spirit of the original progressive era. Peter Levine draws inspiration from the great progressive leader Robert M. La Follete, Sr., and his circle, which included John Dewey, Jane Addams, and Louis Brandeis. He argues that their ideal of a fair and deliberative democracy is right for out time. Combining their philosophy and experience with the best contemporary proposals, Levine advocates campaign finance reform, an entirely different approach to regulation, new styles of journalism and civic education, and fundamental changes in the tax system. This book offers today's most comprehensive plan for civic renewal and political reform.

The Future of Democracy

The Future of Democracy PDF

Author: Peter Levine

Publisher: Tufts University Press

Published: 2015-01-06

Total Pages: 303

ISBN-13: 1611687950

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We need young people to be civically engaged in order to define and address public problems. Their participation is important for democracy, for institutions such as schools, and for young people themselves, who are more likely to succeed in life if they are engaged in their communities. In The Future of Democracy, Peter Levine, scholar and practitioner, sounds the alarm: in recent years, young Americans have become dangerously less engaged. They are tolerant, patriotic, and idealistic, and some have invented such novel and impressive forms of civic engagement, as blogs, "buycott" movements, and transnational youth networks. But most lack the skills and opportunities they need to participate in politics or address public problems. Levine's timely manifesto clearly explains the causes, symptoms, and repercussions of this damaging trend, and, most importantly, the means whereby America can confront and reverse it. Levine demonstrates how to change young people's civic attitudes, skills, and knowledge and, equally importantly, to reform our institutions so that civic engagement is rewarding and effective. We must both prepare citizens for politics and improve politics for citizens.

Making Civics Count

Making Civics Count PDF

Author: David E. Campbell

Publisher: Harvard Education Press

Published: 2012-10-01

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 1612504787

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"By nearly every measure, Americans are less engaged in their communities and political activity than generations past.” So write the editors of this volume, who survey the current practices and history of citizenship education in the United States. They argue that the current period of “creative destruction”—when schools are closing and opening in response to reform mandates—is an ideal time to take an in-depth look at how successful strategies and programs promote civic education and good citizenship. Making Civics Count offers research-based insights into what diverse students and teachers know and do as civic actors, and proposes a blueprint for civic education for a new generation that is both practical and visionary.

Hoosier Schools

Hoosier Schools PDF

Author: William J. Reese

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 9780253333629

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""This anthology is important for historians of education, but... it has a larger purpose. Public schools have 'remained a faithful barometer of the major economic, political and social changes that swept across the nation.' Social historians can learn much from this well-written anthology."" -- Journal of American History .."". a fine contribution to the history of public policy studies."" -- The Public Historian School reform activists sometimes forget that schools are a product of history, that many proposed reforms were tried before -- with mixed results. That understanding of the past is critical to our understanding of current efforts to improve schools. These original studies of school reform in Indiana, from before the Civil War to the most recent efforts, offer a much-needed perspective on the reoccurring struggle to remake the public schools in a new image.

Civic Education

Civic Education PDF

Author: Richard G. Niemi

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2005-05-11

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 9780300107449

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Sound democratic decisions rely on a citizenry with at least a partial mastery of the rules and workings of democratic government. American high schools, where students learn the basics of citizenship, thus ought to play a critical role in the success of democracy. Yet studies examining the impact of high school government and civics courses on political knowledge over the past quarter-century have generally shown that these courses have little or no effect. In this important book, Richard G. Niemi and Jane Junn take a fresh look at what America's high school seniors know about government and politics and how they learn it. The authors argue convincingly that secondary school civics courses do indeed enhance students' civic knowledge. This book is based on the most extensive assessment to date of civic knowledge among American youth--the 1988 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Civics Assessment. The authors develop and test a theoretical model to explain the cognitive process by which students learn about politics and they conclude by suggesting specific changes in the style and emphasis of civics teaching.

Rethinking Readiness

Rethinking Readiness PDF

Author: Rafael Heller

Publisher: Harvard Education Press

Published: 2021-02-17

Total Pages: 346

ISBN-13: 168253054X

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Rethinking Readiness offers a new set of competencies to replace the narrow learning goals of No Child Left Behind and, in chapters written by some of the nation’s most well-respected education scholars, explores their implications for schools. Today’s students must cultivate the full range of intellectual, interpersonal, and intrapersonal capacities that have been grouped together under the banner of “deeper learning.” Rethinking Readiness focuses on how educators and policy makers should move forward to provide the educational experiences that students need to become truly well prepared for college, careers, and civic life, including changes in curriculum, teacher evaluation, and student assessment. As state leaders chart a new course for K–12 education in the Every Student Succeeds Act era, Rethinking Readiness offers a succinct and compelling vision for a new agenda for school reform so future generations can prosper in a rapidly changing world.

Teaching Civic Literacy Projects

Teaching Civic Literacy Projects PDF

Author: Shira Eve Epstein

Publisher: Teachers College Press

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 0807773328

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This practical resource shows teachers how to enact robust forms of civic education in today’s schools. Both instructive and thought-provoking, it will inspire teachers to craft curricula addressing a wide range of genuine civic problems such as those related to racial discrimination, environmental damage, and community health. Dividing civic literacy projects into three key phases—problem identification, problem exploration, and action—the author provides concrete examples from upper-elementary, middle, and high school classrooms to illustrate and analyze how each phase can unfold. The projects ultimately provide opportunities for youth to participate in civic life while they develop essential literacy skills associated with reading, writing, and speaking. The final chapter outlines a curriculum design process that will result in coherent and meaningful civic literacy projects driven by clear goals. It includes practical tools, such as a sample unit timeline, an assessment chart, and student worksheets that can be modified for immediate use. “Shira’s work offers us a reflection of democratic practice in the classroom through the teaching of critical reading, persuasive writing, and deliberation. In Teaching Civic Literacy Projects,Shira invites us all to contemplate the depth of the democratic project and the possibility that schools can help uphold our democratic ideals.” —From the Foreword by Celia Oyler, professor, Teachers College, Columbia University. “This book is a gem! Shira Epstein has provided invaluable assistance for teachers interested in engaging their students in the political and civic spheres in ways that build crucial literacy skills. The combination of a powerful framework and rich and detailed case studies provides readers with a clear vision and helpful, specific guidance for creating robust civic learning experiences for young people.” —Diana Hess, senior vice-president, Spencer Foundation and professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison “Excellent civic education means encouraging young people to identify and define problems and take action. That is challenging in our era of political polarization and narrow definitions of education. Shira Eve Epstein provides the best practical guide for teachers who want their students to confront social problems.” —Peter Levine, Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Tufts University