Constitutional Ideas module 1 with teacher educators

International Research in Higher Education

University students in the United States preparing for a career in as teachers Pre-K - 12 professional education must possess a basic understanding of constitutional law applicable to the profession. Undergraduate teacher education majors in their first course for teacher education majors participated in a survey research study designed to measure their confidence in ability to explain a relevant example of the 1st, 4th, 10th, 14th, and 15th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution in the context of professional education. The survey questionnaire instrument asked the respondents to self-assess their level of confidence on the above constitutional amendments on a four-point Likert scale, and also asked the respondents to give a basic example of each of the above stated constitutional amendments. The findings indicate that these students have a low initial understanding of educationally relevant examples of these amendments and an unrealistically elevated belief in their ability to give r...

The Hill , 2018

Citizenship in America, edited by Carol McNamara

Almost all American students are required to study the formal structure of the US government, and most perform fairly well on concrete, factual questions about the Constitution. But there is much more for competent citizens to learn. After I explore some valid reasons to include the Constitution in required curricula, I argue that the document provides a poor framework for civics as a whole, giving students a distorted view of the social world and failing to motivate them for ethical civic engagement. I conclude with a sketch of a curriculum in which the US Constitution has a place, but a fairly modest one.

Teacher Education Quarterly, 2011

The First Amendment to the Constitution is a cornerstone of American democracy and students, like all members of the nation, are entitled to its protections. Justice Fortas, writing for the majority in Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), described how the First Amendment protects students at school when he wrote, First Amendment rights, applied in light of the special characteristics of the school environment, are available to teachers and students. It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate. (p. 2

2004

2013

The United States maintains a reputation as a vibrant, participatory democracy. Yet, paradoxically, formal civics education has essentially disappeared from America's public high schools, particularly urban public schools serving low-income and minority students. The Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project, which is offered at almost zero cost to public schools and districts, developed as a response to the need for civics education in high schools and as a way to train future lawyers in public speaking, leadership, and counseling. To support the growth of the Marshall-Brennan project all over the country, the authors of this Essay came together to study the Marshall-Brennan project's efficacy in Washington, D.C., during the 2010-2011 academic year. This Essay is based on a comprehensive data set of students in fifteen classes in twelve Washington, D.C. public and public charter schools during the 2010-2011 academic year. Students were asked substantive questions related to the curriculum and to their likelihood of participating in civic activities such as voting and jury service. The results indicate increased constitutional knowledge and higher likelihood of civic participation, although there is room for improvement. The Essay ends with two conclusions. First, the authors seek to inspire a subsequent, larger study of the efficacy of the Marshall-Brennan model of training law students to teach high school students about the Constitution. Second, until a larger study is conducted, the authors draw from the 2010-2011 data to suggest changes to the current model, including a greater focus on drawing connections between civic knowledge and civic action.

The framers of the Ohio Constitution’s education provisions intended to use the constitution to transcend—rather than embody—the existing community realities.342 In mandating the creation of a common school system, the delegates adopted a contested vision of schooling that rejected the status quo and required change. The concept of a universally available, no-cost, non-sectarian education for children of all classes and colors was and remains controversial. It was incorporated into the constitution only after a sustained effort to sway public opinion. The common school ideal is, in essence, the practical extension of a particular progressive political and educational philosophy of a group of activists who successfully campaigned for its incorporation into the state constitution. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the ideal, the common school ideal was the constitutional winner. Contemporary schooling must be measured against the yardstick of the common school ideal because that is the constitutional mandate.

The purpose of this article is to empower those interested in teaching students powerful and engaging social studies. Through the lens of Supreme Court simulations, this article provides educators with a viable, classroom-tested lesson plan to bring Problem-Based Learning into their classrooms. The specific aim of the lesson is to provide students with an opportunity to engage in relevant and powerful civics education.

Social Studies Research and Practice, 2006

This article describes the evolution of a study of the U.S. Constitution in a social studies methods class and its effects on teacher candidates and experienced colleagues in K-8 classrooms. It provides details on how a fifth grade teacher's curriculum was subsequently shaped by using the Constitution as a lens for investigating U.S. history. It demonstrates how the methods class can serve as a crucible for actively addressing curricular and instructional issues in local schools.