March 2023: MCLC Newsletter - Next Week is Civic Learning Week!

CIVIC LEARNING WEEK STARTS THIS MONDAY, MARCH 6TH - DON'T MISS OUT!

Whether you're a student, educator, parent, administrator, policymaker, or a member of the general public, we have events for you during Massachusetts Civic Learning Week, March 6 –10! All events are free and virtual and organized by the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition (MCLC) in conjunction with National Civic Learning Week.

Throughout the week of March 6 –10, take part in youth-led panel discussions, Q&A sessions with civic leaders, book readings, democratic simulations, curriculum and pedagogy workshops, and more. And, since many of the daytime sessions are designed for youth participation, this is a unique opportunity to engage your students in civics learning!

Be sure to also join these special events:

OPENING EVENT, From Students to Public Officials: What was your path to civic engagement? (Monday, March 6, 1:30pm). Register here.

Join us to kick off Civic Learning Week on Monday, March 6th at 1:30pm! High school students from across the state will facilitate a conversation with Bessie Dewar, Massachusetts State Solicitor and Rontear Pendleton, Massachusetts Deputy Attorney General. Learn how these state officials first became civically engaged and how that has impacted their career paths!

LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING, Progress & Opportunity: Taking Stock of the 2018 Civics Law (Wednesday, March 8, 1:30 - 2:30pm), Massachusetts State House Room 428. Register here.

Guided by a ground breaking state law and updated Massachusetts social studies standards, civic education has made a comeback in the Commonwealth with new updated curriculum and professional development to help guide our schools and teachers. Educators are doing extraordinary work working with students Grades K-12 to prepare them to engage in our democracy. "Progress & Opportunity: Taking Stock of the 2018 Civics Law,” a briefing featuring Senator Becca Rausch, Representative Andy Vargas, and Massachusetts students and teachers will highlight their work connecting and engaging with their communities. The event will highlight the achievements over the past five years and identify the challenges the Commonwealth faces to bring quality civic education to all K-12 students. Key to the progress is the continued funding of the Civic Project Trust Fund which provides funding for state and local educators for curriculum development and professional development for teachers.

Please note this event is in-person at the Massachusetts State House in Room 428.

CIVIC LEARNING WEEK IS NATIONAL - CHECK IT OUT!

Check out the Civic Learning Week (CLW) website. National events will include a forum with many prominent speakers including Danielle Allen and Sam Wineburg, discussion of civics seals and other strategies, as well as demonstrations of game-based learning for democracy, and a special opportunity to engage with Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor.

Events here in Massachusetts and other states also may be accessed via the Civic Learning Week (CLW) website. Be sure to check out the Resources page as well.

DESE UPDATES

DESE’s CIVICS MONTHLY MEMO

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CIVICS PROJECTS VIRTUAL SUPPORT FORUMS

Monday, 3/13, 3:30 – 4:30 PM

Registration Link

Engaging and Collaborating with your Community!: This informative and interactive session will focus on helping teachers find, connect with, and learn from community partners as their students dive into project stages 2, 3, and 4. This session will be co-facilitated by Massachusetts Civics Fellows who will share concrete strategies and approaches for engaging community partners, including examples from their work with students. Participants will have an opportunity to brainstorm and learn from each other, as well as ask questions and get specific advice and feedback on how to find and develop relationships in their own communities.

Monday, 3/27, 3:30 – 4:30 PM

Registration Link

Remember - It’s about the Process!: Assessing the Project: When it comes to a multifaceted project like this one, there are so many opportunities for students to reflect and receive feedback that will guide their development towards becoming civic-minded individuals. So many opportunities, in fact, that it can sometimes feel overwhelming! Join two of our Massachusetts Civics Fellows for this session in which they will share and discuss various assessment tools they have used with their students.

April, 4/6, 4:00 – 5:00 PM

Registration Link

Supporting Student-led Civics Projects at the School and District Levels: This interactive session will be co-facilitated by Massachusetts Civics Fellows. During this session, we will discuss why and how students' and teachers' experiences benefit from a systems approach, share what we've seen and heard teachers need to support project implementation, and engage in Q & A with participants. While this session is designed for school and district-level leaders, as well as community partners and school committee members, educators facilitating projects are also invited to attend.

2023 CIVICS FOR ALL OF US TEACHER INSTITUTE WITH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Teachers working with grades 3–12 are invited to apply for the inaugural Civics for All of US Teacher Institute with the National Archives taking place in Washington, DC, from July 17–21, 2023. This five-day institute will include hands-on sessions featuring strategies for teaching civics with primary sources, special tours and activities in the National Archives Museum, guest speakers, and site visits to additional landmarks and museums in the nation’s capital. Each participant will receive a stipend to help cover travel and other expenses. Learn more here and apply by 03/31/23.

The 2023 Civics for All of US Teacher Institute is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation.

Additionally, your educators may be interested in our free, virtual teacher workshops on teaching civics with primary sources. We'll be adding some additional summer opportunities to the menu soon!

ANNOUNCEMENTS, NEW RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL STUDIES AWARD NOMINATIONS

Massachusetts Social Studies educators are among the most talented and committed in the nation. And they deserve recognition! Each year, Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies presents Awards of Excellence to teachers, administrators, and museum educators from across the Commonwealth. MCSS encourages you to take a moment to recognize that teacher or leader who works tirelessly to nurture the citizen-students in your district. Please see this 2023 Award Information regarding the award categories and nomination process. Nominations are due Wednesday, March 15th.

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2023 STUDENT AND TEACHER FELLOWSHIPS APPLICATIONS OPEN

The Massachusetts Historical Society is proud to offer the unique opportunity for K-12 educators and high school students to explore our world-renowned collections. Founded in 1791, the MHS is an invaluable resource that tells the story of America through fourteen million documents, artifacts, and national treasures. For teachers, we offer fellowships for four weeks of archival research at the MHS with stipends ranging from $3,000-$6,000. For high school students, we offer a stipend of $1,000 plus an additional $1,000 for a teacher mentor. Applications are due by 11:59PM on March 17, 2023. Visit our website for more details and instructions on how to apply.

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY: CALL FOR JUDGES! PDP'S AVAILABLE

The MHS is the state sponsor for National History Day in Massachusetts, a program which guides students in grades 6-12 through a year of historical research and inquiry, interpretation, and creative expression. NHD asks students to conduct research on a historical topic of their choosing and present their work as a documentary film, website, performance, paper, or exhibit. To showcase their projects, students can compete at local, regional, state, and national contests. We are currently seeking judges for our upcoming regional competitions on Sunday, March 12th 2023 in Stoneham and Leicester. We will also soon be looking for judges for our state competition on April 1st in Winchester. Judges spend a morning learning about a wide range of historical topics, listening to student historians, and supporting local schools. All you need is a love of history--no experience or prior knowledge required! 10 PDPs available for teachers who judge at each contest. Visit our website to learn more and register!

TEACHER LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY IN CIVICS EDUCATION

Do you teach civics, social studies, or humanities in a Massachusetts public school? Are you passionate about civics education for all ages? Apply to take a leadership role in supporting the civics-focused professional learning of Massachusetts teachers! The Civics Professional Development Pathways project, a multi-year collaboration among Project Zero, the Democratic Knowledge Project, and DESE, is convening a cohort of Civics Teacher Leaders to develop, facilitate, or advise on a variety of professional development experiences for Massachusetts teachers (e.g., virtual and in-person workshops, online courses). As a Civics Teacher Leader, you’ll support the learning of teachers across Massachusetts, develop your professional learning design and facilitation skills, and deepen your own learning by engaging with fellow Teacher Leaders and civics experts. Civics Teacher Leaders will receive compensation and PDPs for their work. Learn more here. Applications are due by March 27.

Political Violence: From the Boston Massacre to Today

March 5, 1 pm-3 pm, Old State House

Hosted by Revolutionary Spaces

This March 5, Revolutionary Spaces will mark the anniversary of the Boston Massacre by reflecting on the impacts that political violence of many forms leave on a person, a community, and a society. Hear from poets and storytellers with roots in Haiti, Cambodia, Laos, and the United States about their personal experiences and engage in respectful dialogue with them. This event is free to attend but space is limited. Register here.

DESE GENOCIDE EDUCATION WEBINAR SERIES

“Using Testimony and Primary Sources When Teaching Genocide.” March 7, 3:30-4:30 pm Co-facilitated by Gratz College. This session will address both the theoretical and practical dimensions to using testimonies in genocide education. This includes the principles of memory, the role of testimony as evidence, the multiple meanings of truth, and the goal of obtaining historical sensibility through social emotional learning. We will also introduce some trusted sources and best practices for testimony-based learning in middle and high school classrooms. More information and registration are available online.

EMERGING AMERICA SPRING WORKSHOPS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Teach Disability History: We Can and We Must: March 8, 7-8 pm. Launch of Reform to Equal Rights: K-12 Disability History Curriculum. FREE. Register for webinar.
Accessing Inquiry for English Learners through Primary Sources: March 3 - April 12, 2023, with a webinar March 8, 4:00-5:15 PM. Focus on inquiry strategies to that work to support accessible social studies teaching, informed by recent pilot-tested methods developed by English Language Development experts working with social studies teachers on primary sources. Register for Accessing Inquiry for English Learners ($100).
America and World Fascism: From the Spanish Civil War to Nuremberg and Beyond – Teaching Human Rights Today: March 2 to April 15, with webinars March 9, 16 & 30 and April 6 - 4:00-5:15 pm. Register for America and World Fascism ($50).
Accessing Inquiry for Students with Disabilities through Primary Sources: April 7 - May 17, with a webinar April 12, 4:00-5:15 pm. Sample the Reform to Equal Rights: K-12 Disability History Curriculum, to be published by Emerging America in February, 2023. Meets Massachusetts license renewal requirement for 15 hours of PD on teaching students with disabilities. Register here ($100).
The Constitution and the Pursuit of Happiness: Institutions, Virtue and Civic Dispositions: May 22 - June 30, with webinars June 6 and 20, 7:00-8:30 pm. Taught by Kelley Brown with constitutional scholar, David Hudson, this 3-credit grad course will explore how civic institutions, civic virtue, and civic behaviors shape the US Constitution to allow for the pursuit of happiness. Register here ($350).

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