Fostering Civic Efficacy and Action Through Fifth Graders’ Civic Zines

• In Event: Exemplary Elementary Social Studies in an Age of Standardized Testing

Abstract

Objectives

The paper shares an example of a classroom where meaningful elementary social studies survives. In this study, Jennifer Cody, a fifth grade teacher, works in a K-5 school that is a member of the League of Democratic Schools in a college town in a mid-Atlantic state.

Perspectives

Jen explicitly teaches civic and democratic skills and processes, including using and analyzing multiple sources for evidence and perspective recognition (Barton & Levstik, 2004), asking students to think about their own learning processes (metacognition), and writing with a civic purpose.

To support her students’ civic investigations throughout the year, Jen and a fifth grade colleague, created the civic zines project – homemade magazines centered on a current events topic that is of great interest to them. Although the zine project is an individual project, the topics selected are of public (and therefore political) concern, whereby students “justify [their] political positions to one another and in so doing to take into account the viewpoints of others who reasonably disagree with [them]” (Gutmann, 2000, p. 76). By engaging students in the zine defenses, Jen creates a space in which democratic skills (persuasion and advocacy) and democratic process (deliberation) are supported.

Modes of inquiry

We use qualitative methods of analysis, specifically phenomenological research methods to illuminate a specific teacher (Jennifer). We interviewed her about her social studies practice and curricular decision-making and observed every stage of the zine process.

Data sources

The sources of data for understanding how Jen plans and implements instruction are the students’ zines, the zine defenses, the informal discussions students have with Jen about the research and writing of their zines, student presentations on their zines, as well as the civic actions they took related to their zine research.

Results

Kristine’s instruction yielded many of the 15 Common Practices of exemplary elementary social studies teachers:

1.establish a learning community
2.design goals-oriented Instruction
3.value depth over breadth
4.foster narratives and discourse around powerful ideas
5.balance constructivist and transmission teaching
6.employ a range of assessment tools
8.emphasize skills instruction
9.model intellectual curiosity
10.promote critical thinking
11.promote intellectual responsibility
12.integrate meaningfully social studies and other subjects
13.attend to civic mission of social studies in a democracy
14.reflect on student understandings to assess her practice
15.is supported by professional development that promotes a learning culture, is meaningful, ongoing, and allows for teacher discussion and choice about curriculum and instruction.

Scholarly significance

Jennifer Cody exemplifies thoughtful, reflective, and student-centered teaching (even in an age of standardized testing). She teaches and learns alongside her students, constantly asking them to challenge her, in her own teaching and learning. She sees the purpose of schooling as a civic one, creating spaces for students to question, wonder, explore, research, deliberate, empathize, argue, and act for purposes of active, productive citizenship.


Barton, K.C. & Levstik, L.S. (2004) Teaching history for the common good.
Gutmann, A (2000). Why should schools care about civic education? In McDonnell et al. (Eds.), Rediscovering the democratic purposes of education (73-90).

Authors

• Roi Kawai, The Pennsylvania State University

• Stephanie C. Serriere, The Pennsylvania State University

• Dana L. Mitra, The Pennsylvania State University