How Do Educators Conceptualize Teaching for Civic Engagement? Broadening Visions Amid Diverse Experiences

• In Event: Democratic Citizenship in Education Paper Session 1

Abstract

This paper explores how beginning educators, teaching low-income elementary students of color, conceptualize teaching for civic engagement during their experiences in a university-based course on the topic. Over the course of the semester, they adopted new ideas about teaching for civic engagement, yet they discussed aspects of their school context that they perceived as unfriendly towards youth civic engagement. Given these constraints, they expressed varied forms of readiness to enact civic instruction. These findings suggest the importance of teacher educators explicitly addressing teachers’ differentiated concerns and ways they can navigate the contextual opportunities and barriers for youth civic engagement in their schools.

Authors

• Shira Eve Epstein, City College of New York - CUNY

• Brett L. M. Levy, University at Albany - SUNY