Category: Civic engagement
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School Democracy
School democracy often appears democratic but reinforces adult authority, limiting genuine youth participation. While structures exist for student voice, they typically lack real influence, reflecting adultist dynamics. Activism and innovative pedagogies offer resistance.
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Engaging Youth At Home
In our complicated world we need more democratic and engaged people, everywhere, all of the time. This has never been more pressing than NOW. We often look to schools and civic institutions to take on this challenge, but we’re missing the point: The most powerful and fundamental starting point is right within our own homes…
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We Need to Teach Democracy Skills
As my friend Cynthia McDermott and I established in our 2023 book Democracy Deficit Disorder, there are A LOT of missing pieces throughout our democratic societies today, and as we’re seeing right now, these have a massive impact on our society. Among other things, we need to teach democracy skills. The skills for democracy go…
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Stop Being An Armchair Democrat
This post explores ways that young people are moving past being “armchair democrats” by practically, purposefully and powerfully engaging in democracy everyday instead of waiting for election years.
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Defining Democracy With Young People
This is an exploration of the way young people experience democracy today, and what can be done to support them.
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5 Ways To Be More Democratic
This article explores practical, meaningful and purposeful ways organizations can become more democratic.
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When Democracy Isn’t Democratic
Democracy isn’t democratic when our institutions don’t reflect it. We must do better, and my firsthand experience has shown me that we can do better.
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Creating Good Neighbors
The “mean people suck” bumper sticker is at the heart of a way of thinking that places a kind of expectation on each of us, that those around us can be relied upon, and not just during a crisis or emergency.
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The Foxfire Approach: Inspiration for Classrooms and Beyond
In this 2022 video, J. Cynthia McDermott discusses “The Foxfire Approach: Inspiration for Classrooms and Beyond.” J. Cynthia McDermott is a retired professor of education at Antioch University Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Sarajevo Faculty of Philosophy, Fulbright scholar at the University of Wroclaw Poland and Department chair and…
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Engaging in civic action
In an evidence-based world, the survivors from Parkland provide testimony. Civic education from elementary to high school can convince young people to be engaged in the commons. They were terribly unlucky to have experienced such violence but they knew what to do: Organize for change.
Progressive Teachers Network 