Peachtown Elementary: Civics education in the elementary classroom
As a longtime educator, one of my favorite aspects of the Peachtown program is the way that history and science are taught. When our school was founded 34 years ago, school leaders made the bold assumption that children of all ages can learn and enjoy all topics, from physics and chemistry to ancient civilizations and the industrial revolution. What started as a well-reasoned experiment has resulted in a robust learning environment where it is easy to collaborate across disciplines and academically enriching to talk about shared learning with friends who span classrooms and ages. We call this portion of our day "main lesson," and each unit becomes the central theme of study for sex- to seven-week blocks. We recently finished a school wide unit on oceanography and have just begun studying civics, scheduled to coincide with our national election cycle.
Teaching civics in elementary school is a great way to set children on a path to become informed, responsible citizens. Civics education introduces children to the fundamentals of government, the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and the importance of participating in their communities. Early exposure to these topics helps children develop agency and an understanding of the world around them. When paired with accurate history lessons, it can greatly deepen their appreciation for the ideals that America was founded upon and the work that is still left to do to realize those ideals.
Critical thinking
Civics education encourages the development of critical thinking skills. Children are naturally curious and have a keen interest in fairness. Civics lessons engage these traits, encouraging children to ask questions about how things work and how and why decisions are made. By examining real world issues like the rule of law, political elections, advocacy work and policy development, students learn to analyze information, consider different viewpoints and form their own educated opinions about topics that matter to them.
Civics education promotes agency and a sense of personal responsibility. When children learn about civic responsibilities like helping others, listening to differing viewpoints and collaborating for the common good, they begin to understand the importance of contributing positively to society. Engaging in projects that focus on community service, stewardship or advocacy for marginalized issues can help students build confidence in their own voices and their ability to show up and impact the world around them, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment. Children who learn how to make a difference become adults who are confident in their ability to connect with others and do more of the same. They don't wait for others to solve their problems, but rather, see themselves as responsible citizens who can rely on themselves and their communities.
Healthy dialogue
One of the highest ideals of education is to cultivate humans who can formulate ideas, present them and allow others to do the same while being open to changing views and understanding when presented with logic and fact. Healthy communication is a critical skill to learn and one that will serve students well for the rest of their lives. Modeling and providing students opportunities to practice presenting and supporting their opinions is an effective way to cultivate this essential skill.
Civics lessons taught in the classroom help children to understand the importance of engaging with our democracy. Citizens who understand their rights and responsibilities, and who have the skills to effectively participate, can help contribute to the framer's "more perfect union" and their noble goals of liberty and justice for all.
Alyssa Binns Gunderson is the director at Peachtown Elementary School in Aurora, a multi-age, project-based school for prekindergarten through eighth grade located on the campus of Wells College. The school is still open and thriving despite the closure of the surrounding campus. It offers rolling admissions, and also runs a small part-time preschool program for children ages 3 to 5. For more information, visit peachtownschool.com .
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