Civics Empowers All

2023 Professional Learning Summer Institute

The Details

One Summer Institute

Two Learning Tracks

Three Inquiry-Driven Programs

Four Days of Professional Learning

Studies show that Civic learning has been shown to instill young people with the “twenty-first-century competencies” that employers value in the new economy. Schools that implement high-quality civic learning are more likely to have a better school climate and are more likely to have lower dropout rates. ~Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools, 2003

The Nevada Center for Civic Engagement is proud to announce the 2023 Professional Learning Summer Institute is taking place June 20-23 in Elko, NV.

  • If you are

    -A teacher in grades 4-12

    -Able to attend in person June 20-23

    -Able to participate in virtual professional learning 1 Saturday per month during the school year.

    -Committed to implementing one of the following in your classroom during the 2023-2024 school year

    -We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution, National History Day, Project Citizen: Community Engagement in Public Policy.

    -Enthusiastic about using civic learning in your classroom

    then this summer institute is for YOU!!!

  • The Civics Empowers All Summer Institute will include four days of learning from scholars, pedagogy experts, and peers (see below for a tentative schedule).

    Teachers who join us this summer will have the opportunity to learn more about authentic assessment programs like We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution, National History Day, and Project Citizen: Community Engagement in Public Policy.

    We aim to bring inquiry-based learning to classrooms across Nevada and provide community engagement opportunities to a broader, more diverse group of students.

  • There are two options for this summer institute

    1. Participate in the CEAS We the People grant & research study. This will include a pre/post-test for teachers and students, the summer institute, and additional professional learning during the academic year ($500 total stipend + some travel expenses)

    2. Participate in the summer institute to learn how to incorporate disciplinary skills in everyday teaching. Implement one of our programs (NHD, WTP, or PC) into your classroom for the 2023-2024 academic year. ($250+ stipend & some travel expenses)

  • Teachers in Grades 9-12 who wish to participate in the We the People program will be provided a class set of textbooks and will also be asked to

    -Participate in the summer institute

    -Optional to join school year PLC for an additional stipend

    -Implement classroom instruction using the curriculum

    -Involve students in the simulated congressional hearing instructional activity

  • Teachers in Grades 4-12 who wish to participate in the National History Day program will be asked to:

    -Participate in the summer institute

    -Optional to join school year PLC for an additional stipend

    -Engage students in the creation and completion of a National History Day project

    -Participate in a school, regional, or state contest opportunity

  • Teachers in Grades 4-12 who wish to participate in the Project Citizen program will be asked to:

    -Participate in the summer institute

    -Optional to join school year PLC for an additional stipend

    -Engage students in the creation and completion of a PC project

    -Participate in a school, regional, or state showcase opportunity

This project is funded by a Supporting Effective Educator Development grant from the U.S. Department of Education awarded to the Center for Civic Education as well as funding from NV Energy, Blackbaud, NV Bar Foundation, and the John Ben Snow Foundation.

The Plan

  • Day: Travel Day for those out of the Elko Area

    Evening: Tentative Welcome Reception

  • Morning: The 4 P’s of Civic Learning

    Working Lunch: Collaborative Discussion

    Afternoon: Pro Se Court

  • Morning: Pedagody

    Working Lunch: Collaborative Discussion

    Afternoon: Program-Specificic Breakouts

  • Morning: Program-Specific Breakouts

    Working Lunch: Collaborative Discussion

    Afternoon: Group Presentation Prep

  • Item description

As all learning is fundamentally social, students must learn to collaborate, laying an important foundation for communication—an essential prerequisite for mastering the academic content in school that provides the specific topics around which students can practice critical thinking and creative innovation, and which ultimately will help develop the confidence to take risks and iterate on failures. ~Brookings Institute, The need for civic education in 21st-century schools Report Executive Summary