Our Students Aren’t Civically Engaged! What any teacher do to promote civic learning and agency, with Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg

What are the principles of democratic practice in the classroom environment that lead to deeper student-centered learning? Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg (@CIRCLE_KKG), one of the United State's leading experts in civics education, helps us answer this question and others. Professor Kawashima-Ginsberg is the Director of CIRCLE, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, part of Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. CIRCLE is a nonpartisan research organization producing and translating knowledge about how young people acquire civic skills and identities through a variety of experiences, and what makes certain learning experiences more effective than others. Drawing on her background in positive youth development and community psychology, her core scholastic interests are in understanding how young people interact with the cultural, educational, and institutional factors and shape their civic and political developmental trajectories over time. While Kei is interested in ensuring that any educational solutions target all young people, she is especially interested in diminishing learning opportunities gaps, including civic opportunities gaps. She comes on the SCL Podcast to help us understand how teachers can cultivate the habits and mindsets our students need to be civic minded and active agents in their learning and in their communities. Also, shout out to Generation Citizen (@gencitizen https://generationcitizen.org) for their great work in this field.