Debra LesserDebra LesserMaison RippeteauMaison Rippeteau

Justice Resource Center, New York CityJustice Resource Center, New York City

Overview of the ProjectOverview of the Project

Program PartnersProgram Partners American Federation of TeachersAmerican Federation of Teachers Senior and expert AdvisorsSenior and expert Advisors Teacher AdvisorsTeacher Advisors Independent EvaluatorIndependent Evaluator

Domestic (United States) Domestic (United States) PartnersPartners

Birmingham Civil Rights InstituteBirmingham Civil Rights Institute Freedom HouseFreedom House

Project Rationale and SignificanceProject Rationale and Significance

“The great political challenge today is consolidating existing democracies andforestalling the slide into authoritarianism…”

“The project endeavors to reinforcetheoretical understanding of the value ofcivic engagement through the compellinglens of personal narratives.”

“There is a sense of urgency for this kind of work…”

“Never doubt that a small group of…citizens can changethe world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever does.”

“Democracy depends on civic engagement…”

“The International Democracy Memory Bank is a worthy effort both topreserve…heritage and to foster civic education and involvement.”

“Students will gain a more personal insight into the realities…of the strugglefor democracy through an educational process they will remember for the restof their lives.”

“Oral history projects bring history alive.”

“This project chargesstudents with thetask of preservingthe legacy of their countries’ democratic struggles by interviewing the people who helped to advance…freedomsin their societies.”

“Teaching young citizens the tools of civic engagement…isnecessary to better society.”

“The power of a firsthand account can be an invaluablelearning supplement that lends texture, color, drama,and emotion to events…”

International Partner OrganizationsInternational Partner Organizations

Mongolia: FMESU

Northern Ireland: NASUWT

Phillippines:PSLINK

Republic of Georgia:ESFTUG

Poland:Solidarnosc

South Africa:NAPTOSA

COLOMBIA:FECODE

Project Focus by CountryProject Focus by Country

Mongolia: Democratic Transition

Northern Ireland: The Troubles

Phillippines:People Power

Republic of Georgia:Rose Revolution

Poland:SolidarityMovement

South Africa:Anti-Apartheid

COLOMBIA:Rule of Law

Goals of the Program: Improve teachers’ Goals of the Program: Improve teachers’ civic instructioncivic instruction

ObjectivesObjectives Professional development Professional development

programsprograms

Multilateral exchange visits Multilateral exchange visits to the United Statesto the United States

Collaborative research by Collaborative research by teachers and students to teachers and students to develop resources on civic develop resources on civic engagementengagement

OutcomesOutcomes

Increased civic knowledge of Increased civic knowledge of teachers! Increased teachers! Increased knowledge of core knowledge of core democratic conceptsdemocratic concepts

3,450 oral histories from 8 3,450 oral histories from 8 countries will populate the countries will populate the Civic Voices website!Civic Voices website!

5 American Teaching Fellows 5 American Teaching Fellows and 5 Fellows from partner and 5 Fellows from partner countries will participate in countries will participate in civics exchange visits.civics exchange visits.

Goals of the Program: Enhance students’ Goals of the Program: Enhance students’ civic knowledge through projectscivic knowledge through projects

ObjectivesObjectives Students will identify and Students will identify and

understand the 12 core concepts understand the 12 core concepts of democracy as outlined in the of democracy as outlined in the project.project.

Students will participate in Students will participate in classroom lessons on the classroom lessons on the struggle for democracy and struggle for democracy and human rights in their country human rights in their country and elsewhere.and elsewhere.

Students will conduct community Students will conduct community research to identify democratic research to identify democratic activists and interview them in a activists and interview them in a structured oral history project.structured oral history project.

OutcomesOutcomes Students will demonstrate, Students will demonstrate,

through pre- and post-tests through pre- and post-tests of civic knowledge, an of civic knowledge, an increased understanding of increased understanding of and commitment to core and commitment to core democratic principles.democratic principles.

Also through pre- and post-Also through pre- and post-tests, students will tests, students will understand how individuals, understand how individuals, events, and issues shape events, and issues shape history and society.history and society.

Goals of the Program: Create an online Goals of the Program: Create an online democracy memory bankdemocracy memory bank

ObjectivesObjectives www.civicvoices.orgwww.civicvoices.org, the Civic , the Civic

Voices website, will be Voices website, will be redesigned and expanded to redesigned and expanded to accommodate the International accommodate the International Democracy Memory Bank.Democracy Memory Bank.

A teacher’s guide will be A teacher’s guide will be developed and translated for use developed and translated for use in countries worldwide.in countries worldwide.

The project will include The project will include comparative democracy teaching comparative democracy teaching modules.modules.

Outreach will ensure the project Outreach will ensure the project expands to additional countries.expands to additional countries.

OutcomesOutcomes The International Democracy The International Democracy

Memory Bank will include audio, Memory Bank will include audio, video, and written transcripts of video, and written transcripts of oral histories, searchable by oral histories, searchable by country of origin and core country of origin and core democratic principle.democratic principle.

An international team of An international team of teachers will synthesize the teachers will synthesize the democracy teaching modules.democracy teaching modules.

Outreach: news coverage; Outreach: news coverage; international showcase in international showcase in Washington, DC; presentations Washington, DC; presentations at international civic education at international civic education conferences.conferences.

Goals of the Program: Build capacity within Goals of the Program: Build capacity within partner organizationspartner organizations

ObjectivesObjectives FECODE and the other FECODE and the other

international partners will view international partners will view their membership as resources their membership as resources for professional development for professional development and resources.and resources.

Partner organizations will Partner organizations will develop plans for the long-term develop plans for the long-term utilization of Civic Voices utilization of Civic Voices products.products.

““Recognition banquets” will Recognition banquets” will highlight the importance of high-highlight the importance of high-quality civic education projects.quality civic education projects.

OutcomesOutcomes FECODE will use existing FECODE will use existing

communication and training communication and training methods to facilitate awareness methods to facilitate awareness of the project.of the project.

Even after the grant ends, Even after the grant ends, partner organizations will partner organizations will incorporate Civic Voices incorporate Civic Voices materials and trainers into materials and trainers into membership activities.membership activities.

Key stakeholders will be invited Key stakeholders will be invited to banquets celebrating the to banquets celebrating the achievements of activists and the achievements of activists and the students who record their stories.students who record their stories.

Core Concepts of DemocracyCore Concepts of DemocracyThis collection of concepts was developed by Freedom House, a nonprofitorganization that tracks the state of democratic development around the

world. For more information, visit their classroom resource website:www.democracyweb.org.

These concepts can be found in Handout 1.2a of the Teacher’s Guide.

Consent of the Governed

Free, Fair, and Regular Elections

Constitutional Limits on the Power of Government

Majority Rule and Minority Rights

Accountability and Transparency

Economic FreedomMulti-party Systems

Rule of Law

Human Rights and Freedomfrom State Tyranny

Freedom of Expression

Freedom of Association

Freedom of Religion

Allows students to collect and learn first-hand about Allows students to collect and learn first-hand about struggles for democracy.struggles for democracy.

Uncovers parts of history otherwise unknownUncovers parts of history otherwise unknown

Appreciation for the role of the individual in shaping Appreciation for the role of the individual in shaping history.history.

Humanizes perceptions of freedom and democratic Humanizes perceptions of freedom and democratic governmentgovernment

Develops valuable analytical skills.Develops valuable analytical skills.

Develops valuable writing skills.Develops valuable writing skills.

Why Oral History in Civics?Why Oral History in Civics?

Connection to Civic EducationConnection to Civic Education

CIVIC CIVIC KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

Concepts of Democracy

Types of Civic Engagement

Historical Context

Global Comparisons

Current Issues

Human and local dimensions of civics and democracy

Connection to Civic EducationConnection to Civic Education

PARTICIPATORY PARTICIPATORY CIVICCIVICSKILLSSKILLS

Raising Public Awareness

Spotlighting Injustice

Organizing a Movement

Gaining Allies

Dealing with Opponents

Elements of Successful Advocacy

What can YOU do?

Connection to Civic EducationConnection to Civic Education

COGNITIVE COGNITIVE CIVIC CIVIC

SKILLSSKILLS

Framing Effective Questions

Using primary sources

Summarizing events

Applying key ideas

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Engagement

Connection to Civic EducationConnection to Civic Education

CIVICCIVIC DISPOSITIONSDISPOSITIONS

Commitment to the Common Good

Inclination to Participate

Appreciation of Role Models

Empathy for the Less Fortunate

Commitment to Human Rights

Connection to Civic EducationConnection to Civic Education

CIVIC CIVIC KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

COGNITIVE COGNITIVE CIVIC CIVIC

SKILLSSKILLS

COMMON COMMON EDUCATION EDUCATION

FOR FOR DEMOCRATIC DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIPCITIZENSHIP

CIVICCIVIC DISPOSITIONSDISPOSITIONS

PARTICIPATORY PARTICIPATORY CIVICCIVICSKILLSSKILLS

(Based on the work of Dr. John J. Patrick, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN USA)

Project Timeline: Year IProject Timeline: Year ISummer 2009Summer 2009

Two-week Planning and Writing Workshop in Washington, DCTwo-week Planning and Writing Workshop in Washington, DC

Fall 2009Fall 2009 Publication and translation of teacher’s guidePublication and translation of teacher’s guide Introductory Seminars in partner countriesIntroductory Seminars in partner countries!!

Spring 2010Spring 2010 February: Multilateral Exchange Visits to U.S.; Civic Voices February: Multilateral Exchange Visits to U.S.; Civic Voices

Launch Conference in Washington, DCLaunch Conference in Washington, DC Competitive application process to select Teacher Fellows in Competitive application process to select Teacher Fellows in

each partner countryeach partner country U.S. and partner country Fellows use the teacher’s guide to pilot U.S. and partner country Fellows use the teacher’s guide to pilot

the program in their classroomsthe program in their classrooms Civil Rights Seminar in Birmingham, AlabamaCivil Rights Seminar in Birmingham, Alabama

Debra LesserDebra LesserDirector, Justice Resource CenterDirector, Justice Resource Center

DLesser@schools.nyc.govDLesser@schools.nyc.gov

Maison RippeteauMaison RippeteauAssociate Director, Justice Resource CenterAssociate Director, Justice Resource Center

MRippet@schools.nyc.govMRippet@schools.nyc.gov