Harvard Graduate School of Education's video: Education Now: Educating for Democracy

We see the power of young voices every day — calling out injustices in their schools, leading protests, even starting mass activist movements. But too many young people don’t feel empowered, don’t know how to engage, or don’t think their voice matters. As investment in civics and social studies has declined, and this country’s complex history goes untold or gets politicized, it’s no surprise that young people may lack civic knowledge, feel that their voices don’t fit in, or turn away from the political system as a means to make change. Fewer than 30% of people under age 40 even think it’s important to live in a democracy. http://hgse.me/ednow What can educators and families do to nourish civic engagement, improve civic education, and help young people develop a sense of purpose, belonging, and civic identity as they move into adulthood? How can we nurture young people’s passion — which we see on the streets and on social media every day — and give them the tools to make change? In this webinar, we’ll share tools to rethink what civics is and what it can look like. We’ll explore concrete steps that educators and families can take to help young people become informed and active community members. We’ll discuss ways to connect students to a history that is authentic and relevant. And we’ll ask whether education can step in to preserve American democracy. Education Now is a webinar series with insights for educators, families, and school and district leaders. The fall 2020 season of this bi-weekly series runs Wednesdays, September 30 through December 9. Episodes will be recorded and available to view later on YouTube and Facebook. Visit hgse.me/ednow for more information. -- Harvard Graduate School of Education Website: http://www.gse.harvard.edu Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harvardeducation/ Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarvardEducation/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hgse Since its founding in 1920, the Harvard Graduate School of Education has been training leaders to transform education in the United States and around the globe. Today, our faculty, students, and alumni are studying and solving the most critical challenges facing education: student assessment, the achievement gap, urban education, and teacher shortages, to name just a few. Our work is shaping how people teach, learn, and lead in schools and colleges as well as in after-school programs, high-tech companies, and international organizations. The HGSE community is pushing the frontiers of education, and the effects of our entrepreneurship are improving the world.