"Because many of our schools fail to address the health and well-being of both students and their communities, teachers and teacher educators are in need of a revised vision for teaching and schooling-one that is committed to civic and community engagement where we see school and community building as reciprocal, not separate, projects. This vision of schooling places the health and well-being of individuals and their communities at the center of the curriculum and sees partnership and collaboration with communities and community and democratic revitalization as a central goal of education. Teachers need specific strategies and ideas for reviving our democracy and revitalizing communities-strategies that I have learned from community organizers and then used to guide me in my own journey as a teacher and a teacher educator (e.g., building intentional relationships, organizing listening campaigns, integrating and valuing local knowledge, teaching democratic practices, giving students choice and agency in school, exploring who we are and what and how we know, examining our intellectual and ethical commitments, mapping community assets, holding relational meetings, creating community engagement councils, working directly with community-based organizations (CBOs), organizing accountability sessions with public officials, working to create healthy and sustainable spaces, running voter registration drives, co-creating curriculum with students, marching, protesting, participating in public arts, etc.) (Catone, 2016; Warren, 2005)"--

As former elementary school teachers, the authors focus on what is possible in schools rather than a romantic vision of what schools could be. Based on a 5-year study of an elementary school, this book shows how civic engagement can be purposive and critical—a way to encourage young people to examine their environment, to notice and question injustices, and to take action to make a difference in their communities and school. Focusing on the intersection of student voice and critical inquiry, the book describes how to embed civic engagement into curriculum, school decision-making processes, and whole-school activities. Chapters provide an overview of what research has demonstrated about civic engagement at the classroom, school, and community levels, including detailed descriptions of activities and lessons for practice. Classroom teachers, school principals, community members, and teacher educators can use this resource to foster a deeper, richer understanding of what is entailed in civic life. Book Features: A vivid portrait of a “typical” public school that wants to do more than teach to the test.An examination of the conditions that enable young people to participate in democratic practices, including identifying and questioning injustices.Concrete examples of student voice and critical inquiry in classroom contexts.Practices and activities that encourage children to get along with others, exchange perspectives, and work across differences. “Offers a suggestive range of evidence that high-quality civic engagement initiatives can enhance students’ academic, social, and emotional engagement. . . . It reveals the nitty-gritty of how experienced teachers can enable children who are immersed in meaningful civic work also to engage more deeply with mathematical problem-solving, peer collaboration, literacy and social studies learning, and development of empathy and mutual trust.” —From the Foreword by Meira Levinson “Mitra and Serriere show us not only that elementary-aged children are capable of civic engagement, but how such engagement can be nurtured in the classroom. Children can be active civic participants; this book demonstrates both the power of this idea and how we might accomplish this essential task.” —Beth C. Rubin, Rutgers University