"We The People"

Teaching teachers HOW to teach the Constitution

What would entice experienced teachers -- tops in their field -- to devote a full week in July to intense study of how to teach the U.S. Constitution?

And how could you comfortably mix K-12 curricula? The answers came at the "We the People ... the Citizen and the Constitution" summer institute sponsored by JMU and Montpelier, James Madison's home in Orange County.

Seven mentors and 31 outstanding teachers from across the commonwealth grappled with real-life educational questions currently being addressed by the Supreme Court. Participants also addressed the real problems of interpreting the basic document that preserves Americans' political rights and civil liberties. The U.S. Department of Education funded the institute, which is directed by the staff of the Center for Civic Education, a nonpartisan corporation affiliated with the bar association of California. The weeklong institute stimulated new approaches and teaching techniques to enhance participants' knowledge on the Constitution.

Recent independent studies by the Education Testing Service validate the effectiveness of the "We the People ..." institute. A random sample of 900 high school students who participated in the institute compared with 280 sophomores and juniors in political science courses at a major university resulted in high school scores that outdistanced university results in every topic. "We the People ..." students not only knew more; they participated more. They registered to vote and voted -- not a small dividend in a nation where voter turnouts have been declining.

Political science scholars and researchers delivered morning lectures and in-depth probes of interpretive questions from real-life cases. JMU political science professor Anthony Eksterowicz and history professor Kevin Hardwick conducted two sessions. Other speakers included David Marion, director of the Wilson Center at Hampden-Sydney College; John Patrick, director of Indiana University's Social Studies Development Center; and Barbara Perry, director of Sweet Briar College's Center for Civic Renewal.

Participants toured James Madison's Orange County home, Montpelier, while other sessions during the week provided hands-on team experiences to help teachers learn to transfer history and principles to students at varying grade levels. As an example of an innovative fifth-grade history lesson, participants designed a collage of cut-outs from magazines to personalize the abstract freedoms they read about. Then they explained their choices to their "classmates."

"We're all about increasing 'teachable moments,'" said Perry in describing those times of electric connection between teacher and class. During a simulated high school class exercise, participants discovered how difficult it is to eliminate emotions from a discussion on a school policy banning religious groups from holding meetings like other extracurricular clubs. Reasoned arguments fell or survived as participants tried to negotiate the concept of separation of state and religion without appearing hostile toward religion or promoting it. Team members struggled to justify why protecting the right of one person might outweigh majority public opinion. Culling current news stories, teachers discovered countless implications that threaten freedoms.

Throughout the week, mealtimes brought opportunities for participants to socialize, and evenings were full of unexpected gifts at dorm doors. Institute coordinator Glenda Rooney, associate vice president for parent and constituent relations at JMU, surprised participants with carry-home mementos like book bags, snacks, JMU note cards and T-shirts.

Phil Bigler ('74, '76M), director of the James Madison Center and 1998 national Teacher of the Year, spoke at the closing awards ceremony and the culminating event -- a mock congressional hearing. Teams of teachers competed for awards, simulating their future students' experiences.

During the week, program speakers turned dense, detailed materials into relevant contemporary issues; and the phrase "We the People" carried new impact, new responsibility and new enthusiasm.

Nancy Bondurant Jones