Educator Workshops

ASU's Center for American Civics is hosting workshops for teachers to receive FREE, content-rich professional development taught by the faculty of SCETL!  Teachers can earn a stipend for attending these workshops, though stipend requirements vary by workshop series. When workshops are held on an ASU site, meals and parking are provided, so there is no cost to participants for attending.

Content Knowledge Workshops

Teachers attending the following workshops are eligible to receive a $300 stipend from the Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy at the Goldwater Institute to support their development of social studies content knowledge. After receiving the first stipend, teachers can receive an additional $100 stipend for attending a workshop in each of the other series offerings - a total possible $500 can be paid for attending a workshop in all three.

Upcoming Workshops in the American History Series - these workshops are aimed at secondary teachers with an assignment specific to teaching American History. The topics in focus will include the American Founding, the Civil War, and the Progressive Era. The instructors for these sessions include Professors Sean Beienburg, Zachary German, and Aaron Kushner.

• October 16 (more information forthcoming)

Upcoming Workshops in the American Institutions Series - these workshops are aimed at secondary teachers with an assignment specific to teaching American Government and/or Civics. The topics in focus will include Federalism, the Separation of Powers, and Judicial Review. The instructors for these sessions include Professors Sean Beienburg, Zachary German, and Aaron Kushner. 

•    August 21 (more information forthcoming)

Upcoming Workshops in the New Standards Focus Series - these workshops are aimed at secondary teachers with an assignment in Social Studies. The topics in focus will include the Arizona Constitution, the Cold War, and Comparative Political Systems. These sessions are designed to fill gaps in new areas of the state standards where resources may be lacking for teachers. The instructors for these sessions include Professors Sean Beienburg and Luke Perez, and, where possible, a firsthand account from the organization Victims of Communism.

 More Information    Apply to Attend     

ASU’s Center for American Civics hosts workshops for educators to learn how to teach American civics in various contexts, class subjects, and grade levels with ready-made, engaging, and rich with interactive forms of learning. These workshops have been made possible by a generous donation to the Center from a private donor who cares about the quality of civic education in Arizona and wants to support our state’s excellent teachers. So, what can you expect if you attend one of these workshops?

As an instructor, I highly valued the engaging format of the lessons and I felt like I could be a real facilitator of the learning experience rather than just a lecturer.

-Workshop Participant

This was a much richer discussion than I have had in previous years and it was a discussion that was driven by the inquiry of the students based on the sources we were analyzing.

-Workshop Participant

1. Expect to be treated like a professional. Our workshops are designed by master teachers with decades of combined experience teaching civics at various grade levels. They know what it is like to sit through a professional development meeting that feels like a waste of time! This workshop is meant to give you valuable content knowledge that will be interesting to you, and expand your capabilities in the classroom, while also providing ready-made lesson plans and pedagogical strategies that you can take straight to your practice.
2. Expect to learn from some of ASU’s best teaching faculty. ASU’s School of Civic and Economic Thought & Leadership faculty members lead workshops. They provide thought-provoking insight into specific historical periods, primary source documents, and philosophical studies of government.
3. Expect to be fed! It isn’t easy or convenient to race from teaching school all day to make it to an evening professional development session or to take time from your weekend to come in on a Saturday for one. ASU recognizes that and will make it easier for you by providing a good meal at the workshop. Enjoy the chance to socialize with our faculty, staff, and teachers from around the state as you take a break and have a meal!
4. Expect to get all of this at no personal expense. Once again, thanks to our generous donor, ASU will not charge you anything for this workshop experience. Your registration, meal, parking, and access to these teaching resources are all free. The only thing you have to do is register!
5. Expect to be glad you came! The feedback we have received from teachers has been extraordinary. They have raved about how happy they are to have learned about the teaching resources and how much they enjoyed the experience of learning from our faculty members. Furthermore, many have expressed a renewed motivation for the critical mission to teach American civics well for the good of the future of our country and its next generation of citizens.