Professional Development Events
Civics that Empowers All Students (CEAS) Project Application
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
What is CEAS?
The CEAS project, funded by a Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant from the USDOE, has the following stated goals:
- (1) To increase underserved grades 4–8 students’ attainment of state civics standards, related literacy standards, and social and emotional learning competencies,
- (2) to create inclusive and identity-safe learning environments for underserved students in grades 4–8,
- (3) to support high-quality development for diverse teachers, and
- (4) to study the effectiveness of the updated and enhanced We the People blended-learning professional development program at improving teacher and student outcomes.
Click here to download a one-pager about the CEAS project for your information, or to share with your admin team or other interested teachers.
Click here to begin your application!
The benefits of this project include:
- Free professional development! A total of 52 hours of professional development in a learning community with mentors and other teachers from your state or neighboring states, including a 36-hour in-person summer institute and 16 hours of online academic-year follow up. Summer institutes begin in 2023!
- The Indiana Bar Foundation is currently planning the CEAS Summer Institute for 2023 as a joint venture between Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia. More specifics will be provided, but we will be heading to Philadelphia for several days in the first two weeks of June!
- Engaging pedagogy and academic content, centered on the highly effective We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution curriculum
- A network of support and resources for engaging diverse student populations in the history, principles, and current application of the U.S. Constitution
- Scholar guest speakers
- Access to a library of professional development videos with noted scholars and practitioners cued to the curriculum
- Free set of We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution textbooks and teacher’s guide
- A stipend for completing program requirements
Program Requirements
Eligibility:
This program is for teachers in grades 4-8 who work with 30% or more underserved students. Including:
- Students living in poverty (Title 1 Schools)
- Students of color
- Students with disabilities
- English learners
- Migrant students
- Students in foster care
- Students performing below grade level
- Other
The Federal definition of high-need students includes qualifiers such as: students in poverty counted in the most recent census data; students eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch; students in families receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act; students eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program.
What am I signing up for?
Selection as a CEAS teacher requires the following commitments:
- Participate in 52 hours of professional development
- 36-hour summer institute – 16 hours of in-service professional development
- A total of 40 hours of classroom instruction using the We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution curriculum
- Involve students in the simulated congressional hearing instructional activity
- Participate in a teacher pre- and post-test
- Administer student pre- and post-tests
This project will begin in the summer of 2023 and continue through the 2023-2024 school year. Resources and assistance will be provided throughout the duration of the project, but continued participation is required.
The application for the CEAS Project can be found here.
Please contact Civic Education Specialist Joseph O’Connor with questions, comments, or concerns. Thank you for your interest in the CEAS Project, and we look forward to working with you!
Summer Institute
2023 Indiana We the People Summer Institute – Register Here
June 18-22, 2023 – Indiana University Bloomington – O’Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs
Each summer the Indiana Bar Foundation holds a multi-day professional development workshop for educators wanting to learn more about the We the People program.
Indiana high, middle, and elementary school teachers can join the Bar Foundation to learn in-depth content and teaching strategies for important concepts you’ll be teaching in your government, history, or social studies classes. These topics will also aid We the People teachers in teaching the curriculum and preparing for the simulated congressional hearing authentic assessments, which will be focused on during the institute.
Attendees will receive: Lodging and meals, classroom set of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution textbooks, teacher library worth $75, and 26 hours of professional growth points.
Fall Professional Development
Additional information is coming. Please check back and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates!