Initial Post (Due Monday)

To prepare for this discussion, read What Motivates Youth Civic Involvement? (Ballard, 2014) and What is the Relationship between Civic Education and Character Education? (School Improvement in Maryland, n.d.) as well as your assigned readings. Apply these concepts of Civic Character to the Case Studies.

Identify one of the case studies in the required studies that resonates with you: Case Study: Bayless Elementary School (Character Education Partnership, n.d.-a), Case Study: Ridgewood Middle School (Character Education Partnership, n.d.-b), or Case Study: Westwood Elementary School (Character Education Partnership, n.d.-c).

In the discussion thread for the school you have chosen, post your reaction to the case by discussing the following:

• Consider your Week 3 required studies; define civic character.
• What are the particular character traits the leaders in your chosen school modeled and sought to develop in their students?
• Explain how your chosen school’s focus (or lack of) on community affects the civic development of students.
• Reflect on the value of how the focus on community in schools can prepare students to thrive and succeed in a country made up of as diverse a citizenry as in the United States.

Support your statements with evidence from the required studies and your research. Cite and reference your sources in APA style.

Peer Responses (Due Wednesday)

Read your classmates’ responses.

• Reply to at least one peer from each of the three case studies. Reflect and substantively comment on their posts.
• Share how you encourage civic involvement (or plan to implement civic involvement) in communities at school, at home, and around the world by being a civic role model.

Support your statements with evidence from the required studies, other research, and experiences. You are required to respond to comments or questions about your posts.

References

Ballard, P. J. (2014). What motivates youth civic involvement? Retrieved from https://coa.stanford.edu/publications/what-motivates-youth-civic-involvement

Character Education Partnership. (n.d.-a). Case study: Bayless Elementary School. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20180708121725/http://character.org/key-topics/what-is-character-education/case-studies/bayless-elementary-school/

Character Education Partnership. (n.d.-b). Case study: Ridgewood Middle School. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20180708120505/http://character.org/key-topics/what-is-character-education/case-studies/ridgewood-elementary-school/

Character Education Partnership. (n.d.-c). Case study: Westwood Elementary School. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20180423112854/http://character.org/key-topics/what-is-character-education/case-studies/westwood-elementary-school/

School Improvement in Maryland. (n.d.). What is the relationship between civic education and character education? Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20181209172527/http:/mdk12.msde.maryland.gov/instruction/curriculum/social_studies/relationship_civiced.html