The upcoming midterm elections. The Kavanaugh hearings. Colin Kaepernick and Take A Knee. The Rohingya crisis. It’s a tumultuous time in the world—and that complexity will likely remain for years to come. How do you take on the task of explaining these issues? In what way should you tackle current events in the classroom? How do you convey thorny global concepts while respecting diverse points of view and making students feel inspired? On October 22, 2018, Facing History will host a webinar titled ”Current Events in Your Classroom” to help teachers and administrators bring these skills to their own curricula. This webinar begins with a look at Facing History's methods for both new and returning educators. We'll then transition to discuss ideas and techniques about how to address partisan politics and bring up current events in the classroom.
The webinar will also go through available Facing History resources, including a new Current Events webpage. This page is designed to highlight relevant materials on current events that can be easily downloaded and used in classrooms immediately.
In going through these resources, the webinar will focus on and address common challenges that educators face, like dealing with time limitations, finding the right materials, and addressing particularly divisive subjects. Facing History offers open-ended and adaptable materials that don’t just cover what to teach but also how to teach it to engage the mind, heart, and conscience of students.
This work has never been more critical. According to a recent Freedom House report in 2017, political rights and civil liberties globally deteriorated to their lowest point in more than a decade. However, these negative impacts have been balanced by individuals, groups, and communities taking a stand for human rights, women’s rights, gun control, and other important civic topics. With our help, you can learn how to help students think critically about current events and the impact on their communities.
