Generation Citizen Takes a Student-Centered
Approach
Generation Citizen operates during a real class, not as an after-school activity. This means that students participating in the program are required to take it, just as they would a math, science, or English class. Generation Citizen works to ensure that each student in the program, regardless of ability or prior civic knowledge, has a motivating, authentic experience.
Generation Citizen students have the opportunity to engage in an exciting and relevant civic education experience where the learning comes to life during each class. Generation Citizen students learn about the political process not from textbooks, but by actively working with the tools of politics—meeting with representatives, lobbying local legislators, organizing letter-writing campaigns, writing opinion pieces for newspapers, and making documentaries about community issues. The student-centered nature of the class means that students decide their own issue, students decide how to take action, and students actually follow through to see their plans realized.
Through participating in Generation Citizen, students recognize their ability to take action on issues they care about.
They also learn that making a difference is not a semester-long objective, but rather, a life-long endeavor.
Classroom teachers are indispensable to
Generation Citizen’s success
We actively work alongside classroom teachers to maximize their pedagogical expertise and knowledge of the learning needs of their class to improve the overall experience of their students and our college Mentors. Classroom teachers also offer consistent feedback to their college Mentors, helping them as they navigate the issues within and beyond the classroom.
GC program staff provides professional development to participating teachers, conducting workshops, meeting one-on-one to walk through the program, and following up throughout the semester, as well as providing curricular resources. Teachers become well-versed in the action civics pedagogy and are equipped to work effectively with Mentors to deliver a truly empowering experience to their students.