In this session, participants will examine the National Constitution Center’s framework for learning, which integrates three main components: Historical Foundations through Storytelling; Constitutional Interpretation Skills; and Civil Dialogue and Reflection. This approach teaches learners of all ages to separate their political views from their constitutional views—asking not what the government should do, but what it constitutionally may do. Participants will explore all aspects of the framework by exploring the Center’s newest gallery, The First Amendment.
About Our Professional Learning Series
The National Constitution Center’s professional learning series, offered in partnership with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), offers an introduction to the U.S. Constitution and explores methods for constitutional teaching and pedagogy from experienced practitioners. Sessions range from an overview of the Constitution’s text and the leading methods for interpretation, the creation of the Bill of Rights and the underlying principles, and landmark Supreme Court cases, to areas of ongoing debate of key topics including separation of powers, federalism, slavery in America, free speech, digital privacy, the battle for equality, and voting rights.
Each session also features a practicum component led by the National Constitution Center’s education team that will focus on civil dialogue and the practice of historical thinking. Through this practicum component, participants will examine the Constitution through a mix of civil dialogue, critical thinking, and active listening—using resources from the Center’s Constitution 101 curriculum. This free, 15-week curriculum provides students with a basic understanding of the Constitution’s text, history, structure, and case law.
These 90-minute sessions will be hosted on the third Wednesday of each month through Zoom and begin at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET. They are free of charge and can be attended as an entire series or as individual sessions.
