The dramatic events of recent months, including a worldwide pandemic, protests over racial injustice, and raging wildfires in the West, are on the minds of students and teachers, and some teachers are incorporating them into the curriculum. They say placing current events in the context of classroom study helps students make sense of the issues and boosts their civic engagement. Others worry that these issues can be polarizing or upsetting and want the classroom to be an escape for students from the drama taking place outside of school. Listen to secondary school teachers explain their views on bringing current issues into the classroom and then debate: Should teachers address current events?
Story Length: 6:42
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September 17, 2020
3:19
Wildfires are burning out of control in California, Oregon, and other states in the western U.S., and now National Guard units from outside the region are being sent to help battle the blazes. Officials are asking other countries like Canada and Mexico to send fire crews, too. The huge fires are moving close to cities and towns and have posed a dangerous threat to homes, people, and wildlife. Listen to hear why fires are becoming bigger and more frequent in the West and what firefighters have been prioritizing as they spread out of control.
Read MoreJuly 22, 2020
6:47
School leaders across the country are grappling with questions of when and how to reopen schools safely. While there is a shared interest nationwide in kids returning to school buildings, the virus is still widespread in communities across the country. Although kids are less likely to suffer from COVID-19, they may carry the germ back to their families and communities. The CDC’s safety recommendations are challenging for many schools to follow without additional space, staff, and supplies. Listen to school leaders throughout the U.S. discuss their hopes, priorities, and fears as they decide what school will look like in the fall.
This audio story was recorded in mid-July. The news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly and parts of this story may be dated.
Read MoreFebruary 7, 2020
3:40
Students around the country may learn different versions of U.S. history depending on where they live. Textbook publishers often customize textbooks for different states in response to political pressure, covering specific topics differently. Some say that this is important because different regions have different populations and different priorities. Others believe that all students in the country should have access to the same information and that variations in textbook content contributes to deepening the political divide. Listen to hear more about how textbooks differ from state to state and then debate: Should everyone use the same textbooks?
Read MoreFebruary 28, 2018
2:52
A recent report by the Southern Poverty Law Center finds that most high school seniors do not fully understand the history of slavery in the U.S. The study also finds that educators often are not provided with good materials, training, or standards for teaching students about slavery in American schools. It’s an uncomfortable subject, and many curriculum materials guide teachers to highlight heroes, such as Harriet Tubman, before teaching about the realities of slavery. Listen to this story to hear about problems and possible solutions to understanding the history and of slavery and its relevance today.
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