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$13

weekly
Class

Race & Politics: Civic Conversations About American Policies and Challenges

Completed by 30 learners
Ages 11-14
Live Group Class
Civics with a focus on Race- we talk about U.S. politics and government every week.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(90 reviews)
Star Educator

Live video meetings
1x per week
1-6 learners per class
55 min

What's included

1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hours per week

Class Experience

US Grade 6 - 8
Americans are reckoning with the role of race in U.S. governmental policies and politics. This class is a space for learners to learn, discuss and understand more about the way that race impacts every level and many aspects of our civic lives.

This class is a space for learners to share ideas, debate solutions and ask questions. We delve into many problems but may not always agree on the solutions- which is fine! Each learner will speak in every class- either to pose a question or make an observation.   Learners who do not like to attend classes with their camera open or those who do not like to speak are not a good fit. Here, learners can ask questions and talk about views, ideas and solutions to the issues that matter in moderated conversations framed by the Question of the Week or Hot Topics submitted by learners.

The class is organized by broad themes.
Posted questions follow the Theme Calendar below. 
Hot Topics are learner generated and can fall into any of the class themes. 

Week of Sept 5- Politics
Week of Sept 12- Education
Week of Sept 19- Hot Topics
Week of Sept 26- Money
Week of Oct 3- Tech
Week of Oct 10- Hot Topics
Week of Oct 17- Health
Week of Oct 24- The Environment
Week of Oct 31- Hot Topics
Week of Nov 7- Random Interesting Things 
Week of Nov 14- History
Week of Nov 21- No Classes- All Learners will be refunded (no action needed from parents)
Week of Nov 28- Media
Week of Dec 5- Hot Topics
Week of Dec 12- Money

Winter Break- Next Class begins the week of January 9th. Same focus- all new conversations.

I post the Question of the Week in the Classroom on Sundays. After our discussion I post additional primary and secondary resources for further study and invite additional conversation in the classroom post. 

Here is a list of sample questions:

Politics
Is the U.S. Senate’s filibuster a racist rule?
Does the Supreme Court need to address racism in the law?
Will the 2020 Census count change the way we talk about race in America? 

Education
Is the government spending enough money on education?
What is the role of HBCUs in educating students of color?
Is college a luxury or a necessity depending on race?

Tech
Is the algorithm racist?
How has social media forced elected officials to pay more attention to racial issues?

The Environment 
What is Environmental Justice and how does it support communities of color?
How is the water where you live- can you drink it? 

Problems. Solutions. ACTIONS. 
Let’s get it!!

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Race relations in America cannot be understood without understanding the violence that often comes with enforcing racist control. Learners should be prepared to view troubling images- although these images are not displayed without advanced warning. Parents should also be prepared to continue discussing these sensitive topics at home and are welcome to reach out to me for help with this as needed. Primary and Secondary sources may contain harsh language.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Newspapers are the "first draft of history" because these secondary sources are often the first telling of events. In this class, learners will consider primary sources such as speeches, interviews, letters and posts of various kinds as well as widely read academic journals and major news sources such as legacy wire services and well-regarded newspapers such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post. Please message me with any questions about sources.

Meet the teacher

Joined March, 2020
4.9
90reviews
Star Educator
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Non-US Teaching Certificate in English to Speakers of Other Languages
Bachelor's Degree in History from Hampton University
I HAD to study history at Hampton University (B.A) and U.S. History at Southern Methodist University (M.A. abt) because I found the complex topics and dynamic issues endlessly fascinating. My education allowed me to study questions of Race, Class and Gender extensively, topics that should ALWAYS figure prominently when understanding The United States. Teaching high school and college history felt more like a prize than a job as I loved sharing our nation's struggles and stories with young learners and challenging them to think critically. I have decades of experience doing this and excel at leading conversations about racism, race relations, and people. While I am no longer in the classroom I still find opportunities to guide people through the topics and timelines of America from time to time, and this is one of those times. Teaching this topic to young people gives me hope and brings me so much happiness- our children are amazing!
I have been teaching classes about politics and race on Outschool for quite some time. Please message me if you have any questions about my qualifications.

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