[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20503]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to bring to the 
attention of my colleagues the work of the Center for Civic Education. 
The center offers outstanding professional development institutes for 
teachers of civics and government throughout the United States.
  While the center is based in my home State of California, their 
programs are administered nationally by a network of State and 
congressional district coordinators. Many of you are familiar with We 
the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, a nationally acclaimed 
civic education program for upper elementary, middle, and high school 
students. I know that a number of you have met with the high school 
students who participate in the We the People national finals, a three-
day academic competition in which students respond to questions on the 
U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
  The center-sponsored professional development institutes are offered 
at national, regional, and State levels. These institutes are designed 
to instruct teachers in the content and methodology required to deliver 
quality education in civics and government. Institutes are usually one 
week long and provide rigorous content knowledge, innovative teaching 
techniques, and authentic assessment practices. Regional institutes 
provide an opportunity for teachers from neighboring states to share 
best practices in civic education.
  This past year, 27 regional and State institutes were held in 
Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New 
Mexico, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, 
Washington, and Wisconsin. A Juvenile Justice Institute was offered for 
teachers of incarcerated youth, and a civics and government institute 
was held for university professors of education.
  The center also sponsors a more intensive 3-week National Academy for 
teachers from across the country; the academy is held in California. 
Participants in the academy study major works of political theory such 
as Aristotle's Politics, Hobbes' Leviathan, Locke's Second Treatise, 
The Federalist, anti-federalist writings, and U.S. Supreme Court 
opinions. They also discuss relevant knowledge and creative ways to 
apply this experience when they return to the classroom.
  National institutes for elementary school teachers and teachers 
interested in advanced content knowledge were held for the first time 
this year. These institutes were conducted in Virginia and Missouri, 
respectively. In 2003, the center will increase the number of summer 
professional development institutes offered.
  The poor performance of students on the 1998 National Assessment for 
Educational Progress, NAEP, Civics Report Card can be traced to 
inadequate teacher preparation and insufficient quantity of 
instruction. We know that outstanding programs and student outcomes are 
directly attributed to adequately prepared teachers.
  Investment in professional development opportunities, such as the 
summer institutes and the National Academy sponsored by the Center for 
Civic Education, are helping to address this critical situation of 
teacher preparedness in the field of civics and government.
  I commend the center for their efforts and applaud their investment 
in one of our most treasured resources, the American classroom teacher. 


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