BRI Helps This Teacher Council Member Combat Misinformation
By Tonya Howard
With a career in education that spans more than 25 years, I observed notable changes in students over the last decade-and-a-half. In terms of the area of social studies, I believe the advent and daily use of social media impacted not only my students but also the general population. Students seem to know more about current events, but often the information is incorrect or misinformed.
The amount of misinformation online, how legitimate it appears, and the nonstop, 24-hour exposure made teaching the skills for analyzing online sources imperative. Additionally, I found it important to make sure students understand the purpose behind the misinformation – how foreign nations and bad actors create fake social media accounts, often using bots, to impact political beliefs and voting behavior. Overall, students find this topic very interesting and relevant, especially as they approach the voting age.
However, it is a challenge to impress upon the students the importance and direct impact of voting. Polls show Americans are at an all-time low for trust in their government. As a teacher, this presents a serious obstacle to overcome as students often enter the classroom with a negative connection to the term “government.”
To counteract this belief, I focus on tying every aspect of their life to what level of government is involved and how it personally impacts them and their family. I approach my lessons as opportunities to facilitate political discussions and to reach compromises, develop an awareness of the significance of civic engagement, and strengthen their faith in American democracy. Obviously, this is no a small feat. However, these are some of the most important lessons a future productive citizen can have!
To achieve these goals, the first place I look for new material is the Bill of Rights Institute website. I rely on the resources and expertise of BRI because their focus on excellent, detailed units allows me to meet the needs of students, while presenting lessons that are focused, rigorous, and relevant. As an educator, the support I receive from BRI invigorates me to continue growing as a professional. I also attended many, many BRI trainings, symposiums, and summer institutes and I can say without a doubt, they offer the best support, trainers, and resources in the world of social studies!
I love BRI!
Tonya Howard teaches government and AP Government at Southeast High School in Wichita, KS. She is also a member of the Bill of Rights Institute National Teacher Council.