The American presidential election that just ended not long ago is the focus of global attention, not only because the influence of the American president is all over the world, but also because the American democratic politics is mature and stable, which is an example for many countries to learn. In the election process, besides the candidates, the most important person is the voters who hold the votes. How does the United States educate the next generation of voters? How to make people have the knowledge and ability to choose * * *? This should be observed from the civic education (civics) in American middle schools.
Social studies in American middle schools are roughly divided into two courses: history in grade seven and citizenship in grade eight. Some school districts study citizenship first and then history. Although primary school students in the United States also take social studies, the content is very superficial, and they will not know more about the role of * * * and people's rights and obligations until after middle school.
Movies, games and debates-civic education is super vivid.
In the civics class, students study the foundation of the United States-the Constitution. Students understand how the constitutional framework is formed from the perspectives of several important thinkers and philosophers, and then understand the significance of decentralization in the constitution and the powers and responsibilities at all levels. The process and way of people's participation in democracy were also introduced in detail in the class. Education in the United States has always focused on innovation and application, so how to impart these civic knowledge to students in a flexible and interesting way and give them opportunities to practice is the focus of civic courses.
Compared with Taiwan Province students who still make up social studies by correcting key points, reciting key points at home and taking quizzes, American middle school students are much happier, and various exercises and activities make learning not boring. In class exercises and homework, students have many opportunities to practice data collection, such as analyzing the similarities and differences between the two parties, or explaining the relationship between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary with charts.