Portrait of a Citizen

What are the skills necessary for all students to become informed, active, engaged, and enthusiastic citizens in this rapidly-changing, increasingly diverse, interconnected society?

This book provides the framework to answer this question. Step by step, the book introduces a series of core competencies and skills that every student should acquire by the time they graduate. Then it provides useful, practical ways to implement these skills in classrooms. In this book, readers are given the tools to move beyond theory and into "action civics," empowering students to:
• Connect “textbook” civics to present-day challenges.
• Evaluate local issues and brainstorm collaborative solutions.
• Develop critical analysis skills to navigate misinformation.
• Engage in respectful, civil discourse on complex and even controversial topics.
• Forge intergenerational connections by working directly with their communities.

This timely and vital resource empowers educators to reclaim civics education and provide an open door for all students, regardless of their background or perspective. It's a roadmap for transforming our graduates into the active, engaged citizens our communities and our nation so desperately need.

The book is a professional learning tool, a curriculum guide, and a call to action all in one, making it the ideal resource for in-service social studies teachers and school leaders.

Darcy Daniels is an award-winning history educator with over two decades of experience teaching all levels from 5th grade through college, in the United States and abroad. She is a James Madison Memorial Fellow and the 2024 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year.

Denise Furlong is assistant professor of education and director of Advanced Programs in Multilingual and Literacy Education at Georgian Court University in New Jersey. She is the co-author of Learners First: Purpose and Practicality in Your Early Years of Teaching (2025). She has over 25 years of experience teaching multilingual learners in New Jersey public schools ranging grades K-12.