Teaching the Art of Civil Discourse in the Classroom

Key Points

• Teaching civil discourse skills equips students with the tools to engage respectfully and thoughtfully across diverse perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding in a polarized world.
• By integrating the Civil Discourse Toolkit into its curriculum, St. Andrew’s School in Rhode Island empowers students to develop and practice values like compassion, humility, and mutual respect in meaningful and measurable ways.
• Creating a supportive school culture rooted in civil discourse principles helps students navigate complex issues with fairness and respect, preparing them to build a more inclusive and equitable society.

In an era marked by increased polarization and distrust across differences, two students at St. Andrew’s School in Rhode Island had a meaningful conversation leading up to the 2024 presidential election.

During a classroom discussion about various policies, these students, one from a red state and one from a blue state, were able to engage in a respectful conversation about how their upbringing, regional influences, social class structures, and unique lived experiences have influenced their perspectives and opinions.

The students didn’t minimize one another’s experience simply because it wasn’t a shared perspective. They took advantage of the opportunity to learn more about one another. They discovered similarities across differences, and they walked away more informed, having gained perspective. Teaching the skills that demonstrate empathy, humility, and integrity helps students approach conversations with an open mind and a commitment to truthfulness.

Schools play a pivotal role in shaping not only the mind, but also the character of students and their social and emotional learning (SEL). By teaching skills associated with the five values of civil discourse—(1) caring, compassion, kindness; (2) humility; (3) integrity; (4) mutual respect; and (5) the ability to engage honestly with others’ perspectives—educators can prepare students to engage meaningfully with diverse ideas and people and thrive in a pluralistic society.

The Civil Discourse Project

The Civil Discourse Project, a collaborative effort of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Ethics Committee and the Center for Psychology in Schools and Education, is one effort to achieve these goals.

The Civil Discourse Toolkit has a Guided Self-Reflection Rubric and Action Plan for Educators, which includes:

1. Definitions of the five values associated with civil discourse
2. A list of each of the behaviors (the skills) associated with each value
3. A self-assessment of each behavior
4. A self-designed plan to increase use of each skill

A guide within the toolkit provides educators with ideas for using the tools and integrating civil discourse into the curriculum.

As the above example illustrates, you can see this work in action at St. Andrew’s School in Rhode Island, which has recently piloted the integration of the civil discourse tools into its curriculum. The values and skills are aligned closely with the school’s identity as an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. Serving a neurodiverse population of students in grades 6 through 12, St. Andrew’s is home to a vibrant community that hails from nearly 20 countries around the world. 

This global and inclusive environment provides a unique and important context for teaching civil discourse, as students are consistently exposed to diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences. The IB’s emphasis on intercultural understanding and respect complements the school’s mission to nurture these essential life skills.

Civil Discourse in Action at St. Andrews

At St. Andrew’s, all advising groups used the civil discourse tools during orientation at the beginning of the school year in 2024. The self-reflection tools are designed to help both educators and students understand the specific, observable behaviors of civil discourse. Currently, students engage with the tools every six to eight weeks, and they are able to chart over time their development of the skills. 

Since focusing on the intentional nurturing of civil discourse skills at St.Andrew’s School, members of the school’s faculty/staff pilot group have observed that when students learn to view issues from multiple perspectives, they develop the capacity to connect with others, even when their views differ.

These qualities encourage critical thinking and honest dialogue, enabling students to navigate complex issues with fairness and respect. Mutual respect, in turn, creates a foundation for trust, ensuring that discussions remain constructive rather than adversarial.

Putting Principles Into Action

To support the practice and internalization of these skills, schools should consider establishing a set of community norms and well-articulated guiding principles. A guiding principle at St. Andrew’s School is “We prioritize compassionate interactions and teaching methods to foster a supportive, inclusive, and joyful environment for all.”

To reinforce this principle while helping students exercise their “kindness muscles,” St. Andrew’s students write anonymous peer affirmations to randomly assigned students, which are then distributed. Anonymity gives students the peace of mind to be genuine and compassionate without the fear of peer judgement. And knowing that kindness was shared within the room gives students permission to assume it could have been written by anyone, creating an environment of positivity and belonging. Students benefit from expressing gratitude, and recipients feel seen, affirmed, and a sense of belonging.

Clear expectations, articulated in the Civil Discourse tools, coupled with consistent reinforcement, create a culture where civil discourse can flourish. When students understand and align with shared values, they are more likely to hold themselves and others accountable, fostering a positive and cohesive community.

Incorporating civil discourse values and skills into education is not just an investment in students’ personal growth, but also a commitment to building a more respectful, compassionate, and equitable society. By prioritizing these skills, we believe we are helping to empower the next generation to lead with integrity and engage in meaningful, transformative dialogue.

Learn More

A summary of the project, the five values, and the educational and psychological research that undergird civil discourse skills, are available on the APA website. All civil discourse tools and related online teaching resources to build the skills are available at no cost.

References

Hillygus, D. S. & Hobein, J. B. (2023). Refocusing civic education: Developing the skills young people need to engage in democracy. The Annals of the American Academy. AAPSS, 705, 73-94. 

National Academy of Education (2021). Educating for Civic Reasoning and Discourse Retrieved January 3, 2024 from https://naeducation.org/educating-for-civic-reasoning-and-discourse-report/

Rimm-Kaufman, S. E. (2021). SEL from the start: Building skills in K-5. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

Sloan, K. (2023). Civility is on the decline, ABA civics poll finds. Reuters. Retrieved Jan.20, 2024 from https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/civility-is-decline-aba-civics-poll-finds-2023-04-27/

White, G. et al., (2023). Civic Education in a time of democratic crisis. Annals AAPS, 705, 7-15. doi:10.1177/00027162231190539

The views in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CASEL.

Mary Brabeck is Professor Emerita of Applied Psychology and Dean Emerita at New York University. She is former chair of the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Committee and member of the APA Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education. 

Ray Cross is the Director of Community, Equity, and Belonging at St. Andrew’s School in Barrington, RI. He serves on the Enrollment Management Leadership Council for the Enrollment Management Association (EMA) and chairs the culture and belonging working group. He also serves as the Student Conference Coordinator for The Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE).

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