Being an American Government and Civics educator in 2025 is no easy task. In Ohio, I’m expected to cover a long list of state learning standards with my students in a very limited amount of time. At the same time, many students show growing disinterest, even frustration, toward learning about government or practicing civic engagement.
But I don’t want my students leaving my class with only a vague understanding of how our government works. I want them to deeply grasp the structure and function of the Republic we live under.
That’s why, for the past several years, I’ve made the U.S. Constitution, and the Ohio Constitution, the centerpiece of my teaching. After all, how can we study the principles of our Republic without examining its founding documents? Instead of relying on an online version or a shared classroom set, I purchase a personal copy for each student. This allows them to highlight, annotate, and mark it up however they choose. By the end of the course, they don’t just leave with knowledge, they leave with a resource they can keep for life.
