Written by Christine Cooke Fairbanks
August 12, 2020
Utah parents and teachers of K-12 public school students are in a unique position – again.
Weighing the threat of COVID-19 and the state’s decision to reopen schools, parents have had to decide (and some are still trying to decide): Should they send their children to school, or should they teach them at home? Teachers, on the other hand, are wondering how best to educate children, with the uncertainties and concerns surrounding the upcoming school year.
While the pandemic has caused more parents to be open to homeschooling, school at home can also be extremely overwhelming. It’s often not clear how to structure it or where a parent should look for resources. Similarly, teachers must determine curriculum and methods for teaching while knowing they may have to transition from in-person to fully virtual instruction.
Sutherland Institute has long been committed to parents having the freedom to make educational decisions for their family – even more so during this time of uncertainty.
We are likewise dedicated to improving the civic and history education in Utah and the country amid our nation’s current civil unrest and the battle over our nation’s founding narrative.
To address both, we will analyze and publish reviews of civics and history education resources available to parents and educators. Each review will cover a description of the resource, its intended age range, its associated price/costs (should there be any), and how it might be used (and probably shouldn’t be used) in an at-home or traditional school setting. We will also design metrics around the breadth and quality of resources for the convenience of parents and educators who are considering them.
Reviews and analysis are forthcoming for the following curricula (please note this list is not exhaustive and is subject to modifications/updates):
- iCivics
- Ashbrook Center
- Bill of Rights Institute
- The 1619 Project
- Jack Miller Center’s Online Learning Center
- The National Constitution Center
If you have suggested resources you’d like us to review, send an email to si@sifreedom.org.
Happy teaching!
More Insights
Read More
A success story: Using Junior Achievement in home-school co-ops
Several Utah families have incorporated an annual hands-on entrepreneurial experience into their homeschool co-op through JA, and it’s become a highlight for students and parents alike.
How family policy debates sometimes ignore the family itself
Debates about family policy often focus on an array of programs or interventions like licensed child care, pre-K, or the K-12 education system. But all too often, the family itself as an optimal environment for the healthy development of young children – and a fundamental institution of civil society – gets left out of the discussion.
Anti-Israel protests, children’s access to obscenity show difficulties of finding clear free speech limits
Supreme Court’s protective rulings on free speech have not resolved every area of controversy, as ongoing issues illustrate.