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High school educators can download a free guidebook that provides a framework and activities for facilitating classroom dialogue around elections. The resource is made to help students learn about, explore, and examine their place within our U.S. democracy.

NEW YORK, November 2, 2022 – This morning, The Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) released a new resource for educators, Constructive Dialogue and Elections: An Educator Guide to Engaging Students, that outlines ways high school educators can discuss elections with students thoughtfully.

Cultural and political division is causing reluctance among educators to discuss challenging topics like gender, race, and history in the classroom. Even topics like government elections that have traditionally been a part of high school curricula generate hesitancy in educators due to fear of backlash. CDI's election guidebook can help teachers navigate conversations that are important to have but might surface strong responses in students and teachers alike.

"Elections provide opportunities for educators to engage students through real-life moments. Not only do students learn about civics, government, and history through elections, but they can develop essential skills for life," said Jake Fay, director of education at the Constructive Dialogue Institute. "Having conversations about issues that impact the lives of everyone in our society is vital for students because it allows them to think critically about the world around them, their role in it, and the roles of others."

About the Constructive Dialogue Institute

Founded in 2017, the Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to equipping high school and college students, educators, and professionals with the mindset and skills to engage in dialogue across differences. CDI seeks to help teachers, faculty, and administrators build learning environments that enable students to feel comfortable engaging with challenging topics so that real learning can occur. To accomplish this goal, CDI translates the latest behavioral science research into educational resources and teaching strategies that are evidence-based, practical, and scalable. Learn more at www.constructivedialogue.org.