1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to navigation

Create National Identity #2 Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series, Episode 4

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Civic Mirror
Create National Identity

Create National Identity

This is the second step of the student-run “Create National Identity” activity. This lesson can be skipped if teachers are short on classroom time; however, if they choose to run this lesson, it has two main goals:

1. Students vote on their Civic Mirror national identity items, and can then upload these pieces of work to their country’s wiki space on civicmirror.com, and

2. Students pay special attention to their ongoing self-governance (i.e. classroom dynamics), trying to apply the lessons they learned from Create National Identity #1 to this one.

Citizen Profiles

Citizen Profiles

CITIZEN PROFILES: Once the votes are done, Civic Mirror Instructor’s distribute Citizen Profiles to their students. These include each student’s Hidden Agenda, their starting money, and other information about their simulated citizen identity. The Civic Mirror Manuals explain the Citizen Profiles in full detail.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS CIVIC MIRROR VIDEO TUTORIAL?
Please leave them below and join the discussion!

ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT THE CIVIC MIRROR IS?
Basically it’s a government and economics simulation that turns classrooms into countries and students into citizens. Far more than just a game, The Civic Mirror is a fully comprehensive civic education program that turns the old rules of teaching and learning on their head. Students actively assume real-world citizenship roles – both in the classroom and online – and work as individuals to provide for imaginary families and achieve hidden agendas, while working together to build a strong, democratic nation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT CIVICMIRROR.COM.

FOR THE COMPLETE CIVIC MIRROR EVENT SUMMARY, CLICK HERE .

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Teacher-Led Reflection Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series, Episode 3

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Civic Mirror
Reflection & Connection

Reflection & Connection

The Civic Mirror’s educational power truly lies in the teacher and students’ ability to extrapolate meaning and significance from all of the simulated events. In this classroom video tutorial, students reflect on and discuss what went well in their first student-run lesson, and what could have gone better.

The Civic Mirror’s Instructors Manual has many tips to help teachers guide their students through the “Reflection & Connection” process. Here are some excerpts:

Don’t Be God: The more you direct the plotlines, the less life-like The Civic Mirror will be for your students.

Impart Your Wisdom: Help your students make sense of what they might otherwise be oblivious to. We are aware that these two suggestions are paradoxical, but somewhere between the two extremes we hope you find the right balance for you and your students.

The Simulation as a Platform: The Civic Mirror will provide your students with an experiential frame of reference from which they can build upon. Use this to your advantage!

A Mirror to Learn About Themselves: Remember that The Civic Mirror allows instructors to mentor instead of manage their students. Do not be afraid to do this.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS CIVIC MIRROR VIDEO TUTORIAL?
Please leave them below and join the discussion!

ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT THE CIVIC MIRROR IS?
Basically it’s a government and economics simulation that turns classrooms into countries and students into citizens. Far more than just a game, The Civic Mirror is a fully comprehensive civic education program that turns the old rules of teaching and learning on their head. Students actively assume real-world citizenship roles – both in the classroom and online – and work as individuals to provide for imaginary families and achieve hidden agendas, while working together to build a strong, democratic nation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT CIVICMIRROR.COM.

FOR THE COMPLETE CIVIC MIRROR EVENT SUMMARY, CLICK HERE .

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Teacher-Led Reflection Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series, Episode 3

Create National Identity #1 Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series, Episode 2

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Civic Mirror
Create National Identity

Create National Identity

This is the first student-run lesson in The Civic Mirror program. Creating a national identity is a two-step exercise, and it’s often best done with a teacher-guided reflection in between (as this video series shows). In this lesson, students work as a class to agree on the details of their soon-to-be nation, experiencing several hiccups along the way.

The purpose of this lesson is to allow students to collectively develop a sense of national identity, and ease into the role of collectively running and governing their simulated nation.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS CIVIC MIRROR VIDEO TUTORIAL?
Please leave them below and join the discussion!

ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT THE CIVIC MIRROR IS?
Basically it’s a government and economics simulation that turns classrooms into countries and students into citizens. Far more than just a game, The Civic Mirror is a fully comprehensive civic education program that turns the old rules of teaching and learning on their head. Students actively assume real-world citizenship roles – both in the classroom and online – and work as individuals to provide for imaginary families and achieve hidden agendas, while working together to build a strong, democratic nation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT CIVICMIRROR.COM.

FOR THE COMPLETE CIVIC MIRROR EVENT SUMMARY, CLICK HERE .

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The CM Practice Run Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series, Episode 1

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Civic Mirror
CM Practice Run

CM Practice Run

This video shows the second Civic Mirror event, the Practice Run. In this event, instructors take students down to the computer lab to try out The Civic Mirror’s online program for the first time.

The whole point of the CM Practice Run is to learn how the game works by experimenting, making mistakes, and interacting with classmates. You will learn how trades work, how to check your status, how to find information about your country and others in it, and how to communicate with one another in the online community. When it’s over, the program will wipe out all the players’ stats and standings, clearing the slate for the real deal.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS CIVIC MIRROR VIDEO TUTORIAL?
Please leave them below and join the discussion!

ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT THE CIVIC MIRROR IS?
Basically it’s a government and economics simulation that turns classrooms into countries and students into citizens. Far more than just a game, The Civic Mirror is a fully comprehensive civic education program that turns the old rules of teaching and learning on their head. Students actively assume real-world citizenship roles – both in the classroom and online – and work as individuals to provide for imaginary families and achieve hidden agendas, while working together to build a strong, democratic nation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT CIVICMIRROR.COM.

FOR THE COMPLETE CIVIC MIRROR EVENT SUMMARY, CLICK HERE .

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The CM Practice Run Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series, Episode 1

The Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series!

Posted on August 2, 2009 by Civic Mirror
What Kind of Citizen Will You Become?

What Kind of Citizen (or Teacher) Will You Become?

The Civic Mirror is a new and innovative education program that turns the old rules of teaching and learning on their head. To date it’s been used by over 50 educators across the world – with over double that amount slated to use the program this upcoming year – and the educational dividends have truly been amazing.

As exciting as The Civic Mirror can be (with stories of ‘unlikely’ students arriving early and not wanting to leave class; or students logging into civicmirror.com on weekend nights to talk politics and economics with teachers and classmates; or students arriving at staggering insights and reflections about life, human nature and our social systems and structures), the program can be overwhelming for first-time educators. It requires teachers and professors to let go of “the classroom reigns” to a certain extent, to have faith in their students and the experience, and to capitalize on the endless teachable moments it provides.

CLASSROOM VIDEO SERIES WILL HELP YOU PLAN & PREPARE
To help educators (and students) get the most out of their Civic Mirror experience, we will be showcasing The Civic Mirror’s main events in a Classroom Video Series starting next week. The classroom video series will include 20 episodes in total, showing how the program transforms classrooms into countries and students into citizens. Five episodes will be posted each week (from Monday to Friday) starting Monday, August 10th and ending Friday, September 4.

HAVE THE CLASSROOM VIDEO EPISODES EMAILED TO YOU
Click the link below if you would like each of the 20 video episodes emailed to you.

We hope The Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series gets you excited and confident to use the program with your students this coming school year. Whenever you’re ready to get started, click the “Get Started” tab above and away you go!

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Civic Mirror Classroom Video Series!

First-Ever Civic Mirror Summer Institute in Edmonds, WA

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Civic Mirror

Edmonds School District

Action-Ed and The Edmonds School District are proud to host the first-ever Civic Mirror Summer Institute. This two-day event will offer Washington state educators 12 ESD clock hours to

  1. Learn how to use The Civic Mirror by playing it with other teachers , and
  2. How to prepare exciting unit and course plans that utilize the program and prepare students for the Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs)!

<< CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE VERSION >>

RESERVE YOUR SEAT by contacting Sarah Schumacher (S.S. coordinator for the Edmonds School District) at (425) 431-7341 or schumachers@edmonds.wednet.edu.

DATES: Tuesday, August 25 and Wednesday, August 26 (9:00AM – 3:30PM, both days).

LOCATION: Edmonds-Woodway High School, 7600 212th Street SW, Edmonds, WA 98026

COST: TBA (likely $100 or less)

ITINERARY

Day 1: Learn how The Civic Mirror works by playing it with other teachers. You will become a citizen, a politician, business-owner and more by living in a simulated country with other teachers.

Day 2: A blend of game-play and break-out sessions where teacher-groups will co-develop unit & course plans that utilize The Civic Mirror’s offerings to prepare students for the social studies CBAs.

Afterward: Leave with a new and exciting unit and/or course plan plus the ability to use The Civic Mirror in your own classroom to ignite student interest and prepare them for the CBAs in a fun way.

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on First-Ever Civic Mirror Summer Institute in Edmonds, WA

The Civic Mirror at the 2009 STA Convention

Posted on April 21, 2009 by Civic Mirror

Join Regan Ross for a full-day Civic Mirror game/workshop at the 2009 Surrey Teacher’s Association Convention. Check out the Civic Mirror Trenches Blog for highlights from a recent Civic Mirror workshop for educators.

2009 STA Convention

By playing The Civic Mirror, participants will learn:

  • Its game rules and major events,
  • How the online program works and how it sets up classroom events,
  • How to use its Web2.0 tools to extend learning outside the classroom,
  • How to capitalize on the teachable moments it provides (related to law, government, economics, and active citizenship)

For more info on The Civic Mirror, click here.

For conference registration and location information, click here.

This workshop is ideal for British Columbia teachers who want to enliven their classrooms with this citizenship simulation, especially teachers of Social Studies 11, Civic Studies 11, Social Studies 8 – 10, Law 12, Economics, Business Ed., as well as other courses.

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Civic Mirror at the 2009 STA Convention

Civic Mirror at the 2009 Encompass Conference

Posted on April 11, 2009 by Civic Mirror

Join Regan Ross at the 2009 Encompass Conference as he leads teachers through a hands-on Civic Mirror workshop, giving them a chance to learn how to use this innovative program in their own classrooms by playing it. Ideal for social studies teachers looking for new and exciting ways to bring subjects like law, government, economics, citizenship, and life preparation to life.

Location ~ Heritage Woods Secondary School
1300 David Avenue, Port Moody, BC, V3H 5K6.

Civic Mirror Workshop Time is 9:00am to 12:00pm

Conference Information here.

Map of Encompass Conference Location

View Larger Map

Posted in CM News | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Civic Mirror at the 2009 Encompass Conference

What is the “CM Trenches” Blog?

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Civic Mirror

To learn more about this blog and how you can contribute to it, click HERE.

We hope your Civic Mirror story, video, idea, or ‘lesson-learned’ makes its way to the civicmirror.com homepage!

Thanks for reading!

Posted in CM News | Comments Off on What is the “CM Trenches” Blog?

The Civic Mirror, Version 1, Successfully Launched

Posted on February 4, 2009 by Civic Mirror

LAUNCHED! After 15 months of teachers and students playing and experimenting with the beta version of The Civic Mirror program in over 35 classrooms across North America, South Korea, and China, I am proud to announce that “The Civic Mirror, Version 1” has successfully launched!

THANK YOU! I would like to send out a special thanks to all of the pilot teachers and awesome students for their great feedback, their sense of fun and adventure, and their participation in the online community. Also a big thank you to the web developers who made it happen; to the book designing guru who made the The Civic Mirror’s companion manuals way better than I ever thought they would be; and to two outstanding graphic designers whose talents have made the new program look as good as it does.

A huge thanks to all my students who have participated in the program over the years. Your excitement and passion, your lingering around after class to talk strategy, your ‘ah ha’ moments, and all of your brilliant insights and ideas have truly been my inspiration. Each and every one of you has shown me what education can – and should – be like. Thanks.

Thank you to all my friends and family who encouraged me along the way … even if you didn’t really get it. 🙂 This started out as a silly idea in my classroom because I was bored with textbooks, but if it wasn’t for your support and belief in my vision, The Civic Mirror would never have evolved.

And most of all … Thank you Amy for being the rock that you are. None of this would have happened without your endless support, encouragement, belief in me and the project, and your shared passion for making education more fun, exciting, and meaningful for learners everywhere.

PHASE 2: PIONEERING THE CIVIC MIRROR. We are now moving into the next phase of its growth and development, and will be welcoming and celebrating the first educators to use this cutting-edge program by giving them Civic Mirror Pioneer status. To date, nearly 50 educators – from the middle school to the undergraduate levels – have used the program with much success. And once we reach our target number (of schools and educators using the program), we will move into our next phase of growth and development … which is wide-scale implementation of The Civic Mirror.  So get in while the getting’s good!

If you’re an educator and want to spice-up one of your courses that relate to The Civic Mirror’s themes, contact us to get started. Give us your name, where and what you teach, and simply say, “I’m in, I want to join The Civic Mirror Pioneers!” Then we’ll reply and get you started with either the full program or the Civic Mirror Free Trial (your choice)… helping you turn your classroom into a country and your students into citizens.

If you’re a student in a course related to law, government, economics, and/or citizenship and would like to kick it up a notch or two, show your instructor this website … and maybe this video too!

If you’re a parent, a friend of an educator, or just someone interested in citizenship education and preparing this next generation for the realities of the real world, help us out and spread the word. We appreciate any and all word of mouth!

The Civic Mirror’s great already, but just wait … It’s only going to get better!

Sincerely,

Regan Ross.
Creator of The Civic Mirror, and Founder of Action-Ed.

Posted in CM News | Comments Off on The Civic Mirror, Version 1, Successfully Launched