The Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (pp. 35-36) provides suggested practices and methods to school districts that pertain to teaching the course.

1. Purpose (pp. 35-36)
2. Identity (pp. 36-37)
3. Content, Skills, Context, Methods, Inquiry (pp. 37-39)
4. Community Engagement, Literacy, Cultural Competency (pp. 39-44)
5. Approaches, Theory, Course Options (pp. 44-55)
6. Introduction, Themes, Course Outlines (pp. 55-63)
7. Sample Lesson Templates (pp. 64-70)

Ethnic Studies: Civic Engagement and Democracy

Mutually Shared Interests

Ethnic Studies, as a discipline, recognizes its mutually shared connections to keystone American democratic principles, institutions, and treatises contained within the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Amendments to the Constitution. Participation in ethnic studies can provide students with greater awareness of their constitutional rights, guarantees, freedoms,and protections. As such, ethnic studies can serve as a gateway for students to develop civic participation skills, a greater sense of self-empowerment, and a deeper commitment to lifelong civic engagement in the cause of greater community and equity.

As stated in the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum:

Ethnic studies should help students become more engaged locally and develop into effective civic participants and stronger social justice advocates, better able to contribute to constructive social change. It (ethnic studies) can help students learn to discuss difficult or controversial issues, particularly when race and ethnicity are important factors. In short, through ethnic studies, students can develop civic participation skills, a greater sense of self-empowerment, and a deeper commitment to lifelong civic engagement in the cause of greater community and equity. This emphasis on citizenship within the pedagogy provides students with a keen sense of ethics, respect, and appreciation for all people, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, and beliefs.¹