Ohio Teachers Connect Presidential Election to Classroom Curriculum

As the presidential election approaches, Ohio teachers are seizing the opportunity to enhance civics education. In interviews, elementary, middle, and high school teachers shared their strategies for integrating the election into their curriculum. Kelley Stocker, a government teacher at Westerville South High School, emphasized the importance of making students aware of how government affects their lives. She aims to connect current events with classroom lessons to foster understanding and engagement. Stocker, who has been teaching for 11 years, encourages her students to be informed and active participants in democracy.

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Kelley Stocker has adjusted her curriculum to focus on elections, campaigns, political parties, and the First Amendment under a unit titled “the role of the people.” She informs families about this unit and encourages communication regarding any questions. One engaging activity she uses is creating a prediction map on “270 to Win,” similar to filling out March Madness brackets. Stocker emphasizes a respectful classroom environment by allowing discussions about issues while discouraging personal attacks on individuals, aiming to separate political positions from personal feelings.
In Ohio, government education is a high school graduation requirement, and Shari Obrenski, president of the Cleveland Teachers Union, reflects on her 20 years of teaching government and history. She enjoyed seeing students transition from disinterest in politics to engaging in discussions about election platforms and analyzing campaign ads as elections approached. Obrenski emphasized the importance of helping students understand different political viewpoints and encouraging them to assess their own ideologies. Many former students have expressed that they vote due to the lessons learned in her class, highlighting the significance of civic education.
James Lautzenheiser, an eighth-grade history teacher in Van Wert County, Ohio, believes teaching government is essential for introducing citizenship to middle schoolers, helping them understand history and government more deeply. Similarly, Angel Dyer Sanchez, a fifth-grade teacher in Columbus, encourages her young students to discuss voting and form their own opinions rather than simply following family preferences. Kelley Stocker, a high school teacher, supports her students’ voter registration by providing forms and assistance, while Shari Obrenski has taught students about voting rights and helped them register to vote. All emphasize the importance of civic engagement and informed decision-making.
Angel Dyer Sanchez, a 20-year teaching veteran, emphasizes the importance of voting rights and civic engagement in her lessons, noting that many students are surprised to learn that women gained the right to vote only 100 years ago. She encourages her fifth graders to attend polls with their parents to understand the significance of their voting rights. James Lautzenheiser’s students express frustration over their parents not voting, highlighting a desire for greater civic participation.
Despite the importance of youth involvement, only 32% of Ohio’s 18-year-olds were registered to vote as of May. Shari Obrenski stresses that young people are significantly affected by election outcomes and need to see the value in voting. After elections, Kelley Stocker plans to analyze the results with her students to discuss poll accuracy and enhance media literacy, teaching them to critically assess news sources. Sanchez also focuses on helping her students identify trustworthy news outlets, emphasizing the necessity of truthful information.

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