The importance of educating our children about the history of the United States and how its government works have become ever-pressing in recent years. The typical teenager can’t answer even the most elementary questions about either. Our free society, in which citizens elect their representatives, is dependent upon an educated populace.
John De Gree, founder of
Classical Historian, recognizes this urgent need and has created resources for parents to use in teaching their children about these fundamental ideas. His latest release is a set of educational workbooks centered on American civics and geared toward elementary-aged students.
I asked De Gree about the importance of teaching civics and for his advice to parents.
The Epoch Times: What inspired you to create workbooks for young children about American civics?
John De Gree: When I moved back to the United States in 1996, after living in Austria, Turkey, and the Czech Republic for five years, I was amazed at the abundance of opportunities, freedom, and material goods that Americans enjoyed. But I was also sadly disappointed at the lack of appreciation and knowledge about where our rights originated from. I was frightened by the ignorance of how fragile our freedoms and opportunities are. As a middle school teacher in California over the past 25 years, these thoughts have only become stronger.
As a fellow teacher once told me, what is wrong with the children is the adults. The fact that American children do not appreciate or even know our country’s past is not because our children are any different than we were at their age. It is because American adults today are not teaching basic historical facts that relate to freedoms in our country and the rest of the world. And it appears that many adults also lack this knowledge.
The Epoch Times: Why do you believe that so many American adults and children today lack basic knowledge about American civics?
Mr. De Gree: For other Americans, I can only make guesses as to why they lack basic knowledge of American civics. One reason may be because of a lack of civics education. Someone today can be considered a well-educated college graduate and not even know how our government works, because our colleges do not require this knowledge. Another reason may be because, when growing up, their parents thought more about providing material goods to their children instead of teaching them about freedom. It is also true that many Americans lack personal examples of courage and sacrifice. Because we are a wealthy people, some Americans believe that everything is owed to them from others. In addition, many of our political leaders want us to think of ourselves as victims, and that the only way out of victimhood is to cede more of our liberties to political leaders.
I learned civics from my dad, a few teachers, and experience. My dad was born and raised in a small, rural town in Minnesota in the 1930s. As a kid, he worked 12-hour days on a farm and slept in a big farmhouse, alone, with a loaded rifle under his bed for protection. After serving in the Navy in the Korean War, he married my mom, and they raised a family in California. He could have complained about his childhood, that he had to work a great deal, or that he needed to protect himself. But he never did. He appreciated what he had growing up in America. His work ethic continued throughout his life, and my brothers and sisters benefited from it. My parents were well-read, and my father spoke to me often of freedom, communism, and the gift that we have, living in America. He instilled in me a love of country and the idea that sacrificing for one’s family and one’s belief is honorable and necessary to have a worthy life. In K–12 school, I had two influential history teachers that taught me about the rarity of living in a free republic.
In my 20s, I lived in Asia and Europe for five years. Everything I had learned about history and government was tested. Living in post-communist Czechoslovakia, I taught English. Some of my students were members of the Communist Party, but most were those who had suffered under the old regime. The ideas and history I had learned as a young person were tested with reality, and I slowly became a believer in the liberties that the American Founding Fathers enshrined in our Constitution.
The Epoch Times: What do you believe are the fundamental principles of civics that an educated citizen should understand?
Mr. De Gree: American civics is knowledge and virtue. Because we live in a free republic, citizens need to have both knowledge and virtuous behavior to maintain that freedom for future generations. So educational understanding is important, but each American needs to have a sense of duty that they owe to their neighbor. They should be taught examples of virtuous behavior.
Americans should understand the development of liberty and freedom that led to the founding of the United States, beginning with the ancient and medieval civilizations through early modern times. They then need to understand the meaning of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. After this, Americans should have an appreciation for the struggle to free the slaves and the reform movements over the years to bring the ideals of our founding documents to all.
Americans should be able to speak about how our country compares to others in the areas of freedom. Some Americans complain about how our society is not perfect, but they rarely ask, “Compared to what?” There has to be an understanding of liberty in other civilizations when studying American history, because, for the most part, even though our country has had tremendous flaws, people in other countries have had it worse.
The Epoch Times: What can parents do to ensure their children understand America’s history and how its government works?
Mr. De Gree: The most important thing parents can do for their children is to stay committed in their relationships, communicate with their children about everything, and raise them to be virtuous people who will think and act in ways that will make the lives of others better. Children instilled in virtue will approach their academic work with uncluttered minds and hearts. The ideals and energy of children can change society quickly.
After this, parents should educate themselves in America’s history, in civics, and continue their education. Beginnings are always the most challenging, but once someone starts to study, either by reading or listening to podcasts, or even by watching historical narratives, it becomes easier to learn. Join a community of like-minded people who are trying to learn our country’s past and pass it on to others. Being in a community provides encouragement and friendship that can make the difficult easier.
At Classical Historian, we created a community of homeschool moms, grandparents, and teachers of history who encourage each other in learning our country’s history with the goal of passing this knowledge on to others. It is called the
Dolphin Society. We have a history book club, keep recordings of past history book club meetings, and offer video courses on American history, civics, and lessons in world history—all in addition to a podcast which trains someone in how to discuss history with young people.
The Epoch Times: How can parents make learning about American civics fun and engaging?
Mr. De Gree: One “trick” for making learning about American civics fun and engaging is to create the curriculum so that it reaches the student where he or she is at the moment, in the correct form. What this means is, whatever a parent does, he or she considers first where their child is, and then meets their child at that point. Don’t think, of course, by putting an hour lecture on the radio that your 8-year-old will get anything out of it.
At Classical Historian, we have created materials that teach civics for every age level. For elementary-level students, we have “
American Civics, Book 1.“ This series expresses all the academic material a K–5 student should know and highlights important virtues. It is a coloring book, which appeals to the very young. In addition, there are instructions for the parent on how to encourage the child to memorize and present the material in speeches. Our book ”
America’s Federal Holidays“ teaches our holidays by focusing on what inspired the Americans behind each holiday. These inspiring stories teach patriotism and inspire our children to greatness. Meant to be read out loud the week of the holiday, it is an excellent and easy way to teach virtue. Our
American history memory game is a fun game for ages 5–10. Kids learn images and names of important events, people, and places.
For children ages 7 or 8 through high school, we have our
history and Constitution go fish games. In these games, children learn civics and history in a variety of fun and interesting games. These card games are fun for children and adults, and they are perfect for grandparents who want to play a game that teaches their grandchildren the truth about America and civics.
For older kids in junior high and high school, Classical Historian has created
curriculum that reaches this age group where they are—ready to think, discuss, and argue. Our books and
online video courses challenge students to learn the past, and then compels them to take positions and defend them with evidence and logic. Our newest
online video class for high school was created by co-author of the book “A Patriot’s History of the United States,” Michael Allen.
The Epoch Times: What advice would you give a parent who recognizes the importance of teaching civics but finds their own understanding inadequate?
Mr. De Gree: These parents should join the Dolphin Society and make a schedule to catch up on their lack of history by watching and listening to our history book club discussions. Schedule 30 to 60 minutes per week, and, over time, the parent will find their lack of knowledge going away. A second piece of advice is to read “
The Story of Liberty.” This book contains all the civics lessons and is written at the junior high level. For parents wanting to equip themselves with teaching history, our
“Teaching the Socratic Discussion in History” seminar is our main training product.
The Epoch Times: What do you hope your series on American civics offers families?
Mr. De Gree: I sincerely hope that our American civics series offers an educational and fun tool for kids to learn civics, and that it inspires them to live virtuous lives. For parents, I hope it offers them an easy-to-use curriculum that they can use to both learn and teach what every American needs to know. For our country, I hope it provides a way to educate and inspire a new generation of freedom-loving and virtuous citizens.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
