Teaching for Democracy: Professional Development for Civic Education Teachers

The program implemented by Expert Forum aims to improve the quality of civic education in Romania by training teachers, creating tools, courses, and materials for them, and building communities of committed teachers who share the same goal—helping students become active and democratic citizens.

Civic education in Romania remains insufficiently developed, and students have limited opportunities to understand democratic processes and practice critical thinking. Many young people perceive public institutions as distant and uninterested in their concerns, contributing to low levels of trust and civic engagement. At the same time, schools still do not provide the tools needed for students to actively engage in their communities or understand their role in society as citizens.

The program seeks to improve the teaching of civic education through two main directions:

1. Teacher training and support for classroom practice: Expert Forum, in partnership with Techsoup, offers teachers a self-paced online course focusing on civic education topics that are currently difficult or insufficiently covered. The training is complemented by regular meetings within regional communities of practice—both online and in person—facilitating experience-sharing and problem solving. Highly motivated teachers will also participate in summer camps dedicated to in-depth training and developing the pedagogical skills needed for effective civic education.

2. Developing initial teacher training for future educators: In collaboration with partner universities, Expert Forum will pilot activities and methodologies for students enrolled in initial teacher training programs. The goal is to introduce adequate preparation in civic education so that future teachers acquire both a solid understanding of democratic concepts and the pedagogical skills needed to teach them.