Department or Program

Psychology

Abstract

This community-engaged study examines civic engagement in early elementary classrooms. Classrooms are key spaces for fostering civic engagement through socioemotional learning and a collective environment. While much research has examined early civic engagement in adolescents, there is limited literature on early childhood, specifically early elementary school (kindergarten through second grade). This qualitative study examined the following questions: (1) What does civic engagement look like in early elementary classrooms? (2) How do early classrooms support the emergence of civic skills and understanding? (3) In what ways do civic engagement competencies differ across early elementary grade levels? Methods included ethnographic observations and student interviews (N = 12). Analysis was conducted using the Rigorous and Accelerated Data Reduction (RADaR) technique and thematic analysis. Findings revealed four themes: (1) the development of individual civic agency in the classroom through empowerment processes, (2) the classroom as a site of collective norms and the formation of community, (3) the child as an emerging active civic participant, and (4) civic-engagement through a developmentally-appropriate lens. Theme 1 addresses the development of individual agency in the classroom through empowerment processes. Theme 2 explores how classroom norms and structures served as a site for collective formation and community participation. Theme 3 centers on the classroom as a site that supports positive civic skills by examining the child as an emerging civic participant. Theme 4 addresses civic engagement through a developmentally-appropriate lens, highlighting grade-level differences. Findings suggest that the early elementary classroom serves as a space for students to practice civic engagement and posits that young students are not “citizens in waiting” but current citizens of their Lewiston community. The importance of informal classroom practices (e.g., rules, helping, and collaboration) shows that civic engagement is embedded in the classroom, and students may benefit from its further emphasis.

Level of Access

Open Access

First Advisor

Maker Castro, Elena

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Number of Pages

86

Components of Thesis

1 docx

Community Engagement

1

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