‘Running in the Direction I Was Already Walking’: Reflections from an Experienced Social Studies Teacher on Educating for Democracy in the United States

In this article, a high school social studies teacher with over 15 years of experience engages in critical reflection and conversation with a civic education scholar about what it means to be a social studies teacher at a large urban public high school in the Southeast of the United States. Informed by a multiyear collaboration as part of a research–practice partnership focused on studying and improving the provision of high-quality civic learning opportunities in the district, this reflective article provides insight into the pressing challenges and opportunities that exist for current in-service teachers with regard to educating for democracy in the digital age, characterized by high levels of broader sociopolitical polarization and increased information censorship.