Teaching Civic Conversations: Bringing Discourse from Washington’s Time into Today’s Classroom

Ed Larson

Ed Larson holds the Hugh and Hazel Darling Chair in Law and is University Professor of History at Pepperdine University. 

Originally from Ohio with a PhD in the history of science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and law degree from Harvard, Larson has twice lectured on all seven continents in a single year, twice held a distinguished visiting chair at Yale Law School, twice taught law at the University of Melbourne, once taught at Stanford Law School, and held an endowed chair in law the University of Georgia, where he also chaired the History Department. 

Prior to become a professor, Larson practiced law in Seattle and served as counsel for the Washington State House of Representative and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor.

Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in History and numerous other awards for writing and teaching, Larson is the author or co-author of sixteen books and two hundred published articles. His latest book is Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters. 

An earlier book, The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789, was a New York Times Bestseller and resulted in Larson being invited to deliver the Supreme Court Historical Society lecture and serve as a featured presenter for the Library of Congress's Faculty 36 Madison Council event. 

His other books, which has been translated into over twenty languages, include A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign and the Pulitzer Prize winning Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion.

Larson's articles have appeared in such varied publications as Nature (twice), Atlantic Monthly (twice), Science, Scientific American, Time, Wall Street Journal, and dozens of academic journals and law reviews.

A popular lecturer, Larson has taught short courses at universities in China, Europe, and South America; been a featured speaker at book festivals and the Chautauqua Institute; and given addresses at over 100 American universities. 

He was a resident scholar at the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Study Center; held the Fulbright Program's John Adams Chair in American Studies; participated in the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Writers and Artists Program; and served as an inaugural Fellow at the Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon. 

A panelist on the National Institutes of Health's Study Section for Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues of the Human Genome Project, Larson often comments on issues of bioethics and science policy. He is interviewed frequently for podcasts and broadcast, print, and cable media. 

He lives near the Pepperdine campus and enjoys hiking with friends, traveling with his family, and working in his garden overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Emilee McHorney

Emilee McHorney is the Teacher Programs Manager for the Jack Miller Center. Prior to joining JMC, Emilee dedicated more than a decade to teaching in secondary schools in Wisconsin, with a predominant focus on AP United States Government and Politics. 

She is also an exam reader for the College Board. Emilee is passionate about empowering young people to participate in their democracy and fostering a rich understanding of American democratic ideals in the classroom.

John Snoad

John Snoad, Senior Manager at Sphere Education Initiatives, is a career educator with nearly 40 years of highly effective teaching, coaching, and professional development leadership in secondary social studies.  His experiences include working with multiple learners in urban, suburban, and rural settings. 

John joined the Sphere team in September 2022 and embraces Sphere’s mission of improving and promoting civic culture and civil discourse in America’s schools. 

Relying on his diverse teaching experiences, as well as years of coaching high school football, John has a diverse skillset grounded on inquiry, civil discourse, and collaboration across the curriculum

Kate Van Haren

Kate Van Haren is an award-winning elementary social studies educator and curriculum leader with over a decade of classroom experience in Wisconsin. She is a PBS LearningMedia Teacher Ambassador and a Mount Vernon Teaching Fellow, and currently leads elementary social studies instruction in the Pittsville School District. 

Kate served on national committees including the Educating for American Democracy Teacher Leadership Team and multiple NCSS committees. 

Her work in culturally responsive teaching and primary source analysis has earned her national recognition, including National Council for the Social Studies Elementary Teacher of the Year and the National Council for History Education’s Paul A. Gagnon Prize. She is the author of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters focused on history instruction, Indigenous perspectives, and source analysis.