The NHIOP is committed to supporting New Hampshire's K-12 civics teachers and to strengthening the civic mission of schools.  Serving as a resource for K-12 educators, the NHIOP offers workshops and professional development opportunities.

In March 2006, the NHIOP co-hosted Schools as Laboratories for Democratic Practice: A Leadership Workshop, a day-long workshop for educators, school leaders, and policy makers to learn how schools can promote democracy, teach the First Amendment, and prepare students for citizenship. This workshop was a collaborative effort with the First Amendment Schools and the Mondadnock Community Connections School .

As schools play a vital role in preparing and educating students for active citizenship, they can be tremendous vehicles to model and demonstrate democratic practices.  This workshop was designed to showcase proven and effective strategies schools have implemented to teach and practice the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Over 40 participants from New Hampshire convened to gain knowledge from four First Amendment Schools who shared their diverse experience, insight, and stories about how they have made their schools laboratories for democracy.

The goals for the day were for participants to:

• Understand the First Amendment and how it plays out in schools.
• Explore the idea of how schools can serve as laboratories for democracy.
• Network with educators and school leaders from across the state.
• See and learn about best practices.
  

 Civic Learning Caucus

The four-session Civic Learning Caucus convened through the winter of 2005 to explore multiple aspects of teaching civics.

The goals of the caucus were to:

• Convene civic educators to define and discuss effective civic learning education and the obstacles to teaching civics.
• Identify best practices in the classroom.
• Understand one lawmaker's interest and support of civic learning in schools and the implications for a legislative agenda.
• Develop teacher leadership in civic education.
• Discuss techniques to advance civic education and learning in the teaching profession, schools, and communities.