In the final episode of Cardinal Direction’s civics mini-series, host Jessica Dobrinsky sits down with Tiffany Hoben to unpack a problem hiding in plain sight: teachers are expected to deliver strong civics instruction even when many never received deep content training themselves. They explore the difference between teacher prep and effective professional development, why knowledge should come before “action civics,” and how civics, history, economics, and geography work best when taught together. The conversation also tackles a harder reality in West Virginia classrooms: without basic expectations for civility and discipline, it is nearly impossible to build the habits of civil discourse that healthy civic life requires.

In this episode of Cardinal Direction, host Jessica Dobrinsky sits down again with Tiffany Hoben, Director of Education, Partnerships, and Strategy, to unpack the real battle in K–12 education: not just how we teach, but what we teach. They walk through the difference between standards, curriculum, lesson plans, and instruction, and explain how each piece shapes what students actually learn about civics, government, and economics.

Using side–by–side examples from West Virginia and Florida, Jessica and Tiffany explore what happens when standards are vague, key landmark Supreme Court cases disappear from K–12 expectations, and complex ideological debates are introduced before students even learn basic concepts like supply and demand. They also discuss how to “spiral” content across grade levels, what good civics standards should look like, and how states can build a more coherent, content–rich path from kindergarten through graduation.

In this episode of Cardinal Direction, host Jessica Dobrinsky sits down with Director of Education Partnerships and Strategy, Tiffany Hoben, to explore what happens when schools skip over the basic structure of American government. Using West Virginia’s civics standards as a case study and comparing them to states like Florida, Tiffany explains why students need clear, detailed expectations about concepts like rule of law, federalism, separation of powers, and the Bill of Rights long before they are asked to “take action.” They unpack the problems with ideas like “action civics,” calling the Constitution a “living document,” and mislabeling America as a “constitutional democracy,” and discuss how those choices can subtly shift how students think about where their rights come from. Tiffany also shares what high-quality teacher training and resources can look like, and makes the case that the best civics education is grounded in knowledge, primary sources, and great storytelling that helps students understand how our system really works and why it is worth preserving.

How can teachers tell the full truth about slavery, injustice, and national failure without teaching students to hate their own country? In this episode, hosts Jessica Dobrinsky and Tiffany Hoben examine what makes the American founding unique and how its principles have powered reform movements from abolition to civil rights.

Drawing on primary sources like the Declaration of Independence, the Northwest Ordinance, Thomas Paine, Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln, Jessica and Tiffany explore how American ideals created a moral standard that later generations used to confront the nation’s deepest wrongs. They also discuss critical race theory, the 1619 Project, and gaps in K 12 civics standards, offering practical guidance on how educators can teach hard history with honesty, context, and what Tiffany calls “critical patriotism.”

How did Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson craft one of the most significant documents the world has ever seen? In this episode, hosts Jessica Dobrinsky, Chief of Staff at the Cardinal Institute, and Tiffany Hoben, Director of Education Partnerships and Strategy, explore the intellectual foundations that shaped America's Founding Fathers.

Discover the prior thinkers and ideas that influenced the hearts and minds of the leaders who would build a nation on the principles of freedom. Jessica and Tiffany also analyze West Virginia's K-12 civics standards to examine how these foundational concepts are being taught in classrooms.