Teachers' experiences and teaching civic engagement beyond self-regarding individualism

• Self-regarding individualism is a context in which teachers teach civic engagement.
• Self-regarding individualism promotes individuals' self-interests.
• This individualism limits students' preparation for civic engagement.
• Experiences help teachers implement civic education programs.
• Experiences represent the teachers' effort in moving beyond this individualism.

Worldwide, a political, economic and cultural context stressing self-interest, which I describe as self-regarding individualism, restricts the commitment of governments, schools and people to the common good in civic life. In such a context, this study uses a narrative inquiry methodology to explore through the narrative texts of two social studies teachers from the United States the way their experiences help them teach civic engagement beyond self-regarding individualism. These experiences are a valuable teaching resource because they represent the teachers' enduring effort to move beyond this type of individualism.