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.