Learning the basics of democracy — critical thinking, the value of discourse and a need for an educated populous — may well start at home.

At least that’s the viewpoint of Walter Parker, a professor of social studies education at the University of Washington’s College of Education and an adjunct professor of political science, but Parker specializes in this kind of thing.

Parker will share his thoughts on the connection between education and a healthy democracy in an event designed to help parents prepare their kids to be citizens. The event is sponsored by the PTSA organizations from Peter Kirk and Mark Twain Elementary schools, and is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3 at Mark Twain Elementary in Kirkland.

Parker, who grew up the son of a small-town mayor, said the process is at its most-precarious point at the elementary level. Students are introduced to social studies courses on American government and history in the fifth grade, but have already taken part in the most important civics role by simply walking in the building as a five-year-old.

“The minute kids go to school as a kindergartner, it’s one of their first exposures to a public space outside of the family,” Parker said. “Having different people congregated together, that’s where civic education begins.”

Schools are typically diverse places when it comes to religious, political and economic backgrounds. Simply interacting with other children gives kids an intro to several democratic ideals without ever opening a textbook.

Each of those ideas, though, can be reinforced at home.

“[Parents can] teach kids about different opinions and about how to reason,” Parker said. “They can watch the news … read newspapers and talk about editorials. It helps to have resources, like a pocket constitution near the kitchen table.”

Once the foundation is laid, the rest of the steps get easier.

Learning the three branches of government and their function, learning about elections and about the relationships between the national and state governments, visits to the local fire department — it all figures in.

Student councils involved in actual policy decisions can be an excellent way to get kids real-world experience in how government works on a small scale, Parker said. For elementary students it might be as simple as a squeaky faucet or the lack of soccer balls during recess, but the impact grows as those same students reach middle and high school.

“Once kids get to middle school, they’ve already experienced arguing in productive ways,” Parker said.

“They grow up being able to have conversations with people different from them, which is one of the norms of a democratic culture.”

Parker also said parents can help out with voter registration at the local high schools, and check in to see what student government and civics options their local schools offer.

The event on Nov. 3 does not include childcare, and is scheduled between 7-8:15 p.m. in the cafeteria at Mark Twain Elementary.