Mrs. Edmonds- I am trying to begin engaging my students in meaningful discussions about citizenship, but I am having trouble deciding how to approach it. I don't know where to start.
Summer has come to an end and one young, nervous (but excited) teacher is about to begin his journey into the wild world of HIGH SCHOOL.
Oh, Mr. Carr. Almost every new teacher has similar stresses as you. You are not alone with your values and desires about teaching students on what it means to be a 'good citizen.'
Mr. Carr is a first-year history teacher who values teaching his students the importance of becoming good citizens. Amidst his desires, Mr. Carr is struggling with how to get started on teaching citizenship within his high school classroom. Citizenship is something that he really wants to explore with his students, so Mr. Carr decides to ask other teachers for their input and suggestions.
To begin, create specific goals for your lessons on citizenship. Think about what you want to achieve through each demonstration.
Obviously schools want to create 'good citizens,' but it is important to understand that there is no concrete definition for what it means to be a good citizen.
Mr. Carr recognizes that he may be at a disadvantage because he is still establishing himself as an educator, but he does not get discouraged. Knowing that she has been teaching for decades and is admired by her students, Mr. Carr decides to go to Mrs. Edmonds' for advice.
I want my students to understand certain social problems that occur in the world around them. I want my students to see the importance of participation and to become active within our community.
Mrs. Edmonds ensures that the feelings that Mr. Carr is having are normal for teachers that are just starting their career.
That's good Mr. Carr! But I think that understanding social problems and community participation is not always enough. In order for students to make the most out of democratic citizenship, more must be done.
School administrators and teachers want to teach valuable citizenship lessons, but many of them do not know where exactly to start. Mrs. Edmonds is offering her ideas on how to begin introducing citizenship education within a high school classroom.
In order to sufficiently teach students on citizenship, we must stress the importance of examining and analyzing the root cause of social problems.As historians, we need to stress the significance of relationships. Like the relationship between individuals and structures for example.
Mr. Carr is beginning to demonstrate qualities of a personally responsible citizen. These citizens act responsibly within a community, helps those in need, obeys laws and participates in volunteer work. Still, personally responsible citizens focus primarily on volunteer work and largely disregard the roots of social problems.
Okay. So I need to incorporate critical thinking into my lessons in order for students to question the information they are given?
Mrs. Edmonds is demonstrating the qualities of a participatory citizen. She recognizes that she agrees with much of Mr. Carr's teaching philosophy, but explains that more must be done when it comes to citizenship education.
Mrs. Edmonds is explaining that teachers must not only teach their students to be participants in civic engagement, but teachers also need to show the significance of understanding and analyzing the causes of social problems.
Mrs. Edmonds suggests going to talk with Dr. Jenkins to further discuss her opinion on how to implement critical thinking into a high school classroom.
Yes! That way students are learning knowledge and understanding its relevance. If you have a few minutes, I think that Dr. Jenkins is a great source for you to talk to as well.
Administrators, teachers, students and families all tend to get so caught up in testing and evaluation nowadays. We believe in more than just standardized testing. Dr. Jenkins sees the importance of successful citizenship education. That is why she is so liked, I believe.
It is vital that an effective teacher encourages students to ask any and all questions pertaining to the subject matter.
Citizenship education can be tricky at times because it often includes some controversial topics that teachers refrain from discussing.
Try to avoid memorization when possible and try to incorporate content that has multiple interpretations.
More importantly, teachers should guide students to make connections between material and real-life experiences.
Standardized testing has become the focus of secondary education in the United States. Many progressive teachers understand that immense focus on testing and evaluation can be detrimental to citizenship education.
Teachers need to engage students in interpretation, analysis and critical thinking of sources, rather than just obtaining information for an exam.
I stress the importance of continuity and change to my students. Lessons from the past can help shape our students' idea of the future.
Dr. Jenkins is delighted to talk to her fellow teachers about her opinion on citizenship education.
It is refreshing to see teachers that have the same goals as me. But I am still hesitant about how I will teach history that is more than just facts.
Making connections between content and real life will help to create a more engaging curriculum for students.
Try introducing your students to multiple perspectives and interpretations of the content at hand. Teach them to question what they learn and to evaluate different viewpoints.
Dr. Jenkins is demonstrating qualities of a Social Justice-Oriented Citizen. She explores potential strategies for change within a community and critically assesses structures within a society.
It is crucial to mention how many interpretations have changed over time.This will allow students to understand the relevance of content in today's world.
Mr. Carr begins to show confidence within his citizenship education goals, but still has a few concerns as a first year teacher.
I try to show my students that they can and will have an impact on the world around them. I want my students to envision the future they want for society.
It is crucial that a social-science classroom seeks to examine multiple standpoints on content matter at hand. Teachers should try to get students to ask meaningful and discussion-driven questions about what they are learning.
Remember that successful citizenship education takes time and practice.
But with the continuing help of your colleagues and other education professionals, you will be able to engage your students in positive citizenship education.
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