Citizenship Education and Inclusive Education

1. Citizenship Education and Inclusive Education Wolfgang Althof University of Missouri-St. Louis

2. I. Basic Concerns Shared by Approaches to Democratic Citizenship Education and Inclusion • Human rights • Social justice • Sense of community • Democratic relationships • Respecting diversity and difference

3. Approaches to Citizenship and Inclusion Share a Central concern about „membership“ This implies a potential for Exclusion Inclusion focus on: focus on: - tradition - creativity- stability - new members + voices - belonging - dealing with dissent- consensus - change

4. „The paradox of democratic education is that these two societal needs – tradition and change – exist simultaneously“ (David Grossman) „(…) the central citizenship question of our time: How can we live together justly, in ways that are mutually satisfying, and which leave our differences, both individual and group intact and our multiple identities recognized?“ (Walter Parker)

5. II. Global Trends in Civic Education(C.N. Quigley, Center for Civic Education) • Trend 1: Conceptualization of civic education in terms of three interrelated components. Many educators throughout the world focus their programs upon the development of civic knowledge, civic skills (intellectual and participatory skills), and civic virtues ( attitudes, dispositions). • Trend 4: Development of decision-making skills. • Trend 6: Development of participatory skills and civic virtues through cooperative learning activities. • Trend 8: Active learning of civic knowledge, skills, and virtues.

6. We believe that the task of preparing citizens for the future can best be addressed by structuring the school itself in such a way that it becomes a model of multidimensional citizenship. (…) The students must live and learn in a living laboratory of democracy from the earliest years of schooling if multidimensionality is to be acquired. The school must become a democratic institution, and the role of educators must be consistent with the aims of multidimensional citizenship. (David Grossman, 2003)

7. It is essential that the development of participatory skills begins in the earliest grades and that it continues throughout the course of schooling. The youngest pupils can learn to interact in small groups or committees, to pool information, exchange opinions or formulate plans of action commensurate with their maturity. They can learn to listen attentively, to question effectively, and to manage conflicts through mediation, compromise, or consensus-building. (Margaret Stimmann Branson, Center for Civic Education)

8. III: Social Inclusion, Citizenship, and Diversity Social exclusion: • Exclusion from goods and services goods and services (education healthcare etc); • Labour market exclusions (unemployment, including material underemployment and employment in low paying unstable employment); • Exclusion from land (homelessness, housing and unsettled land claims); • Exclusion from security including physical security; • Exclusion from human rights (discrimination, non-acceptance by mainstream culture); etc.

9. Social Inclusion, Citizenship, and Diversity, cont‘d Social Inclusion • Social Inclusion forces us to go beyond the realm of formal equality and into the realm of substantive equality which is characterized by discrimination, exclusion and inequality.

10. Social Inclusion, Citizenship, and Diversity, cont‘d “Social inclusion begins from the premise that it is democratic citizenship that is at risk when a society fails to develop the talents and capacities of all its members. The move to social inclusion is eroded when the rights of minorities are not respected and accommodated and minorities feel ‘Othered’”. (Anver Saloojee)

11. Social Inclusion, Citizenship, and Diversity, cont‘d • Social inclusion is embracing. It posits a notion of democratic citizenship as opposed to formal citizenship. Democratic citizens possess rights and entitlements by virtue of their being a part of the polity not by virtue of their formal status (...). • An inclusive learning environment is one that “fosters the full personal, academic and professional development of all students. It is one that is free of harassment and discrimination … it is about respecting students and valuing them as partners… “ (Benick and Saloojee, 1996).

12. IV. Inclusive Practices Program: “Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), and Citizenship“ (Institute for Citizenship, London, UK)

13. “At the heart of citizenship is a belief that everyone has an equal right to play an active role in society and an equal right to receive the support that will make it possible. Inclusion is central to Citizenship education and Citizenship can be tailored to suit individual schools, classes and pupils.”

14. Preparing to play an active role as citizens (key stages 1 and 2) and knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens (key stages 3 + 4) “Citizenship gives contexts in which all pupils, particularly those with learning difficulties, can move from a personal view of themselves and their immediate world, towards a much wider perspective. This helps them think about other people and ways in which they can make a difference to others and the world around them. Pupils learn about the differences in people and how to value those differences.”

15. Example of curricular goals  (do not read the details!)

17. The „Just and Caring School Communi-ties“ Approach to Democratic Schooling • provides learning opportunities that promote social understanding, moral reasoning, and character development • and provides first-hand experiences in participatory processes of demo-cratic decision making

18. Inclusive Practices The „Just and Caring School Communi-ties“ Approach to Democratic Schooling works with • mixed aged and • mixed level grouping and • in ethnically heterogeneous settings

19. Community meeting with mixed-aged discussion groups andvoting ona „one person – one voice“ basis

20. The „Just and Caring School Communi-ties“ Approach to Democratic Schooling