Getting critical in the classroom
Active Citizenship – a topic very near and dear to my heart. I was raised in NYC in the late 90s in a high school based on democratic values. Respect for humanity, diversity, truth, the intellect and a commitment to justice informed every aspect of my education – and I believe it supported my confidence to participate in democratic discourse today.
Comprised of checks and balances, a democratic government is designed to ensure that not any one branch or group of people hold all the power. Ideally, we as citizens engage in democratic discourse at the local level, which is taken up to the federal level through elected officials to ensure a just and safe society for all.
Who plays a crucial yet not hired or elected role in the democratic process? The people. Being an informed and active citizen is therefore are essential skills for everyone in society to have.
How does one become an informed citizen?
Are young people learning how to confidently participate in democracy in school? What policies affect young people and who decides? I created and presented the following in exploration of this topic. Resources inside.
Policy is formed and reformed with changes of governments and in response to research and data. However, rarely is the policy for young people, created by young people. Young people are seen in policy as incapable of making their own decisions and therefore their perspective lacks relevance. Instead, adults who see young people in relation to their future value dominate the conversation. Futurist policy deems young people as only useful when they leave school, enter the job market, or become voters themselves – not as worthy contributors in society at present.
Curriculum and learning
Commonly referred to policy in the education of young people is school curriculum. The accepted intention of curriculum is to ensure that students receive a well-rounded education. Curriculum is decided by various interest groups, schools interpret it and teachers teach the students what they should know. In order to know whether the students, teachers, and schools did a “good” job, the students are tested in a standard way that is then compared against other schools, states and even countries. This narrative however assumes that if young people are filled with the correct knowledge, by good teachers, they should be able to exit ready to participate as good citizens in the world.
Image: Canva
Society has considered since the 400s BCE though that education isn’t didactic, it’s dialectic. “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” ― Socrates
When education isn’t treated as such, students can become disengaged with learning, feel a lack of efficacy and ultimately leave school without ever having experienced the type of discourse that inspires critical thinking.
The Socratic method, a pedagogical tool for generating critical thinking can be used in any subject to build student confidence in engaging in discussions. Individual teachers can use this strategy to build a culture of critical conversations in their classrooms and are encouraged to do so. I propose that schools consider building in a commitment to democratic discourse at the school policy level to ensure students have the opportunity to experience voicing their thoughts amongst students and teachers throughout their entire school experience, not just in one democratically focused teachers’ class.
For an explanation about how the Socratic method can work in your class, check out Jem Kolber’s explanation in this TeachMeet video on YouTube.
Let’s get critical in the classroom!
Resources in powerpoint presentation.