Transcript Citizenship education -what’s it all about? - Hom

Citizenship education
-what’s it all about?
EPS Session 1.5.07
University of Bristol PGCE 2006-7
Aims of the session(s)
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To have an
understanding of
education for
citizenship
To be familiar with
NC guidance
relevant to
citizenship at KS3,4
and post 16 (QTS 2.2)
Dispelling the myths
- what education for citizenship is NOT!
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new - its origins stem from classical times
an option
an initiative that’s going to disappear
political indoctrination
just part of PSHE or Healthy Schools
just about volunteering/doing ‘good deeds’
just about feelings and values
just about making schools more inclusive
What is citizenship education?
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Statutory subject in the curriculum at KS3&4 with,
apart from an 8 level scale, all the features of any
other subject - PoS, AT, Annual Reports, end of KS3
assessment
An entitlement for all young people
A defined body of knowledge and understanding
A link between school and the wider community
An educational process - progressive and
developmental - KS1 to post16 and beyond
Relevant to the everyday concerns and experiences
of young people
…..and from 2007 one of the 3 aims of the NC
What is the aim of education for citizenship?
The ‘noble paragraph’……
“we aim at no less than a change in the political culture
of this country both nationally and locally:for people
to think of themselves as active citizens, willing able
and equipped to have influence in public life and with
the critical capacities to weigh evidence before
speaking and acting;to build on and to extend
radically to young people the best in existing
traditions of community involvement and public
service, and to make them individually confident in
finding new forms of involvement and action
themselves”
(Para 1.5 Crick Report 1998)
What is citizenship education?
‘The 3 pillars of citizenship’1.
2.
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Political literacy
Social and moral responsibility
Participation
Taken from the recommendations of the Crick
Report 1998:
What is citizenship - really?
Activity One
What do you know?
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Question 1
Life in the UK says to be British means you should...
A: "Respect laws, the elected political structures, traditional
values of mutual tolerance and respect for rights and mutual
concern."
B: "Share in the history and culture of an island nation with a
character moulded by many different peoples over more than
two thousand years."
C: "be part of a modern European democracy, one with a
tradition of sharing our ways with the world – and allowing the
world to bring its ways to us."
Question 2
Almost 60m people live in the UK. By what factor do the native-born
English outnumber their Scots or Welsh neighbours?
A: By nine to one
B: By seven to one
C: By six to one
Question 3
"The origins of our Parliament were in the early Middle Ages. In 1215
the great barons forced rights from a tyrannical King John". What is
that document called?
A: The Mappa Mundi
B: The Magna Carta
C: The Bill of Rights
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Question 4
When did all 18-year-olds get the vote?
A: 1918
B: 1928
C: 1969
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Question 5
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What do you know?
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Identify for each the two correct answers.
(a) Identify two reasons why a convicted person might appeal to a Crown Court from a Magistrates Court.
A. Wants the trial nearer to where they live.
B Still feels they are innocent.
C. Trial too to long
D. The sentence was too long.
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A
B
C
D
(b) Identify two groups of people who are represented on school governing
Parents
Local education Authority
The Police
Trade Unions.
(c) Identify two services provided by a local council social services department.
A. Public Transport.
B Foster Parents
C Help for the disabled
D Educational Maintenance Allowances
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(d) Identify two types of cases that could be heard by an Industrial Tribunal.
A. Disagreement over wages.
B. Unfair dismissal.
C. Late delivery of goods
D Not paying your bills on time.
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GCSE specimen questions. Answers on the VLE
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bodies.
Why teach citizenship?
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Principle justification derives from the nature
of democracy
“We must not dare not be complacent about the health and future of the
British democracy. Unless we become a nation of engaged citizens our
democracy is not secure”
Lord Chancellor,1998
“politics is too important to be left to politicians” Crick
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Enables young people to make a positive
contribution
“Citizenship is an important opportunity for me to explore my social and
political views,something young people have been deprived of in the
past” David,Youthcomm
What makes citizenship education
distinctive and different?
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Distinctive content not addressed in
other school subjects
Distinctive focus on topical and
everyday issues, public not private
Distinctive approach to learning
Distinctive content not addressed in
other school subjects
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Criminal and civil law
Government and politics
Electoral systems
Taxation and the economy
Role of EU, Commonwealth and UN
Concepts…
Citizenship focuses on social and
political issues of public concern
Personal issues
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Of concern to individuals and
how they live their own life
Examples:
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applying for a job/minimum
wage
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Drinking/laws on sale of alcohol
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Smoking & health
damage/smoking in public
places
Public issues
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Have a distinctive focus not
on the personal but on
political, social, economic
and environmental issues at
local, national, European
and global levels, which
concern young people as
members of society with
legal rights and
responsibilities.
Focus on active citizenship
“We believe that citizenship has a clear
conceptual core which relates to the
induction of young people into the
legal,moral and political arena of public
life. It introduces pupils to society and
its constituent elements, and shows
how they, as individuals, relate to the
whole”
Focus on active citizenship
Government
Power
Force
Authority
Order
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Relationships
Law
Justice
Representation
Pressure
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People
Natural rights
Individuality Freedom Welfare
Distinctive approach to learning
Approaches
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Stand alone subject
Through other subjects
Tutorial programme and
assemblies
Suspended timetable
events
Creating an ethos
Citizenship in the life of the school
and community
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Play a part in decision
making
Take a position of
responsibility
Manage own learning
Consultation on school
issues
Community involvement
So what is the guidance for national
curriculum education for citizenship?
From 2001…
3Strands of NC
Citizenship
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K&U
2.
E&C
3.
P&RA
National curriculum online
www.nc.uk.net/errors/404.htm
(Draft) NC 2007
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Critical thinking and
enquiry
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Taking informed and
responsible action
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Advocacy and
representation
www.qca.org.uk/secondarycurriculu
mreview/subject/ks3/citizenshi
p/index.htm
Post 16:
Play your part Post 16 Guidance
How the review is changing
National Curriculum citizenship
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Clear citizenship concepts (democracy, justice, rights and
responsibilities, identities and diversity)
Enhance democracy linking teaching and practical action including
voting
Stronger emphasis on teaching about diversity in the UK the
features of communities, national identity and what it means to be
citizen in Britain today, UK role in Europe and global community
Skills and processes upfront and more citizenship specific (critical
thinking and enquiry, taking informed and responsible action, advocacy
and representation)
Clarify participation and action skills so clearer about what types of
citizenship action are required and the intended purposes of action
Promote a topical and outward looking citizenship curriculum
using controversial issues to underpin selection of knowledge and
understanding and teaching of concepts and involvement of community
partners
Qualification developments
(Source: QCA 2007)
GCSE short course success
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From 0-54000 candidates in 4 years; estimated 80,000 summer 2007
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Raises status and credibility of the subject with learners, teachers,
parents and the wider community
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Full course expected for first teaching 2009
A level Citizenship Studies
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Criteria consulted on and Awarding bodies developing specs for first
teaching 2008
Extended project: Active Citizenship
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Level 3 two-year pilot (following the trial last year builds on ‘Play your
part’ and LSDA post-16 programme)
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Tariff equivalent to an AS for UCAS points, 120 guided learning hours
Diploma developments
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Opportunities for citizenship within units/components within new
vocational diplomas (principal, specialist, generic learning) or as
diploma project; KS4 statutory requirement for citizenship
Taking it to a new Level -GCE
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Case Study 2 Identity Cards.
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What is an ID card?
The government is planning to establish a system that will involve
unprecedented collation and monitoring of personal information. The
House of Lords said the Identity Cards Bills name is misleading.
This is about more than plastic cards!
An ID card, as part of the National Identity Scheme, will impose upon
every adult legally resident in this country, including foreign nationals,
a card which will link to the National Identity Register, holding fifty
pieces of information about each of them. The ID card itself will be the
part of the National Identity Register (NIR) you will carry in your wallet.
This technology brings many pitfalls, including enormous cost, a one
stop shop for organised criminals and intrusion into civil liberties
Will my information be given out without my consent?
Yes, the Identity Cards Act sets out a number of different departments
to whom the NIR will be available, including Revenue and Customs
and all the intelligence and police agencies. The Home Secretary can
authorise most of the information to be given to any government body
if it is needed for any government purpose.
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a) Outline briefly the case for the introduction of identity
cards.
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b) What methods do groups like No to Identity cards use to
promote their campaign on this issue.
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c) Why should citizens be concerned about the introduction
of identity cards?
What can citizenship
offer to your subject?
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Relevance
Help students realise
why it is important to
study your subject
Encourage students to
be actively involved in
subject related projects
Approach controversial
issues
Giving a your subject lesson an
explicit citizenship focus
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Check the topic relates to the 3 Strands of the PoS for citizenship
Base teaching on real life examples, draw on students own
experience, clarify the purpose
Use everyday understandings and personal values/attitudes as a
starting point for discussion/debate
Use real life case studies, topical media stories and controversial
issues to provide concrete examples
Encourage critical thinking to identify issues/concerns
Agree on an issue to decide on or a problems to solve
Show the differences that exist and that disagreement is legitimate
establish a basic understanding around key concepts
Consider the limits/constraints of situations
Demonstrate the difference between talking about an opinion and
holding it
Plan for participation and active involvement in real life
Enable pupils to reflect on/assess their own learning
Making the links with citizenship
Activity Two
 Take theory into practice and discuss with subject
colleagues how you might give a citizenship focus to one
of your summer term subject lessons
 Refer to the subject based resources for ideas