International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 2834-7919   |  e-ISSN: 1554-5210

Original article | International Journal of Progressive Education 2012, Vol. 8(3) 94-108

Becoming citizens through school experience: A case study of democracy in practice

Max A. Hope

pp. 94 - 108   |  Manu. Number: ijpe.2012.046

Published online: October 15, 2012  |   Number of Views: 82  |  Number of Download: 487


Abstract

This paper offers a critique of current definitions of active citizenship and argues that children and young people need to be seen as citizens within their school communities and not just citizens of the future. Pedagogy and school decision-making should reflect the aims of active citizenship and thus engage children and young people as active participants within their school communities. This requires a radical change to the way in which many schools are currently structured and organised. A case study of a small democratic school is used as an illustration of an exemplary model of education for active citizenship. This school does not offer citizenship as a curriculum subject nor explicitly aim for active citizenship – and yet active citizenship is integral to its ethos, values, structures, processes and pedagogy. Throughout the paper, it is suggested that democratic schooling is not just one way – but the best way – of providing education for active citizenship.

Keywords: Democratic education, active citizenship, experiential learning, critical thinking, citizenship schools


How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Hope, M.A. (2012). Becoming citizens through school experience: A case study of democracy in practice . International Journal of Progressive Education, 8(3), 94-108.

Harvard
Hope, M. (2012). Becoming citizens through school experience: A case study of democracy in practice . International Journal of Progressive Education, 8(3), pp. 94-108.

Chicago 16th edition
Hope, Max A. (2012). "Becoming citizens through school experience: A case study of democracy in practice ". International Journal of Progressive Education 8 (3):94-108.

References
  1. Alderson, P. (2000). Citizenship in Theory and Practice: Being or Becoming Citizens with Rights. In: Lawton, D., Cairns, J. & Gardner, R. (eds.) Education for Citizenship. London: Continuum. [Google Scholar]
  2. Alexander, T. & Potter, J. (eds.) (2005). Education for a Change: Transforming the way we teach our children, Oxon: RoutledgeFalmer. [Google Scholar]
  3. Apple, M. W. & Beane, J. A. (eds.) (1999). Democratic Schools: Lessons from the Chalk Face, Buckingham: Open University Press. [Google Scholar]
  4. Aristotle (1976). The Nicomachean Ethics, London, Penguin. [Google Scholar]
  5. Cameron, D. (15 August 2011). PM's speech on the fightback after the riots. Number 10: The official site of the British Prime Minister's Office, Accessed 27 March 2012. [Google Scholar]
  6. Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis, London, SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar]
  7. Citizenship Foundation. (2012). What is citizenship education? [Online]. Available: www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/main/page.php?286 Accessed 27 March 2012. [Google Scholar]
  8. Cleaver, E. & Nelson, J. (2006). Active citizenship: from policy to practice. Education Journal, 98, 34-37. [Google Scholar]
  9. Coffield, F. & Williamson, B. (2011). From Exam Factories to Communities of Discovery: The democratic route, University of London, Institute of Education. [Google Scholar]
  10. Crick, B. (2000). Essays on Citizenship, London, Continuum. [Google Scholar]
  11. Crick, B. (2007). Citizenship: The Political and the Democratic. British Journal of Educational Studies, 55, 235-248. [Google Scholar]
  12. Crick, B. (2010). Civic Republicanism and Citizenship: the Challenge for Today. In: Crick, B.  &  Lockyer,  A.  (eds.)  Active  Citizenship:  What  Could  it  Achieve  and   How? Edinburgh: Edinburhg University Press. [Google Scholar]
  13. Davies, L., Williams, C. & Yamashita, H., (2005a), Inspiring Schools: A Literature Review. Taking up the challenge of pupil participation, London: Esme Fairburn Foundation & Carnegie UK Trust. [Google Scholar]
  14. Davies, L., Williams, C. & Yamashita, H., (2005b), Inspiring Schools: Impact and Outcomes. Taking up the challenge of pupil participation, London: Esme Fairburn Foundation & Carnegie UK Trust. [Google Scholar]
  15. Deem, R., Brehony, K. & Heath, S. (1995). Active Citizenship and the Governing of  Schools, Buckinghamshire, Open University Press.  Department for Education and Skills, (2003), Every Child Matters, London: TSO. [Google Scholar]
  16. Dewey, J. (2004). Democracy And Education New York, Dover Publications (originally published 1916). [Google Scholar]
  17. Fielding, M. (2001). Students as Radical Agents of Change. Journal of Educational   Change, 2, 123-141. [Google Scholar]
  18. Fielding, M. & Moss, P. (2011). Radical Education and the Common School: A Democratic Alternative, Oxon, Routledge. [Google Scholar]
  19. Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed, London, Penguin Books. [Google Scholar]
  20. Garratt, D. & Piper, H. (2008). Citizenship education in England and Wales: theoretical critique and practical considerations. Teachers & Teaching, 14, 481-496. [Google Scholar]
  21. Giroux, H. A. (2005). Schooling and the Struggle for Public Life: Democracy's Promise and Education's Challenge, Colorado, Paradigm Publishers. [Google Scholar]
  22. Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research, London, Weidenfield and Nicolson. [Google Scholar]
  23. Hart, R. (1992). Children's Participation: From Tokenism to Citizenship, Florence, UNICEF. [Google Scholar]
  24. Hope, M. A. (2010). Trust me, I‟m a student: An exploration through Grounded Theory of the student experience in two small schools. Phd, University of Hull. [Google Scholar]
  25. Kennedy, K. J. (2007). Student Constructions of 'Active Citizenship': What does participation mean to students? British Journal of Educational Studies, 55, 304-324. [Google Scholar]
  26. Lawson, H. (2001). Active citizenship in schools and the community. Curriculum Journal, 12, 163-178. [Google Scholar]
  27. Macbeath, J. & Moos, L. (2004). Democratic Learning: The challenge to school effectiveness, London, Routledge Falmer. [Google Scholar]
  28. Maitles, H. & Deuchar, R. (2006). `We don't learn democracy, we live it!': consulting the pupil voice in Scottish schools. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 1, 249-266. [Google Scholar]
  29. Maitles, H. & Gilchrist, I. (2006). Never too young to learn democracy!: a case study of a democratic approach to learning in a Religious and Moral Education (RME) secondary class in the West of Scotland. Educational Review, 58, 67-85. [Google Scholar]
  30. Marton, F. & Saljo, R. (1976). On qualitative differences in learning. 1. Outcome  and Process. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 4-11. [Google Scholar]
  31. Mayo, M. & Annette, J. (2010). Taking Part? Active Learning for Active Citizenship, and beyond, Leicester, NIACE. [Google Scholar]
  32. Neill, A. S. (1962). Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Education, London, Victor Gollancz Ltd. [Google Scholar]
  33. Ofsted, (March 2010), Sands School Inspection Report, London: Ofsted. [Google Scholar]
  34. Osborne, K. (2005). Political Education and Citizenship: Teaching for Civic Engagement. Education Canada, 45, 13-16. [Google Scholar]
  35. Osler, A. & Starkey, H. (2005). Changing Citizenship: Democracy and Inclusion in Education, Maidenhead, Open University Press. [Google Scholar]
  36. Osler, A. & Starkey, H. (2006). Education for democratic citizenship: a review of research, policy and practice 1995–2005. Research Papers in Education, 21, 433-466. [Google Scholar]
  37. Pasoula, E. (2000). Moral, Social and Civil Education in Greece. In: Lawton, D., Cairns, J. & Gardiner, J. (eds.) Education for Citizenship. London: Continuum. [Google Scholar]
  38. Ponder, J. & Lewis-Ferrell, G. (2009). The Butterfly Effect: The Impact of Citizenship Education. Social Studies, 100, 129-135. [Google Scholar]
  39. QCA, (1998), Education for citizenship and the teaching of democracy in schools: Final report of the Advisory Group on Citizenship (Crick Report), London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. [Google Scholar]
  40. Rogers, C. & Freiberg, H. J. (1994). Freedom to Learn, New Jersey, Prentice Hall Inc. [Google Scholar]
  41. Sands School. (2011). Home Page [Online]. Available: http://www.sands-school.co.uk/ Accessed 11 August 2011. [Google Scholar]
  42. Trafford, B. (1997). Participation, power-sharing and school improvement, Nottingham, Educational Heretics Press. [Google Scholar]
  43. Wrigley, T. (2003). Schools of Hope: A new agenda for school improvement, Stoke on Trent, Trentham Books Limited. [Google Scholar]