ads/Review-Kevin.bmp” alt=”" />

Civic education for diverse citizens in global times. Rethinking theory and practice

Edited by Beth C. Rubin and James M. Giarelli
Routledge, 2012
ISBN 978-0-415-50466-9

Although much of the work in this book comes from a United States perspective there are many relevant and timely reflections that address issues in UK schools and throughout the world.
Many of the authors included look at current research and ask how this can inform practice to make the curriculum relevant and inspiring. Difficult questions are asked, however, that take practitioners away from the cosy structure of confirming the status quo to a more uncomfortable position that encourages questioning and criticism of some previously accepted foundations of our society.

The increasingly diverse nature of our communities and the global view that is required to understand many of the issues that arise is matched in our schools and colleges.

‘National diversity, global interconnectedness, and the implication of these trends for civic research and practice’ are core to this collection of work.

This thought provoking collection of papers from a diverse group of authors explores four interrelated themes:
- rethinking civic education in a diverse society,
- reflecting on these notions in an increasingly interconnected world,
- re-considering the ways that civic education is researched and practiced ,
- and taking stock of where we are at the moment by using an historical understanding of civic education.

This is a book that has evolved from the horrors of 9/11 and through an exclusively American lens but asks important questions about the place of civic education in the curriculum of all schools. Part 1 encourages us to think more inclusively about our communities. Part 2 invites us to reflect on the implications for civic education in a rapidly globalising world. Part 3 presents interesting approaches to research and practice in civic education. The book concludes with Part 4 which includes provacative chapters questioning the repressive atmosphere that national emergency can bring to open debate.

As a head-teacher of a large UK Primary School with active partnerships in The Gambia and China I was struck by a statement made in chapter 7:’Appealing to their idealistic impulses or an interest in the exotic is insufficient. If young people are to take global citizenship seriously, their education needs to demonstrate how global forces affect their everyday lives’. How much work in schools relies on debate based around the extremes of desasters or the strikingly unusual? How often do we encourage criticism of our daily routines, attitudes and institutions?

In my own school we are already planning for national celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee but do we create a climate where questions can be asked about the place of a royal family in a democratic society?

Benjamin Justice (chapter 12) considers the tension between ‘noble lies’ and ‘critical inquiry’. In other words how much do we allow our students to truly debate and question important foundations of our society? Henry Giroux (chapter 11) asks this same question repeatedly when he compares the repressive notion of ‘Emergency Time’ following September 11th when to question the organs and values of the state could be considered unpatriotic and ‘Public Time’ through which genuine debate and analysis can take place.

The authors hope that this collection of work will be used by civic educators and researchers to stimulate debate and help develop students with the potential for critical thought, passionate interest and civic connectiveness.

CONTENTS N. Noddings, Foreword. Preface. B.C. Rubin, J.M. Giarelli, Introduction: Civics and Citizenship in Students’ Daily Lives: Toward a Sociocultural Understanding of Civic Knowledge and Engagement. Part I: Rethinking Civics and Citizenship in a Diverse Democracy. M.S. Crocco, Reimagining Citizenship Education: Gender, Sexuality, and the Social Studies. B. Chi, T. Howeth, Service-Learning as a Strategy to Promote Citizenship Education and Civic Engagement in an Urban Elementary Charter School. C.L. Hahn, Gender and Civic Education in the United States. Part II: Rethinking Civics and Citizenship in a Global Context. W.K. Richardson, J. Torney-Purta, Connections Between Concepts of Democracy, Citizen Engagement, and Schooling for 14-Year-Olds Across Countries. W. Cahill, A Primer on Democracy and Education in the Era of Globalization. E. Davis, Global Citizenship: Theoretical and Pedagogical Perspectives. Part III: New Approaches to Civic Research and Practice. J.R. Hibbing, A. Rosenthal, Teaching Democracy Appreciation. J. Westheimer, J. Kahne, The Limits of Efficacy: Educating Citizens for a Democratic Society. B.C. Rubin, Civics and Citizenship in Kids’ Daily Lives: Broadening Approaches to Civic Learning, Knowledge, and Engagement. Part IV: Civic Education in a Changing World. H. Giroux, Public Time Versus Emergency Time After September 11th: Democracy, Schooling, and the Culture of Fear. B. Justice, Looking Back to See Ahead: Some Thoughts on the History of Civic Education in the United States.

Kevin Bailey is headteacher of a large primary school in the West Midlands of the UK, near Birmingham. He has also lectured on ITT courses at the University of Worcester. Before that Kevin was headteacher of a small, rural primary school where his interest in global learning through school partnerships developed. He has long standing experience of school partnerships in both The Gambia and China. He is a trustee of TIDE~global learning (Teachers in Development Education) which supports teacher networks.

Contact: Hagley Primary School. Park Road. Hagley. Worcestershire. England. E-mail: headteacher@hagleyprimary.worcs.sch.uk

Versión para Imprimir – Printable Version

07B IEPALA

Civic education for diverse citizens in global times. Rethinking theory and practice

Edited by Beth C. Rubin and James M. Giarelli
Routledge, 2012
ISBN 978-0-415-50466-9

Although much of the work in this book comes from a United States perspective there are many relevant and timely reflections that address issues in UK schools and throughout the world.
Many of the authors included look at current research and ask how this can inform practice to make the curriculum relevant and inspiring. Difficult questions are asked, however, that take practitioners away from the cosy structure of confirming the status quo to a more uncomfortable position that encourages questioning and criticism of some previously accepted foundations of our society.

The increasingly diverse nature of our communities and the global view that is required to understand many of the issues that arise is matched in our schools and colleges.

‘National diversity, global interconnectedness, and the implication of these trends for civic research and practice’ are core to this collection of work.

This thought provoking collection of papers from a diverse group of authors explores four interrelated themes:
- rethinking civic education in a diverse society,
- reflecting on these notions in an increasingly interconnected world,
- re-considering the ways that civic education is researched and practiced ,
- and taking stock of where we are at the moment by using an historical understanding of civic education.

This is a book that has evolved from the horrors of 9/11 and through an exclusively American lens but asks important questions about the place of civic education in the curriculum of all schools. Part 1 encourages us to think more inclusively about our communities. Part 2 invites us to reflect on the implications for civic education in a rapidly globalising world. Part 3 presents interesting approaches to research and practice in civic education. The book concludes with Part 4 which includes provacative chapters questioning the repressive atmosphere that national emergency can bring to open debate.

As a head-teacher of a large UK Primary School with active partnerships in The Gambia and China I was struck by a statement made in chapter 7:’Appealing to their idealistic impulses or an interest in the exotic is insufficient. If young people are to take global citizenship seriously, their education needs to demonstrate how global forces affect their everyday lives’. How much work in schools relies on debate based around the extremes of desasters or the strikingly unusual? How often do we encourage criticism of our daily routines, attitudes and institutions?

In my own school we are already planning for national celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee but do we create a climate where questions can be asked about the place of a royal family in a democratic society?

Benjamin Justice (chapter 12) considers the tension between ‘noble lies’ and ‘critical inquiry’. In other words how much do we allow our students to truly debate and question important foundations of our society? Henry Giroux (chapter 11) asks this same question repeatedly when he compares the repressive notion of ‘Emergency Time’ following September 11th when to question the organs and values of the state could be considered unpatriotic and ‘Public Time’ through which genuine debate and analysis can take place.

The authors hope that this collection of work will be used by civic educators and researchers to stimulate debate and help develop students with the potential for critical thought, passionate interest and civic connectiveness.

CONTENTS N. Noddings, Foreword. Preface. B.C. Rubin, J.M. Giarelli, Introduction: Civics and Citizenship in Students’ Daily Lives: Toward a Sociocultural Understanding of Civic Knowledge and Engagement. Part I: Rethinking Civics and Citizenship in a Diverse Democracy. M.S. Crocco, Reimagining Citizenship Education: Gender, Sexuality, and the Social Studies. B. Chi, T. Howeth, Service-Learning as a Strategy to Promote Citizenship Education and Civic Engagement in an Urban Elementary Charter School. C.L. Hahn, Gender and Civic Education in the United States. Part II: Rethinking Civics and Citizenship in a Global Context. W.K. Richardson, J. Torney-Purta, Connections Between Concepts of Democracy, Citizen Engagement, and Schooling for 14-Year-Olds Across Countries. W. Cahill, A Primer on Democracy and Education in the Era of Globalization. E. Davis, Global Citizenship: Theoretical and Pedagogical Perspectives. Part III: New Approaches to Civic Research and Practice. J.R. Hibbing, A. Rosenthal, Teaching Democracy Appreciation. J. Westheimer, J. Kahne, The Limits of Efficacy: Educating Citizens for a Democratic Society. B.C. Rubin, Civics and Citizenship in Kids’ Daily Lives: Broadening Approaches to Civic Learning, Knowledge, and Engagement. Part IV: Civic Education in a Changing World. H. Giroux, Public Time Versus Emergency Time After September 11th: Democracy, Schooling, and the Culture of Fear. B. Justice, Looking Back to See Ahead: Some Thoughts on the History of Civic Education in the United States.

Kevin Bailey is headteacher of a large primary school in the West Midlands of the UK, near Birmingham. He has also lectured on ITT courses at the University of Worcester. Before that Kevin was headteacher of a small, rural primary school where his interest in global learning through school partnerships developed. He has long standing experience of school partnerships in both The Gambia and China. He is a trustee of TIDE~global learning (Teachers in Development Education) which supports teacher networks.

Contact: Hagley Primary School. Park Road. Hagley. Worcestershire. England. E-mail: headteacher@hagleyprimary.worcs.sch.uk

Versión para Imprimir – Printable Version

07B IEPALA