Education
Creating Democratic Citizens
In American society, individuals are taught that their thoughts and opinions are valued. From this idea, democracy is born. Each individual has the right to have an opinion of any subject and to present his or her idea in a public arena. To determine the best-suited idea for a group, a vote is conducted to determine the most agreed upon conclusion. Since the majority of participants choose the conclusion, it is the one that will take precedence and is considered the fairest conclusion for the group.
The United States of America is built upon democracy.
As a citizen of the nation, it is mandatory for each individual to understand his or her role within such a society. Each person has a variety of responsibilities to adhere to as a member of our democratic society. These responsibilities include respecting others, understanding the democratic system, questioning others' viewpoints in order to gain more knowledge, participating in public ballots, and teaching others the ways of democracy.
As a future educator of American society, it is necessary to promote a democratic environment in which children can, and feel comfortable, challenging others. Children who grow up in a democratically stimulated environment are more likely to become adults who favor such a system, challenge that which is not understood, stimulate others to be the best people that they can be, and possess the ability to critically...
Children are like sponges; they soak up everything that is presented to them. When they are continuously confronted with an idea or action, it becomes even more innate. The key to preserving the idea within them is consistency.
Educators need to, first of all, believe in the concept of democracy and the responsibilities of citizens. One cannot truly teach a concept that he or she is not convicted about. In addition, they need to possess courage and strength. Students will
respect teachers who act strong, convinced, and adamant in the
classroom. Compassion for others needs also to be an integral trait of an educator, and it must be demonstrated to promote a concern for the
welfare of the community, the nation, and the world.
In order to raise children who value democratic citizenship, it is necessary to teach them the values of our society. In addition to conveying the
politics of democracy, educators need to be demonstrative and consistent about all the responsibilities within, including fostering a democratic classroom, taking an active interest in the community, and finding time to volunteer for a cause.
How to Bring Democratic Citizenship into the Classroom
The third grade was a lesson. One of the teachers, Mrs. Smith, was the poster child for how not to stimulate democratic citizenship. She was constantly in a bad mood and never listened to the children's questions or comments.…
