This is a short piece I wrote for ACEL’s Resources in Action publication.
COVID and Citizenship Education
At a time when schools across the country are trying to deal with the challenges of the COVID19 pandemic, it might seem strange to be emphasising the importance of young people developing the skills, knowledges, and attitudes required for them to be active and informed members of the community. Yet, even when schools are under less pressure than they currently are, questions about global and active citizenship and education are often pushed to one side, and replaced by a focus on literacy and numeracy. This is even more strange when one considers that, according to the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration (Education Council, 2019) which was agreed upon by all Ministers of Education in Australia, the development of “active and informed members of the community” (p. 4) is central to the goals of all schools. Why are we, as educators, often so quick to overlook something that should be a central part of every child’s education?
Read more in Resources in Action (from ACEL)