strengthening numeracy skills. Forsaken all too often is the understanding that studying the arts can contribute to students’ sense of self, understanding of humanity and gen- eral well-being. Teacher professional judgment is another


casualty of standardized curriculum and as- sessment, according to Westheimer. He con- tends that a once passionate, personal and professional approach to curriculum devel- opment and instruction has become char- acterized by an “assembly-line malaise” in a growing number of schools. He argues that the only way schools can create learning en- vironments that support teaching students how to think and critically analyze multiple perspectives is to free teachers to explore their own interests and passions.


WHAT KIND OF CITIZENS ARE SCHOOLS TEACHING STUDENTS TO BE?


Much of this book focuses on a discussion of different concepts of citizenship and the extent to which they are promoted through public education. Westheimer identifies three types of citizens: the personally responsible citizen, the participatory citizen and the social justice-oriented citizen. In fostering the personally responsible


citizen, schools focus on character and per- sonal responsibility “by emphasizing hones- ty, integrity, self-discipline, and hard work.” This approach fits what is commonly known as “character education,” a program that was imported from the United States by a num- ber of Ontario school boards a decade ago. The participatory citizen is encouraged


to actively participate in civic affairs. Wes- theimer contrasts the two philosophies: “While the personally responsible citizen would contribute cans of food for the poor, the participatory citizen might organize a food drive.” Does either the personally responsible or


participatory citizen actually contribute to examining and questioning the root causes of particular social issues and to affecting change? In Westheimer’s view, that role falls to the social justice-oriented citizen. School programs that foster this brand of citizen “are less likely to emphasize the need for charity and volunteerism as ends in them- selves, and more likely to teach about ways to effect systemic change.” Westheimer and Kahne’s research, con-


ducted more than a decade ago, included studying citizenship programs in two differ-


ent high schools. One, known as the Madi- son County Youth Service League, gave stu- dents hands-on research experience about how government and social agencies worked in their community. The program resulted in students having a better understanding of how government worked and developing an interest in participating in civic affairs. It did not, however, result in a critical analysis of issues addressed by government. The second program, called the Bayside


Students for Justice, was part of a social studies curriculum inspired by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights that centred on improving society through so- cial change. One group of students studied whether standardized tests were biased and created a pamphlet that outlined the weak- nesses of the test in predicting future student success at post-secondary education. The


their differences. He argues: “If we are to ed- ucate thoughtful, civically engaged students, we must reclaim the importance of politics in classrooms and schools. Being political means embracing the kind of controversy and ideological sparring that is the engine of progress in democracy and that gives educa- tion social meaning.”


A PRESCRIPTION FOR EDUCATING FUTURE CITIZENS FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY


Westheimer acknowledges that all schools educate about citizenship; his concern is the kind of citizens we are fostering. He argues that, given the near ubiquitous availability of information through the Internet, schools should be less focused on knowledge acqui- sition and more attentive to educating stu- dents about how we employ knowledge “in


IN FOSTERING THE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN, SCHOOLS FOCUS ON CHARACTER AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY “BY EMPHASIZING HONESTY, INTEGRITY, SELF-DISCIPLINE, AND HARD WORK.” THIS APPROACH FITS WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS “CHARACTER EDUCATION,” A PROGRAM THAT WAS IMPORTED FROM THE UNITED STATES BY A NUMBER OF ONTARIO SCHOOL BOARDS A DECADE AGO.


students distributed the pamphlet in the school and surrounding community. Anoth- er group researched child labour practices around the world and held school forums to educate their peers about the labour prac- tices employed by the companies that made the designer clothes they wore. The goals of this second program includ-


ed teaching students to recognize injustice, critically assess root causes of social prob- lems, and develop an understanding of how to change established structures and systems. In contrast to other school citizenship pro- grams where students are taught that one person can make a difference, the Bayside Students for Justice initiative taught the im- portance and effectiveness of addressing so- cial problems collectively.


DEFENDING THE ROLE OF POLITICAL DISCUSSION IN SCHOOLS


Westheimer challenges the notion that teachers should avoid discussing controver- sial issues and politics in their classrooms. He defines politics as the way in which peo- ple with different values from a variety of backgrounds come together and negotiate


the service of cognitive, moral, political and economic goals.” Public education’s primary focus, in his view, should be on identifying programs and activities that teach students how to think. Westheimer summarizes his prescription


for educating future citizens for democratic societies by exhorting schools to teach stu- dents how to ask questions, expose students to multiple perspectives and viewpoints on important issues, and provide opportunities for students to analyze and discuss different viewpoints and engage in discussing contro- versial issues. What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our


Children for the Common Good makes an important contribution to our own critical thinking about how to educate students to be citizens who can effect change and con- tribute to a more positive society. n


Vivian McCaffrey is an executive staff member at ETFO.


Joel Westheimer has addressed a recent collective bargaining conference and an ETFO Representative Council meeting on the issue of standardized testing and is featured in an ETFO video on the topic.


ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 11


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