10 Essential Elements of Education For Democracy By Sarah VanHook, Chad Beanblossom, Zakiya Tate, Angie Kessel, and Eric Hanks By Sarah VanHook, Chad Beanblossom, Zakiya Tate, Angie Kessel, and Eric Hanks

Introduction  What are the essential elements of a good education for democracy?  Why should these elements be at the core of the curriculum in schools?  Through research these elements are found to be necessary qualities of a good education for democracy.  What are the essential elements of a good education for democracy?  Why should these elements be at the core of the curriculum in schools?  Through research these elements are found to be necessary qualities of a good education for democracy.

First Essential Element  Teaching and Learning knowledge of democracy, democratic government, and democratic society.  Standards and criteria of a democracy  People’s representatives are accountable to the people  Constitutional protection for individuals Freedom House  Teaching and Learning knowledge of democracy, democratic government, and democratic society.  Standards and criteria of a democracy  People’s representatives are accountable to the people  Constitutional protection for individuals Freedom House

Second Essential Element  Teaching and Learning knowledge of the Constitution and institutions of the democratic government and civil society.  Principles of the Constitution  Institutions of government under this Constitution  Nongovernmental institutions that constitute the civil society  Teaching and Learning knowledge of the Constitution and institutions of the democratic government and civil society.  Principles of the Constitution  Institutions of government under this Constitution  Nongovernmental institutions that constitute the civil society

Third Essential Element  Participate competently in a democracy.  Development of student’s capacity to use and apply knowledge of democracy.  Basic knowledge of democracy  Principles  Practices  History  Civic and Political events of the past and present.  Cognitive skills  Participation skills  Participate competently in a democracy.  Development of student’s capacity to use and apply knowledge of democracy.  Basic knowledge of democracy  Principles  Practices  History  Civic and Political events of the past and present.  Cognitive skills  Participation skills

Third Essential Element  Cognitive Skills  Allows student to identify, describe, organize, interpret, explain, and evaluate.  To make sense of experiences and to make decisions based on this experience.  Participation skills  Cooperation with others in order to influence decisions of government.  Make representatives accountable to them.  Cognitive Skills  Allows student to identify, describe, organize, interpret, explain, and evaluate.  To make sense of experiences and to make decisions based on this experience.  Participation skills  Cooperation with others in order to influence decisions of government.  Make representatives accountable to them.

Fourth Essential Element  Development of civic virtue  Development of behavioral dispositions of a good citizen.  Subordination of personal interest to the common good of the community.  Traits of morality of democratic citizenship.  Temperance, courage, fairness, prudence, compassion for others, hope, honesty, civility in dealing with others, tolerance, and respect to humanity.  Development of civic virtue  Development of behavioral dispositions of a good citizen.  Subordination of personal interest to the common good of the community.  Traits of morality of democratic citizenship.  Temperance, courage, fairness, prudence, compassion for others, hope, honesty, civility in dealing with others, tolerance, and respect to humanity.

Democracy in America  Alexis de Tocqueville  Author of Democracy in America.  Impressed by the democratic disposition of Americans.  Citizens gave money, time, and other resources to work towards common good. “ A country with the very best constitution, institutions, and laws will not have a sustainable democracy unless the habits of the heart are firmly implanted in the character of the citizens.”  Alexis de Tocqueville  Author of Democracy in America.  Impressed by the democratic disposition of Americans.  Citizens gave money, time, and other resources to work towards common good. “ A country with the very best constitution, institutions, and laws will not have a sustainable democracy unless the habits of the heart are firmly implanted in the character of the citizens.”

5 th ELEMENT Education in Democracy

The 5 th essential element for education in democracy is the systematic connection and integration of basic knowledge, skills, and dispositions in the curriculum and instruction presented to students  Basic knowledge, skills and dispositions must be combined and connected continually in order to have an effective education for democracy  The necessary components of an education for democracy are knowledge, skills, and disposition.  They must be continually connected through the persistent practice of skills and disposition.  Implementing one component more than another component is a flaw that negatively effects the teaching and learning about the theory and practice of democracy  Basic knowledge, skills and dispositions must be combined and connected continually in order to have an effective education for democracy  The necessary components of an education for democracy are knowledge, skills, and disposition.  They must be continually connected through the persistent practice of skills and disposition.  Implementing one component more than another component is a flaw that negatively effects the teaching and learning about the theory and practice of democracy

6 th Element Education for democracy

The 6 th essential element of a good education for democracy is to teach knowledge, skills, and dispositions of democracy throughout the curriculum of the school.  Teaching and learning the knowledge skills and disposition of democracy should begin in the primary school and continue until the completion of high school.  Democracy should be taught in various school subjects  There should be separate courses in the subjects of civics and government  History of democracy should be taught in all history classes  Teaching and learning the knowledge skills and disposition of democracy should begin in the primary school and continue until the completion of high school.  Democracy should be taught in various school subjects  There should be separate courses in the subjects of civics and government  History of democracy should be taught in all history classes

Continuing the teaching of the basic components  As students progress to higher grade levels they should study more complexly and deeply the same ideas, skills, and dispositions that embody the core of a good education for democracy  As a result, these ideas, skills, and dispositions are mastered by the time they graduate  As students progress to higher grade levels they should study more complexly and deeply the same ideas, skills, and dispositions that embody the core of a good education for democracy  As a result, these ideas, skills, and dispositions are mastered by the time they graduate

Seventh Essential Element Learning Democracy by :  Student Organizations  Student Government  Extracurricular Activities  Team Sports Leads to involvement in democracy Learning Democracy by :  Student Organizations  Student Government  Extracurricular Activities  Team Sports Leads to involvement in democracy

Seventh Essential Component Continued… When involved in Team Sports:  Sense of ownership  TEAMWORK  Competitiveness  Feelings of Self-worth, Self Confidence Leads to a well-rounded individual that participates in the democracy When involved in Team Sports:  Sense of ownership  TEAMWORK  Competitiveness  Feelings of Self-worth, Self Confidence Leads to a well-rounded individual that participates in the democracy

Eighth Essential Element  Education: -Teacher led discussions -Classroom Unity -Open forum to discuss current events -Freedom to express ideas Creates democratic ethos  Education: -Teacher led discussions -Classroom Unity -Open forum to discuss current events -Freedom to express ideas Creates democratic ethos

Eighth Essential Element Continued… Knowledge of Current Events: 1.9/11 Panel’s Final Report 2.Oil Prices 3.Bush’s Address to the Nation (100 days into Second Term) Knowledge is POWER! Knowledge of Current Events: 1.9/11 Panel’s Final Report 2.Oil Prices 3.Bush’s Address to the Nation (100 days into Second Term) Knowledge is POWER!

THE NINTH ESSENTIAL ELEMENT  TEACH ABOUT DEMOCRACY  TEACH ABOUT DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP COMPARATIVELY  TEACH ABOUT DEMOCRACY  TEACH ABOUT DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP COMPARATIVELY

THREE MAIN TYPES OF COMPARISONS  WARANTED CATEGORIES AS CRITERIA BY WHICH TO DISTINGUISH A DEMOCRACY FROM NONDEMOCRACY  JUSTIFIABLE CATEGORIES (CONCEPTS) TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST VARIOUS DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES  COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE CONSTITUTIONS, INSTITUTIONS, AND PARTICIPATION OF CITIZENS IN VARIOUS DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES  WARANTED CATEGORIES AS CRITERIA BY WHICH TO DISTINGUISH A DEMOCRACY FROM NONDEMOCRACY  JUSTIFIABLE CATEGORIES (CONCEPTS) TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST VARIOUS DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES  COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE CONSTITUTIONS, INSTITUTIONS, AND PARTICIPATION OF CITIZENS IN VARIOUS DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES

TENTH ESSENTIAL ELEMENT  PREPERATION OF TEACHERS TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND VIRTUES OF DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP  THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS  PREPERATION OF TEACHERS TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND VIRTUES OF DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP  THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS

CONCLUSION  MAINTENANCE OF ANY COUNTRY THAT HAS IT AND WANTS TO KEEP IT  CURRICULUM OF SCHOOLS  NEW GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN  MAINTENANCE OF ANY COUNTRY THAT HAS IT AND WANTS TO KEEP IT  CURRICULUM OF SCHOOLS  NEW GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN

WORKS CITED  DAHL, ROBERT A. ON DEMOCRACY. NEW HAVEN, CT: YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS,  GIBSON, CYNTHIA, PETER LEVINE AND OTHERS. THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS. NEW YORK: CARNEGIE CORPORATION,  HOWARD, DICK. THE SPECTER OF DEMOCRACY. NEW YORK: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS,  NEIMI, RICHARD, AND JANE JUNN. CIVIC EDUCATION: WHAT MAKES STUDENTS LEARN? NEW HAVEN, CT: YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS,  PATRICK, JOHN J. TEACHING DEMOCRACY GLOBALLY, INTERNATIONALLY, AND COMPARATIVELY: THE 21 ST CENTURY CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS.  PERRY, MICHEAL J. THE IDEA OF HUMAN RIGHTS. NEW YORK: UNIVERSITY PRESS,  DAHL, ROBERT A. ON DEMOCRACY. NEW HAVEN, CT: YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS,  GIBSON, CYNTHIA, PETER LEVINE AND OTHERS. THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS. NEW YORK: CARNEGIE CORPORATION,  HOWARD, DICK. THE SPECTER OF DEMOCRACY. NEW YORK: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS,  NEIMI, RICHARD, AND JANE JUNN. CIVIC EDUCATION: WHAT MAKES STUDENTS LEARN? NEW HAVEN, CT: YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS,  PATRICK, JOHN J. TEACHING DEMOCRACY GLOBALLY, INTERNATIONALLY, AND COMPARATIVELY: THE 21 ST CENTURY CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS.  PERRY, MICHEAL J. THE IDEA OF HUMAN RIGHTS. NEW YORK: UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1993.

Q & A 1. Do you feel that knowledge of the consitution is vital in education for democracy? 2. What are the two skills that must be used together in order to act competently in a democracy? 3. What do you feel the basic components of education for democracy are? 4. Do you agree or disagree with the concept of utlizing current events in the classroom at an early age will help educate citizens in a democracy? 5. Is it important to know the constitutions of other “democratic” countries? 1. Do you feel that knowledge of the consitution is vital in education for democracy? 2. What are the two skills that must be used together in order to act competently in a democracy? 3. What do you feel the basic components of education for democracy are? 4. Do you agree or disagree with the concept of utlizing current events in the classroom at an early age will help educate citizens in a democracy? 5. Is it important to know the constitutions of other “democratic” countries?