Democracy and Education

In class, during the group activity the instructor wanted us to grapple with these uestions;

1)      How do we define democracy?  What does it mean to be democratic and live democratically?

2)      What rights and responsibilities do we have as citizens, living in a democracy?

3)      What skills and dispositions are essential for citizens to effectively participate in a democracy?

4)      Do we actually live in a democracy?  Do you feel our country embodies the ideas of democratic government?  Do our schools and educational reflect democratic ideals? How so? How not?

5)      What role (and responsibility), if any, do we as teachers have in maintaining or revitalizing democracy through our teaching?

As the group was discussing the above mentioned questions I felt that there were a few of us that agreed upon the need for the citizens to be informed to make good decsions.  After researching Democracy and Education blogs I found a forum http://forumforeducation.org/our-team/our-mission, which deals with Democracy and Education. In pursuing our mission, we are guided by the following core values:

1. Public education is foremost about enabling all young people to develop their strengths, use their minds well, and become connected to their communities.
2. Student work in schools should be intellectually challenging, connected to the skills needed for real world success, and personalized so that children are known well by those who teach them.
3. Public education is fundamental to a democratic, civil, prosperous society.
4. Public schools are critical institutions for breaking the cycle of poverty and redressing social inequities.
5. Public engagement, community support, and adequate, equitably distributed resources are essential to the success of public education.
6. Parents and communities should be involved in all attempts to improve public schools.
7. The work of education for democratic citizenship is not only the responsibility of the public schools; other cultural and civic institutions must share the responsibility of meeting the needs of our youngest.
8. Public policy choices affecting public education should always be assessed on the basis of their contribution to equitable educational resources, their impact on local control, and whether or not they support the public education's most central mission - the development of free and responsible democratic citizens.
9. Our children can only learn when their basic needs – from nutrition to health care and housing – are met. Our commitment to children, and to a public education system, is demonstrated by our commitment to provide these fundamental needs.

From this blog I realise that in order to have informed citizens it starts with public schools.  Being a Special Education teacher I know that my students will have challenges or special needs but I will do all that I can to ensure that these students know the importance of getting a good education to help them make good choices as well as the importance of being involved in activities in their local community.