Abstract

WESTHEIMER, Joel. Teaching for Democratic Action. Educ. Real. [online]. 2015, vol.40, n.2, pp.465-483. ISSN 0100-3143.  https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-623653285.

Current school reform policies that emphasize standardized tests and a narrow curriculum leave students without skills they need to participate effectively in democratic societies. This article exposes these reforms as inadequate and draws on research regarding school-based programs that seek to teach good citizenship to detail three visions of citizenship commonly found in school programs: personally responsible, participatory, and social justice-oriented. Personally responsible citizenship is the most commonly pursued but has little to do with democratic thought and action. The article concludes with three recommendations for practice.

Keywords : Democracy; Citizenship; Democratic Teaching; Social Justice; Civic Engagement.

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