National Network for Educational Renewal
Conference 2000
September 21 — 24, 2000
Portland Maine
Title: Fostering Positive Social Values for a Democratic Society in the Early Childhood Classroom
By: Finegan, C.,
Contact information:
Presenter Name: _ Dr. Colleen Finegan Tel. 937-775-4582
Institution/Address Wright State University 323 Allyn Hall
City/State/ZIP Dayton, Ohio 45435 E-mail_cafinegan@aol.com
I was a Goodlad Associate last year, and this topic was the topic of my year long project as a Goodlad Associate.
Description:
The early years are the ideal time for children to begin to understand democratic norms and values (justice. equality, etc.) in terms of smaller entities (the family, classroom, community). Early Childhood pre-service and in-service educators need to evaluate what their students are learning about a democratic society from what is modeled in their classrooms. In addition, serious thought and planning needs to be done to help young students develop the ability to become good citizens and be empowered to exercise their right to self-government. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) not only supports curriculum content which is designed to achieve long-range goals for children in all domains–social, emotional, cognitive, and physical–and to prepare children to function as fully contributing members of a democratic society
The early years are the ideal time for children to begin to understand democratic norms and values (justice. equality, etc.) in terms of smaller entities (the family, classroom, community). Early Childhood pre-service and in-service educators need to evaluate what their students are learning about a democratic society from what is modeled in their classrooms. In addition, serious thought and planning needs to be done to help young students develop the ability to become good citizens and be empowered to exercise their right to self-government. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) not only supports curriculum content which is designed to achieve long-range goals for children in all domains–social, emotional, cognitive, and physical–and to
prepare children to function as fully contributing members of a democratic societyEducators often talk in nebulous terms about enculturating young children to be good citizens without giving serious consideration to what that means. A dichotomy exists: Does education involve Schooling for Democracy or Schools as Democracy. This is a serious question. There is not doubt that schools do not run on a democratic basis–so how will students learn to be citizens of a democracy, if they do not experience one until they are out of school?
Educators often talk in nebulous terms about enculturating young children to be good citizens without giving serious consideration to what that means. A dichotomy exists: Does education involve Schooling for Democracy or Schools as Democracy. This is a serious question. There is not doubt that schools do not run on a democratic basis–so how will students learn to be citizens of a democracy, if they do not experience one until they are out of school?