In this article, the author states his belief that community based learning among adults can be a powerful force for encouraging personal development and for strengthening democracy in this multicultural, globally interdependent, battered world. To do so, however, it needs to pervade all the curricula, degree programs, learning contracts, and…

Reviews constitutional history and principles, highlighting our federal republic's dual sovereignties, American citizenry as "ruling class," schooling for citizenship, the original Constitution's defects, and projects to amend the Constitution and approach the democratic ideal. Advises against a second constitutional convention because…

A middle school teacher describes how his class actually practiced democracy by writing a classroom constitution. Students made rules by which they were governed within the classroom. (RM)

Describes the "Educating for Citizenship" program, comprising curriculum materials based on the real-life experiences of 6-to-10-year-olds. Designed to alert youngsters to citizenship rights and responsibilities and to provide opportunities to practice citizenship skills, the program succeeds because it promotes civic participation and democratic…

Presents a lesson plan in which students learn about diversity in general and examine issues of diversity in school settings. Explains how students can design a plan or proposal to promote understanding and appreciation for diversity and to combat diversity problems at school. Includes objectives, background, and student handouts. (DK)

This book presents essays written by school reformers that discuss the reform movement and examine the partnership that inspired the creation of small, intimate school communities known as charters. They also reflect on the comprehensive changes that inform each charter and the personal and collective struggles to institutionalize these new…

Suggests that music instruction include teaching ethics and values. Argues that performing ensembles are a powerful tool for imparting values such as integrity, self-esteem, cooperation, and tolerance. Includes charts for evaluating student behavior without including ethics and values as part of an academic grade. (DK)

The historic events of 1989 changed the political map of the world. Students and workers in China rose up to demand democracy. Democracy bloomed in Chile, Brazil, and other Latin American countries where freely elected governments replaced repressive rulers. Communist dictatorships in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Rumania were…

Horace Mann's goal of creating a common school that brings our society's children together in mutual respect and common learning need not be frustrated by residential segregation and geographical separation of the haves and have-nots. Massachusetts' new common school vision boasts a Metro Program for minority students, 80 magnet schools, and…

Discusses the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child as it seeks to establish the right of children to participate in discussions and decisions about their own situations. Includes action taken by children around the world to promote participation. Stresses the necessity of participation to become responsible, active citizens in a democracy.…

This paper is a chronologically-organized narrative history of law-related education (LRE) in the United States. The paper begins by delineating the differences between LRE and citizenship education and describing the motivations for the creation of LRE programs in the early 1960s. Turning to the analysis of LRE, the paper argues that there have…

Discusses the debate between those who fear that multiculturalism will destroy the cultural unity of the United States and those who believe that diversity is essential to democracy. Explores the role of social studies as the curriculum area designated to educate citizens for democratic participation. Addresses the growing problem of economic…

Asserts that majority rule in a democratic society follows a cyclical pattern. Discusses the paradox between the concept of majority rule and protection of the rights of voting minorities. Compares the difficulty of achieving democracy to that of achieving justice through jury trials. (CFR)

To make rational choices about educational technology, educators must examine the place of technology in institutional change. Technophiles predict a revolution in education, but it is important to separate this enthusiasm, and misconceptions that accompany it, from the realities of higher education. Democratic values should be allowed to operate…

This document is the report of a project to strengthen democratic reforms in Poland by enhancing student and teacher understanding of citizenship in a democracy. The goal of the initiative is to promote the development of democracy in Poland by instituting a new citizenship curriculum in Polish schools. The immediate goal of this project was to…