This essay explores the various definitions of "civitas" and how those definitions have valuable lessons for people. "Civitas" means both a political community or government, especially as found in a republic, and the kind of citizenship a republic requires. Specifically the paper examines the role of government in education…

To revitalize the civic mission of education, schools must teach the morality of citizenship. Civic morality must be the first priority in the liberal and professional education of teachers and administrators. The core of all curriculum must stress the obligations and rights of democratic citizenship. (VM)

This paper describes the importance of the CIVITAS@Prague meeting in June 1995. The conference provided a much-needed look at the role of education in the future of world peace. This international conference of educators is likely to affect world history in the obvious ways that international meetings of diplomatic, military, or financial leaders…

Presents three reasons to be concerned about citizenship education: the argument from history, the need to counteract the mood of pessimism and alienation concerning government and schooling and to redirect educational priorities, and the signs which indicate that the present is the time for a revival of civic learning. (Author/KC)

This essay chronicles the move toward national standards in the content areas and examines the civics lessons to be learned from the debates. The paper notes the contradiction found in historically advocating local control and support of schools, moving toward the setting of national education goals and standards with little attention paid to…

This volume presents three previously unpublished papers, which constitute the personal statements of an emeritus professor, author, and scholar in the field of educational civics, philosophy and the history of education about his understanding of the meaning of that part of the professional preparation of teachers known as "educational…

In order to understand the context of the role that human rights should play in civic education in the United States, the era in which those rights were first debated (1789-1790's) must be examined, as well as contemporary political and education trends in the United States and the world. Human rights were at the heart of the democratic…

Teacher education must produce teachers who can ensure that schooling generates future good citizens. The paper examines regional and national reform, the civic foundations of education, and the need for dedicated, well-trained people to enter public service committed to public good. A description of CIVITAS, a citizenship project, is included.…

This study stresses the need to improve the quality of civic education at all levels within the educational system in the United States. The book provides a theory for the practice of citizenship that enlists the support of a broad spectrum of the diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups that must live and work together. The volume…

Maintains that the world is nearing the end of a great age of democratic revolutions. Asserts that civic or citizenship education is in danger of being sidetracked by the national educational reform movement. Argues that "CIVITAS," a civic education curriculum framework, provides a model for effective citizenship education. (CFR)

In recent years a number of political and educational leaders and groups have urged the nation's public schools to place a greater emphasis on teaching civic values and on educating students to become citizens. This book puts forth the civic values and ideas that schools should be teaching. The volume is not a handbook or curriculum guide, but is…

If students are to fulfill their obligations and rights as U.S. citizens they must develop the ability to make careful judgements, based on a reasoned historical perspective and a meaningful conception of the basic democratic values underlying citizenship in our constitutional order. To this end, an agenda of 12 core civic values that are…