In this episode of Educating to be Human, Lisa speaks with Joel Westheimer, a professor of education at the University of Ottawa, author of "What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good", and a leading voice on democracy and civic education. As democratic societies face increasing global challenges as well as radically diminishing commitments to the notion of democracy internally, this episode explores how schools can play a pivotal role in fostering democratic values, civic engagement, and critical thinking among students.
The role of education in democratic societies is unique, requiring more than just the standard curriculum of math, science, and literature, Joel argues. Schools must also teach students to ask hard questions, engage in the democratic process, and become informed citizens who can shape the future of their communities. How can schools balance these approaches to foster a more engaged and thoughtful citizenry, and how is this particularly vital in the face of current democratic challenges? With an incredibly pivotal presidential election around the corner, this discussion underscores the urgent need to rethink the role of civic education, preparing young people not only to succeed academically but to become effective, engaged citizens in a democratic society.
Joel Westheimer is Professor and former University Research Chair in Democracy and Education at the University of Ottawa. He is also education columnist for CBC Radio. In addition to researching civic engagement and the role of schools in democratic societies, Westheimer studies broader school reform, teacher education, and education policy and practice. His most recent book (2024) is What kind of citizen? Educating our children for the common good, 2nd edition.
"What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good" https://www.tcpress.com/what-kind-of-citizen-9780807769720
Follow Joel on X/Twitter @joelwestheimer
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Generation Citizen - https://www.generationcitizen.org/
I Civics - https://vision.icivics.org/
We the People curriculum - https://civiced.org/we-the-people
Mikva Challenge: https://mikvachallenge.org/
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