Heading: Educating for Character and Citizenship

How Education Plays a Part in Character Building and Citizenship?

It is stated that there are always issues in implementing citizenship and character education. Larger areas of these two fields stated overlap. Citizens should bear ‘good’ character defined by the set of rules by the society. The educational initiatives come out from a apprehension about existing developments in society. The citizenship education connects with the character education in a broad way. Things that are assumed good for a person to bear while interacting with other people are also considered well for the country. The notion behind this theory is that good behavior with others is also a part of good citizenship. There is a role of schools, households religious institutions in the development of youngsters’ character and educate them about citizens’ responsibilities. Imparting the best values and beliefs to young generation is about covering a diverse society. The practice is comprehensive yet vital, to instruct the rich to give the rights to the poor; teach the powerful to respect the week and many others.

Implementing the Character Education and Citizenship

Values are taught when they are explicitly expressed through the knowledge and skills encapsulated in the citizenship behavior learning outcomes. Values are caught when students see them lived out in different learning experiences, first in the role models and significant adults to them, then in their own lives. Most of the values are learnt by the environment and thus it must be good enough to reflect good attributes. The second thing that counts is the quality of teacher-student relationships which will work best along a caring environment in character development of the students. Relationships engage children in the community to help them define who they are, what they can become, and how and why they are important to other people. Social constructivists advocate that Do My Homework For Me cognitive development originates from interaction with others. The role of social contexts is central to character development.

Challenges to Implement Character Education and Citizenship

Official attitudes to education for citizenship have been characterized by a certain ambiguity.

Despite the importance of the behavioral education planning, there is a low status in schools. It seems that teachers have little interest in the subject they are not well trained to teach it. Moreover, the turnover rate is high among elementary schools’ teachers which cause hurdles in education of character and citizenship. The teachers face difficulties in it than the traditional education as the results are difficult to calculate. The teachings about the character behavior and citizen behavior are hard to retain and understand; usually their importance is comprehended in an older age. The subject can progress, when the leadership is keen to implement it and teachers show commitment in participation in-service education. Allocating a few hours and spending huge time on common education is not a justice, therefore, it should not be timetabled single period per week. While teachers may also bear negative attitudes, it will not produce the desirable results. If the follow-up process is poorly structured, it would also weaken the education status.

Media Literacy Role:

Media landscape has changed, gained itself an important role in educating masses in every way. This phase of media literacy involves gaining consciousness and sensitivity regarding the extent and magnitude of individuals' exposure to different kinds of media messages. It has highlighted the division of liberals and conservatives; creating a dilemma for school students and youngsters’ mind. Media presents both facets of ‘haves’ and ‘have not’s and good and bad morals. The youngsters are undecided and are attracted to both as the benefits are revealed to them very much. As the media cells are under diverse historical, political, economic and social pressures, people will get the biased information and become polarized in opinion. Media literacy is means to generate coherence into contemporary education, it can also build connection between the education and the civilization. This is a way that students learn themes of a popular culture as appear in literature, history or social studies from all around the world. For some media literacy is a citizenship survival skill that presents all the issues present to the humanity and gives an effective citizenship follow up.

At the core of education system, there is an acute need for character development of children and presenting the type of values that are moral, personal and ethical to meet the challenges of the current century. The character has a great role to play with the values of a child who is receiving an education; according to Dr. Jasmine, the character is influenced by a set of values that education teaches a student. Moreover, the character is a foundation for an individual to shift their focus from an individual to a leader who can change the fate of a nation.

Author Bio: Alina Olive is an education writer and a graduate from University of Missouri.