 | | What is a good Citizen? |
Over a three week period Community Journalists Andrew Barton and Adam Tomlinson spent time in a ‘Citizenship lesson,’ at Archbishop Holgate’s School in York, finding out exactly what Citizenship is, from the grown ups of the future. Think back to how you were aged 12, what were you talking about, what opinions did you have? Adam and Andrew did, and the comparisons were scary.
 | | Pupils are interviewed about citizenship |
Adam says ‘At their age we were still playing out on our bikes, and when The Magic Roundabout had finished, before the evening news, we were off on our bikes again. We had no conception of the wider world, the environment, re-cycling, how people lived amongst each other, and above all the impact we could have on the planet. Today’s 12 year olds do. Andrew says, ‘the class of twelve year old pupils were divided into groups of four and asked to discuss a variety of topics. Topics chosen by the pupils themselves – things that affect THEM on a daily basis, and a varied selection they were too. They discussed extremism, expressed concerns about the environment, extolled the virtues of healthy eating and, surprisingly, ranted about buses! Rude drivers, offensive passengers and high prices.
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 | | Discuss these topics |
So, twelve year old pupils in their citizenship lessons learn to engage in the wider community through education and discussion, about the law, health, democracy and society. Andrew says, 'if the considered, analytical and intelligent thinking, exhibited by the pupils at Archbishop’s is anything to go by, the lesson is working - perhaps the future IS bright after all.' Adam agrees, 'this was just the first of a series of school visits on similar subjects,' he says, 'in the following session the pupils wrote and recorded the news in the way they think it should be reported – and very enlightening it was too!'...Ah, but that’s another web page... |
