Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

From Knowledge, to Service, to Citizenship

2003; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 85; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/003172170308500117

1940-6487

Shahara Ahmad-Llewellyn,

Diverse Educational Innovations Studies

T HE PHRASE E Pluribus Unum out of many, one-brilliantly distills what it means to be a good citizen. I learned at an early age that this Latin phrase, our nation's original motto, referred to the welding of 13 colonies into one nation. But over the years, E Pluribus Unum has also served as a reminder to me that, even with our nation's great diversity, there is still one aspect that we all share: the title citizen, a meaningful role that truly unites us as Americans. Yet all too often, young people fail to understand the true meaning of citizenship. They grow up ambivalent, thinking they are entitled to certain rights, thinking that it's all about them. They fail to grasp that they are, as individuals, part of a greater whole, part of a community. And as citizens of that community, they need to fulfill the great responsibilities that go along with the title. So how does one create competent and responsible citi zens in the face of widespread apathy? How do educa tors spark the flames of the spirit of citizenship that are smoldering in America's youths? It starts with instilling civic competence in a child's early years. Just as lessons are taught in reading, writ ing, and arithmetic, so too should we teach our children the vital lessons of democracy, responsibility, and serv ice three concepts fundamental to understanding re sponsible citizenry. These vital lessons should be a part of every student's curriculum. Each and every day, starting in kindergarten, teach ers should demonstrate, in words and in actions, the con cepts of citizenship. Whether it is voting on which book the teacher will read at story time, developing a student Bill of Rights, or collecting cans of food for the poor, simple lessons in civics will foster attitudes that are nec essary for children to participate as effective, responsi ble citizens. As young people move on to middle and high school, teachers should increase students' understanding of poli tics, government, and how our democracy works. Teach ers must encourage students to express their opinions and participate in decision-making activities. Stated simply, they must help their students become active citizens. Civic education should take shape in active class participation, in student government, in debate teams, and in service clubs. Teachers also need to integrate service learning and civics education by reaching beyond their classrooms into the community. By combining community service and academic lessons, service learning enables students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-life prob lems. In addition, service learning gives students a sense of competency, enhances personal growth, and instills citizenship in a way that no other program can. The ultimate responsibility of all citizens comes when one turns 18 years old. When I was young, voting was a rite of passage. Today, an entire generation of young citi zens feels disconnected from government and has opt ed out of the political process. This is unacceptable. It is imperative to the future of our democracy that, beginning at a very young age, students work on culti vating lifelong citizenship and voting habits. It is up to educators, all educators, from kindergarten through col lege, to teach young people that every vote counts. The decisions are too important to be left up to others. Stu dents must know that exercising their right to vote is the way to change things in a democracy and is the great est responsibility of a good citizen. Today, more than ever, citizenship should play a vital part in every student's education. The values and princi ples learned from such an education are essential to sus taining the future of our democracy. They unite us as Ameri cans. And out of many, we become one.