Legacy of Public Work: Educating for Citizenship, (The)

Public work projects don't just teach young people how to contribute to society. They also help them develop a strong sense of citizenship and the conviction that the country is theirs to shape and strengthen. Increasingly, however, the dynamics of a "marketplace democracy" where we see ourselves as consumers rather that producers of democracy have come to dominate our society. And education mirrors this trend, according to these authors. Schools are no longer connected to the neighborhoods they serve, teachers are no longer community leaders, and the academic disciplines and career preparation programs dominate the curriculum. The authors advocate a return to educating for democracy through public work. Understanding democracy, they say, comes mainly from doing democracy. (Publisher)