What Kind of Citizen?: Educating Our Children for the Common Good - Paperback

by Joel Westheimer (Author), Gloria Ladson-Billings (Foreword by)

As democracy faces increasing struggles around the globe, there has never been a more important time to talk about civic education and the core democratic purposes of schooling. What Kind of Citizen? asks readers to imagine the society they would like to live in and then shows how schools can make that vision a reality. This updated edition responds to the many challenges that have occurred since this book was first published, such as a global pandemic, social justice protests, a rise in autocratic leaders, anti-woke laws, and more. Westheimer brings his now-classic text up to date with groundbreaking analyses of current policies, including those in Florida, Texas, and Arizona; standardized testing; prohibitions on teaching about race and racism; plus a new section on teacher education. There are many ways to teach children and young adults to engage critically with their world, but instead teachers are forced to test-prep for a narrow set of academic subjects. This book shows readers how schools can get back on track by creating more engaging, more democratic learning.

Book Features:

• A comprehensive look at why schools should be at the forefront of public engagement and how we can make that happen.
• A framework that has been used in 67 countries to help teachers and school reformers structure educational programs that strengthen democratic societies.
• Research-based guidance for aligning school goals with what parents, children, and teachers actually care about.
• Accessible and engaging discussions gleaned through consultations with thousands of school teachers and civic leaders.
• Empirical research from one of the most influential frameworks for citizenship and democratic education, "Three Kinds of Citizens," which emerged from a collaboration between the author and Dr. Joseph Kahne.

Author Biography

Joel Westheimer is professor of the social foundations of education, former university research chair in democracy and education at the University of Ottawa, and the education columnist for CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning show. He is the editor of Pledging Allegiance: The Politics of Patriotism in America's Schools.