Northern Territory

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Writer/Management:
Loraine Caldwell and Sandra Kenman

Audience:
Teachers interested in ‘real’ examples of community participation for civics and citizenship education

Purpose:
To describe a model for organising students and teachers so that civics and citizenship education has a key role in the school curriculum.

Links to Curriculum:
Civics and citizenship education is a mandatory part of the new Northern Territory Curriculum

Discovering Democracy links:
Key example: "Our Town" activities. The curriculum is closely linked with the Discovering Democracy materials.

The following notes were taken at a presentation by:

• Curriculum framework being developed

• Lack of understanding or knowledge by teachers in some areas

• Curriculum choice used to be available – easy to avoid certain topics – now civics and citizenship is mandatory

• Links between curriculum framework and the Discovering Democracy materials

• Essential learnings:

• Constructive – how can I make a useful difference?

• Inner – who am I? Where am I going?

• Collaborative – how do I commit and relate to others?

• Creative – what is possible?

• Whole school approach to citizenship education

• Classroom activity stems from the curriculum

• Discovering Democracy is a valuable resource which helps teachers to meet curriculum outcomes

• Pilot school for NT curriculum

• Developing meaningful and integrated programs using learning outcomes as well as essential learnings

• Emphasis on the development of the whole person

• East Timor/Indonesia issues – impact on local community

• Pride in different cultural identity – eg teacher developed unit on peace keeping

• Needed to change student representative council after realizing the peace keeping unit educated students in the importance of having decision making and leadership skills/representation

• Types of projects and students in leadership roles changed – issues deliberated more carefully - moved to dealing with issues beyond ‘fund raising’

• Considering involving year 7 students to plan orientation for new year 8 cohort

• Oldest school in Darwin

• 5 km from CBD

• Around half the students come from outside the feeder area

• Over 1100 students

• Citizenship education an integral part of SOSE – SOSE including social systems; environments; commerce

• No electives, but multiple choices with some minimum requirements

• Some single sex classes for girls, but unsuccessful with boys

• Students can elect to be in a lap top class – different pedagogy

• ESL class available

• Developed a ‘Students’ Round Table’ rather than a student representative council

• More flexible; investigating more issues; different representation; officers and Chair elected; notice of meeting and agenda posted – students interested in issues attend.

• Year level committees established

• Special programs are offered eg E-Team

• Students enter competitions and attend conferences and special events days

• Students need good planning skills and commitment when involved in civic issues

• Students helped write the Student Code of Conduct

• Student mentors are available

• Community support for a Year Book 50 years on

• Linked with a reunion and Centenary of Federation project

• Students conducted a local area study

• Used "Our Town" activities in Discovering Democracy materials

• Study included listening to guest speakers, excursions to local sites, using maps, developing proposal for Darwin City Council, preparation of media articles

• Students attended commemorative events; took part in TV and radio interviews

• Now have a large body of well-prepared students to represent the school at events

• Civics and citizenship education works best when students are involved in ‘real’ tasks

• Civics and citizenship is more likely to remain in schools where there is a civic tradition to encourage students and teachers to go beyond the classroom and engage with the community.