Slides for my workshop at IOTF5

1. Democracy
and
Education
Cameron Paterson
cpaterson@shore.nsw.edu.au
@cpaterso

4. “Democracy is the worst form of
government, except for all those
other forms that have been tried
from time to time.”
(Winston Churchill)

5. “When a
political
structure
continues for
centuries, it is
easy for
those who
have never
known
anything else
to assume
that it is
immutable.”

6. “While we look at the
screens of our televisions
and mobile phones,
others with agendas
have their fingers in the
pockets of our
democracy, on the credit
cards of our democracy.”
Philosopher A.C. Grayling

7. “Fascism and Fascist policies pose a more
virulent threat to international freedom,
prosperity, and peace than at any time since
WWII.”
(Madeleine Albright)

8. Now is the time to do what
philosopher Hannah Arendt called
on citizens to do: stop and think.

9. Current threats Australia is facing to democracy

10. What are the warning signs of tyranny?

12. “Until recently, we Americans had convinced ourselves that there
was nothing in the future but more of the same. The seemingly
distant traumas of fascism, Nazism, and communism seemed to be
receding into irrelevance. We allowed ourselves to accept the
politics of inevitability, the sense that history could move in only
one direction: toward liberal democracy. After communism in
eastern Europe came to an end in 1989-91, we imbibed the myth
of an “end of history.” In doing so, we lowered our defences,
constrained our imagination, and opened the way for precisely the
kinds of regimes we told ourselves could never return.”

13. Teaching and Learning in the Age of Trump: Increasing Stress and Hostility in America’s High Schools

14. “A good citizen of a
democracy is someone who
does not block out others’
right to show their
opinions.” (Jack)

15. ”A good citizen of
democracy has the
ability to accept that not
everything will go your
way.” (Samuel)

16. “I don’t know the
meaning of the word
‘democracy.’”
(Hunter)

17. “Our teachers don’t
help us live in a
democracy. We don’t
have one at school. It’s
a dictatorship.” (Lachie)

18. “Our teachers protect us
too much, too much
spoon-feeding.” (Lucas)

19. Curriculum delivery is not good for democracy. Just
when they are most ready to talk about being a
citizen, they are preparing for exams.

20. https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/john-amaechi-discusses-identity

21. https://www.aschoolwhereibelong.com/blog/2018/3/13/seeking-difference

22. Six Proven Practices
The Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools
1. CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
2. DISCUSSION OF CURRENT EVENTS AND
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
3. SERVICE-LEARNING
4. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
5. SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
6. SIMULATIONS OF DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES

23. Civic agency is moving from academic to
participatory action

24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjBG89NmAXk

25. What can teachers do at this critical moment?

27. Final whip reflections