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Abstract
Conventional civic educational efforts in the lower grades often frame young children as “future” citizens who need to learn nationalistic patriotism, obedience to rules and laws, and trust in civic institutions to operate fairly toward all members of the community. In this paper we present a framework of “critical civic education” at the early childhood level that positions children as already civic beings with identities and experiences that inform their ideas about what problems matter and how they can be solved. We ask educators to help young children develop (a) a general understanding of current injustices (along with root causes) within their communities, (b) the ability to articulate and reflect on their own conception of an ideal society that advances human flourishing, and (c) strategies to advance their ideas. Through three vignettes we offer examples of how early childhood education can engage in this type of critical civic education.
Notes
1 International early childhood education offers a view of children as having more agency and as citizens now rather than as “citizens in waiting” (Lister, Citation2007, Citation2008; Phillips, Citation2010).
2 Other states’ standards include a focus on problem-solving and decision-making. For example, Iowa’s Standard 4.1.PS.7 states that preschoolers must demonstrate an initial awareness of the concepts of fairness, individual rights, and welfare of family and community members (Iowa Department of Education, Citation2017, p. 152). While not so nationalistic, this still falls short of the “critical” lens we call for in this article.