This book draws on detailed case studies from three very different countries and school systems to explore the early adolescent learner and the middle years of learning, both of which are often overlooked in the literature. An abundance of research shows the importance of the middle years in putting early adolescent learners on the path to success in further education, careers, and general wellbeing. By focusing on bringing current research to life through the sharing of practical examples and lived experiences of practitioners, this book explores how issues such as curriculum reform, inclusive philosophies, instructional design, and assessment practices are supporting the conditions in which effective middle years learning can unfold. A comparative approach, using data from Canada, Germany and Finland, is utilized to critically examine the effects of the pedagogical methods employed by teachers, and the learning environments in which formal education takes place. The book makes a compelling case for the importance of fostering student voice and choice, and developing new ways of engaging the school community as a whole, and makes a valuable contribution to the discourse concerning early adolescent learners and the middle years of schooling.

This book uses international collaboration between nine European countries to explore how teacher education systems across Europe perceive and act upon devolving democracy and democratic citizenship. Understanding these countries' cultural approaches to individual and national priorities in education is essential in perceiving similarities and differences in the meaning of 'democracy'. The book offers debate on the prospects for teacher education and the development of democratic citizenship in Europe based on historical, political, economic and cultural contexts and the Council of Europe's (CoE) competences for democratic citizenship. With critical analysis and evaluation around the common theme of teacher education and its role in developing democratic citizenship, the book provides awareness and understanding of how teacher education responds to the Council of Europe's (CoE) conceptual model of competences for democratic culture. 20 competences categorized as Values, Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge and Critical Understanding are defined so they can be taught to enable learners to practice them in their daily lives as democratic citizens. This book will be of key interest to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of teacher education, educational policy and politics, and citizenship education.

This book uses international collaboration between nine European countries to explore how teacher education systems across Europe perceive and act upon devolving democracy and democratic citizenship. Understanding these countries' cultural approaches to individual and national priorities in education is essential in perceiving similarities and differences in the meaning of 'democracy'. The book offers debate on the prospects for teacher education and the development of democratic citizenship in Europe based on historical, political, economic and cultural contexts and the Council of Europe's (CoE) competences for democratic citizenship. With critical analysis and evaluation around the common theme of teacher education and its role in developing democratic citizenship, the book provides awareness and understanding of how teacher education responds to the Council of Europe's (CoE) conceptual model of competences for democratic culture. 20 competences categorized as Values, Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge and Critical Understanding are defined so they can be taught to enable learners to practice them in their daily lives as democratic citizens. This book will be of key interest to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of teacher education, educational policy and politics, and citizenship education.

With the growth of terrorism, instability in the EU following recession, and the acceleration of support for right-wing political parties in Europe, discussions on the nature of democracy and democratic citizenship have never been more important. Exploring the relationship between democratic values, classroom practices and neo-liberalist ideology in England and in Finland, Educating for Democracy argues that it is the role of governments and the education systems they support to create teachers and students who can voice critically appraised judgements to guide their citizenship. With chapters co-written by English and Finnish authors, this book analyses the history and current state of education systems in England and Finland, with reference to other European countries, in order to establish whether they are effective in creating democratically-minded citizens. Recent years have seen decreasing control of educator professionalism as governments have become more concerned about economic growth, and in some cases, survival. The contributors to this volume question whether educators are becoming less effectual as a result, exploring the idea that democracy is a dying concept, and asking whether educators are now simply creating cogs for the neo-liberalistic/capitalist machine. This book will be essential reading for academics and researchers in the fields of teacher education, education studies and comparative education. It will also be of great interest to those concerned with issues surrounding citizenship, democracy and the role of the government in education.

This book draws on detailed case studies from three very different countries and school systems to explore the early adolescent learner and the middle years of learning, both of which are often overlooked in the literature. An abundance of research shows the importance of the middle years in putting early adolescent learners on the path to success in further education, careers, and general wellbeing. By focusing on bringing current research to life through the sharing of practical examples and lived experiences of practitioners, this book explores how issues such as curriculum reform, inclusive philosophies, instructional design, and assessment practices are supporting the conditions in which effective middle years learning can unfold. A comparative approach, using data from Canada, Germany and Finland, is utilized to critically examine the effects of the pedagogical methods employed by teachers, and the learning environments in which formal education takes place. The book makes a compelling case for the importance of fostering student voice and choice, and developing new ways of engaging the school community as a whole, and makes a valuable contribution to the discourse concerning early adolescent learners and the middle years of schooling.

With the growth of terrorism, instability in the EU following recession, and the acceleration of support for right-wing political parties in Europe, discussions on the nature of democracy and democratic citizenship have never been more important. Exploring the relationship between democratic values, classroom practices and neo-liberalist ideology in England and in Finland, Educating for Democracy argues that it is the role of governments and the education systems they support to create teachers and students who can voice critically appraised judgements to guide their citizenship. With chapters co-written by English and Finnish authors, this book analyses the history and current state of education systems in England and Finland, with reference to other European countries, in order to establish whether they are effective in creating democratically-minded citizens. Recent years have seen decreasing control of educator professionalism as governments have become more concerned about economic growth, and in some cases, survival. The contributors to this volume question whether educators are becoming less effectual as a result, exploring the idea that democracy is a dying concept, and asking whether educators are now simply creating cogs for the neo-liberalistic/capitalist machine. This book will be essential reading for academics and researchers in the fields of teacher education, education studies and comparative education. It will also be of great interest to those concerned with issues surrounding citizenship, democracy and the role of the government in education.