CSPE Civic Social Political Education
Ms G Fitzgerald (Subject Co-ordinator)
Mr P Fitzpatrick
Mr M Griffin
Mr E Keegan
Mrs J Wilson (Career Break)
Civic, Social and Political Education seeks to be affective and to equip pupils with the skills and understanding of processes which enable them to see, decide, judge and act. Its employment of active and co-operatively structured learning methodologies enable and empower the pupil to become an active and participative young person. (Department of Education, CSPE Syllabus, Government of Ireland, Dublin, 1996)
CSPE is a broad ranging subject which aims through active exploration and the study of citizenship at all levels (local, national, and global) to encourage students to become active and participatory members of their society.
CSPE is currently assessed as a Junior Certificate subject. While students sit a formal examination paper in the third year of the Junior Certificate cycle worth 40% of their Junior Certificate CSPE grade, they also complete an Action Project on a topic of their choice equating to 60 % of their overall CSPE grade. The Action Project component of CSPE reflects the ‘learning by doing’ emphasis of the subject.
Recent examples of Action Projects include:
* A mock general election in which the library operated as a polling station and count centre
* ‘Give FIFA the Red Card’- a project and petition to raise awareness of the working conditions of construction workers on World Cup projects
* ‘Sponsored Silence for the DSPCA’ - a project to raise awareness of animal rights
* A survey to investigate the attitudes of the school community to water charges
* A project surveying students’ attitudes to the Paralympics and disability which also involved an invitation to Paralympian medal winner Helen Kearney to address assembly (for further information on this project please see the bottom of this page).
The Junior Certificate Syllabus
The CSPE syllabus revolves around seven key concepts:
1. Rights and Responsibility
Students should be aware that every individual is entitled to basic social, cultural, economic, civic, religious and political rights and to the protection of these rights. Responsibilities go hand in hand with the rights accorded to individuals. Every person is responsible for his/her actions towards other people and is responsible for the safeguarding of other people's rights.
2. Human Dignity
Students should be aware of the dignity which should be accorded to every individual as a human being, and of how the provision of basic needs (e.g. food, health, security, education) is vital to human dignity.
Students should be aware that, as individuals born on the planet, every person becomes a temporary owner or steward entrusted and empowered with its care and maintenance. Absence of stewardship leads to the belief that our role in relation to the natural world, the environment, other peoples and cultures is incidental or just for our own use and benefit. This results in phenomena such as unnecessary depletion of resources, pollution of the environment, and erosion of cultural heritage.
Students should be aware that through the democratic process, at all levels of society, every individual can exercise power through participation. Participation at an individual or group level represents a central right and responsibility in an ordered democratic society. Non-participation or exclusion can lead to alienation, apathy, and lack of responsibility on the part of the individual.
Students should be aware that laws and rules serve important purposes in any community or society. They order and set out common codes of conduct for the relationships between individuals, groups and society as a whole. They are a means through which we ensure that the rights of individuals are protected and promoted. They inform us of our rights and of our responsibilities for the observance of those rights. Laws and rules are subject to change. Changes in laws may reflect developments in society or may result from the actions of individuals. A belief in justice and fairness is basic to the process of developing, implementing and valuing laws. Lawlessness and ignorance of the value of laws results in the denial of the rights of each and every individual and a decline in the quality of life in communities and society.
Students should be aware of the inter-relatedness of all human life at the individual, community, national, and global levels. The actions of individuals can have effects, sometimes in places and situations they have never seen, for example the effects of the purchases we make as consumers on economies, businesses and the environment, and the effects of our votes in elections on developments at local, national and international levels. Absence of an understanding of interdependence leads to an isolated, powerless and self-interested view of events.
Development can be defined as a process of improvement (social, economic, cultural, political) to meet the needs in people's lives at all levels. Students should be aware that development is usually planned and can often be influenced through the democratic process. They should also be aware that the process of development is complex, often controversial, and one where planned solutions do not always meet the needs of all parties involved.
The objectives of CSPE are outlined by the NCCA in terms of knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes/values. The objectives of CSPE can be expressed through the following questions:
- Citizenship - What is citizenship about? What does it mean to be an active citizen? What is the core of citizenship? Which dimensions apply to me?
- Human rights, freedoms and responsibilities What are human rights? How are they applied in my society? How do we reconcile a conflict of human rights? How do the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child influence citizenship today?
- Participation How can I get involved? How can I influence change? How can I make a difference?
- Sustainable development: What does it mean to be a temporary owner or steward of the planet? How can I play a part in protecting the environment?
- Democratic system - What does it mean? How does it work? Who are the key players?
- Globalisation How do my actions as an individual affect others? What does it mean to live in an interdependent world? Do I understand the web of links that exist across communities and borders, and how an action that takes place in one area can have an effect on another? How is globalisation affecting my life and the lives of others?
- Contemporary issues/current affairs What are the topical issues/events now? How do they affect me and my community?
Student Learning Outcomes
At The High School, as is reflected in our mission statement and the Department of Education literature, we aim to foster in our CSPE students the following attributes:
* Commitment to active citizenship
* Concern for human rights
* Care for the environment
* Respect for human dignity
* Concern for the common good
* Openness and the discussion skills to resolve conflict non-violently
* Willingness to act responsibly
* Practice of tolerance
* Courage and the ability to articulate and defend a point of view
* Willingness to change one's opinions and attitudes in the light of discussion and evidence
* Respect for the rule of law
* Commitment to oppose prejudice, inequality and social injustice.
An Example of a Past Action Project - FORM 3G CSPE PARALYMPIC ACTION PROJECT
(Members of 3G with Paralympian multiple medal winner Helen Kearney)
As part of the Junior Certificate CSPE curriculum, every class must complete Action Projects to raise awareness about particular topics. Our class (3G) decided to centre our Action Project on the Paralympics and disability. We decided to survey the school community with regards to their thoughts and opinions of the Paralympics and to invite in guest speaker, Helen Kearney, who took part in the Paralympics in London 2012.
Helen Kearney came to speak at Junior Assembly. Despite her battle with Friedreich's Ataxia, Helen went on to win one silver and two bronze medals in Equestrian events at the London 2012 Paralympics. What an achievement!
It was very inspirational to hear her speak to us about her London 2012 experience, all the long hours of training, hard work and determination involved, and how thrilled she was to win those medals for our country. Helen also told us that she believes that the Paralympics have had a positive impact on people’s perceptions towards those with a disability. This is where our focus lay when we were developing the survey.
Our survey was given to one class from every year in the school and the responses to that survey came back overwhelmingly positive:
* 89% of students watched the Olympics, while 72% watched the Paralympics. The popularity of the Paralympics, therefore, nearly mirrored that of the Olympics.
* The majority of the students believed the Paralympics had a positive impact on perceptions towards disability.
* 75% thought that Paralympians were equally, if not more, talented than able-bodied athletes. This shows that there is a wider acceptance of the strength and inspirational characters of these Paralympians.
* It is really encouraging to see that 79% of the students surveyed said that they will watch the next Paralympics.
We were all really pleased to see these results which demonstrate the legacy of the games.
We hope that Paralympians are now viewed as heroes, as much as their Olympic counterparts. We also hope that the Paralympians of today like Helen Kearney, Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop will inspire us to continue to aim to compete in sports at the highest level in the future. Every Paralympian’s triumph over adversity inspired us to do this Action Project and we hope that their amazing achievements will continue to challenge preconceptions towards disability and that everyone will watch the next Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
We are very grateful to Helen Kearney for coming in to talk to us and to our teacher for all her guidance.
Amyrose Forder (3G)
CSPE (Civic, Social, Political Education) ni elimu ya kijamii na kisiasa ambayo inawasaidia wanafunzi kuwa na uwezo wa kuona, kuamua, kuhukumu na kutenda. Utekelezaji wake wa mbinu za kujifunza zenye nguvu na zenye muundo wa ushirikiano huwezesha na kuwezesha mwanafunzi kuwa kijana mwenye nguvu na mwenye ushiriki. (Kifungu cha Elimu, CSPE Syllabus, Serikali ya Ireland, Dublin, 1996) CSPE ni somo la kina ambalo linakusudia kupitia uchunguzi wa kazi na utafiti wa uraia katika ngazi zote (mahali, kitaifa, na kimataifa) kuhamasisha wanafunzi kuwa wanachama wa kijamii na ushirikiano. CSPE kwa sasa ni tathmini kama Junior Cheti somo. Wanafunzi wanafanya mtihani rasmi katika mwaka wa tatu wa mzunguko wa cheti cha Junior, thamani ya asilimia 40 ya alama yao ya CSPE ya Cheti cha Junior, na pia kukamilisha mradi wa hatua juu ya mada ya uchaguzi wao sawa na asilimia 60 ya alama yao ya CSPE. Sehemu ya Mradi wa Hatua ya CSPE inaonyesha "kujifunza kwa kufanya" msisitizo wa somo. "Mfano wa hivi karibuni wa miradi ya vitendo ni pamoja na: ""Mchezo wa uchaguzi wa jumla wa bandia ambapo maktaba ilifanya kazi kama kituo cha kupiga kura na kituo cha kuhesabu,"" ""Kutoa FIFA Kadi Nyekundu,"" mradi na ombi la kuongeza ufahamu wa hali ya kazi ya wafanyakazi wa ujenzi katika miradi ya Kombe la Dunia, ""Sponsored Silence for the DSPCA,"" mradi wa kuongeza ufahamu wa haki za wanyama, ""Utafiti wa uchunguzi wa mitazamo ya jamii ya shule kwa ajili ya malipo ya maji,"" ""Mradi wa uchunguzi wa mitazamo ya wanafunzi kwa ajili ya Paralympics na ulemavu.""" Mtaala wa shahada ya kwanza (Junior Certificate Syllabus) ni mkataba wa shahada ya kwanza (Junior Certificate Syllabus) ambao unajumuisha masomo saba muhimu: Haki na wajibu: Wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na ufahamu kwamba kila mtu ana haki ya haki za msingi za kijamii, utamaduni, kiuchumi, kiraia, kidini na kisiasa na ulinzi wa haki hizi. Majukumu huambatana na haki zinazopewa watu binafsi. Kila mtu ni wajibu kwa ajili ya matendo yake kuelekea watu wengine na ni wajibu kwa ajili ya ulinzi wa haki za watu wengine. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Utukufu wa binadamu: Wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na ufahamu wa heshima ambayo inapaswa kutolewa kwa kila mtu kama binadamu, na jinsi utoaji wa mahitaji ya msingi (kwa mfano, mahitaji ya msingi ya binadamu) inapaswa kutolewa. Chakula, afya, usalama, elimu) ni muhimu kwa heshima ya binadamu. Wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na ufahamu kwamba, kama watu waliozaliwa kwenye sayari, kila mtu anakuwa mmiliki wa muda au msimamizi aliyepewa na kupewa uwezo wa kutunza na kudumisha. Kutokuwa na usimamizi huongoza kwenye imani kwamba jukumu letu kuhusiana na ulimwengu wa asili, mazingira, watu wengine na tamaduni ni la ziada au kwa matumizi na faida yetu wenyewe. Hilo husababisha mambo kama vile kupoteza rasilimali bila sababu, uchafuzi wa mazingira, na uharibifu wa urithi wa kitamaduni. Wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na ufahamu kwamba kupitia mchakato wa kidemokrasia, katika ngazi zote za jamii, kila mtu anaweza kutumia nguvu kupitia ushiriki. Ushiriki katika ngazi ya mtu binafsi au kundi inawakilisha haki ya msingi na wajibu katika jamii ya kidemokrasia iliyopangwa. Kutoshiriki au kutengwa kunaweza kusababisha kutengwa, kutojali, na ukosefu wa daraka kwa upande wa mtu. Wanafunzi wanapaswa kujua kwamba sheria na sheria hutumikia makusudi muhimu katika jumuiya yoyote au jamii. Hizi huagiza na kuweka kanuni za kawaida za mwenendo kwa mahusiano kati ya watu binafsi, vikundi na jamii kwa ujumla. Ni njia ambayo tunahakikisha kwamba haki za watu binafsi zinalindwa na kuendelezwa. Hizi hutujulisha haki zetu na wajibu wetu wa kuzingatia haki hizo. Sheria na sheria zinaweza kubadilika. Mabadiliko katika sheria yaweza kuonyesha maendeleo katika jamii au yaweza kutokea kutokana na vitendo vya watu binafsi. Imani katika haki na usawa ni ya msingi kwa mchakato wa kuendeleza, kutekeleza na kuthamini sheria. Ukatili na kutokujua thamani ya sheria husababisha kukataliwa haki za kila mtu na kupungua kwa ubora wa maisha katika jamii na jamii. Wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na ufahamu wa uhusiano wa maisha yote ya kibinadamu katika ngazi ya mtu binafsi, jamii, kitaifa, na kimataifa. Hatua za watu binafsi zinaweza kuwa na athari, wakati mwingine katika maeneo na hali ambazo hawajawahi kuona, kwa mfano athari za ununuzi tunaofanya kama watumiaji kwa uchumi, biashara na mazingira, na athari za kura zetu katika uchaguzi kwa maendeleo katika ngazi za ndani, kitaifa na kimataifa. Ukosefu wa uelewa wa kutegemeana husababisha mtazamo wa kutengwa, usio na nguvu na wa kibinafsi wa matukio. Maendeleo ni mchakato wa kuboresha (kijamii, kiuchumi, kitamaduni, kisiasa) ili kukidhi mahitaji ya maisha ya watu katika ngazi zote. Wanafunzi wanapaswa kuwa na ufahamu kwamba maendeleo ni kawaida iliyopangwa na mara nyingi inaweza kusukumwa kupitia mchakato wa kidemokrasia. Pia wanapaswa kuwa na ufahamu kwamba mchakato wa maendeleo ni tata, mara nyingi utata, na moja ambapo suluhisho zilizopangwa si daima kukidhi mahitaji ya pande zote zinazohusika. Lengo la CSP ni kuelezea na NCCA katika suala la maarifa, dhana, ujuzi na mitazamo na maadili. Lengo la CSP ni kuelezea suala la uraia. Inamaanisha nini kuwa raia mwenye bidii? Ni nini kiini cha uraia? Ni vipimo gani vinavyohusu mimi? - Haki za binadamu, uhuru na majukumu Haki za binadamu ni nini? Zinatumiwaje katika jamii yangu? Tunapatanaje na mgogoro wa haki za binadamu? Taarifa ya Ulimwengu ya Haki za Binadamu na Mkataba wa Umoja wa Mataifa wa Haki za Mtoto unaathirije uraia leo? - Ushiriki Jinsi gani naweza kuhusika? Ninaweza kuathirije badiliko hilo? Ninaweza kufanya nini ili kubadili mambo? - Maendeleo endelevu: Inamaanisha nini kuwa mmiliki wa muda au msimamizi wa sayari? Ninaweza kushirikije katika kulinda mazingira? - Mfumo wa kidemokrasia - Unamaanisha nini? Inafanya kazije? Ni nani walio wahusika wakuu? - Utamaduni wa ulimwengu Jinsi gani matendo yangu kama mtu binafsi huathiri wengine? Inamaanisha nini kuishi katika ulimwengu unaotegemea mambo mengine? Je, ninaelewa mtandao wa viungo ambavyo vipo katika jamii na mipaka, na jinsi hatua inayofanyika katika eneo moja inaweza kuwa na athari kwenye nyingine? Utamaduni wa ulimwengu unaathirije maisha yangu na ya wengine? - Masuala ya kisasa/shughuli za sasa Ni masuala gani ya kisasa/matukio ya sasa? Wanaathiriwaje mimi na jamii yangu? "Kama ilivyoonyeshwa katika taarifa yetu ya ujumbe na fasihi ya Idara ya Elimu, tuna lengo la kukuza katika wanafunzi wetu wa CSPE sifa zifuatazo: ""Kujitolea kwa uraia wa kazi, wasiwasi wa haki za binadamu, huduma ya mazingira, heshima ya heshima ya binadamu, wasiwasi wa faida ya pamoja, uwazi na ujuzi wa majadiliano ya kutatua migogoro bila vurugu, utayari wa kutenda kwa uwajibikaji, mazoezi ya uvumilivu, ujasiri na uwezo wa kuelezea na kutetea maoni.""" Mfano wa Mradi wa Hatua ya Zamani - Fomu 3G CSPE PARALYMPIC PROJECT (Wanachama wa 3G na mshindi wa medali nyingi wa Paralympic Helen Kearney) Kama sehemu ya mtaala wa Cheti cha Junior CSPE, kila darasa lazima limalize Miradi ya Hatua ili kuongeza ufahamu juu ya mada maalum. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Mwaka wa 3"" ni kipindi cha maonyesho ya michezo ya Paralympic na uharibifu wa afya." "Kama tulivyoona, tulikuwa na mpango wa kufanya utafiti wa maoni ya wanafunzi kuhusu michezo ya Paralympics na kuwakaribisha kwa mwongozo wa Helen Kearney, ambaye alishiriki katika michezo ya Paralympics ya London 2012. """ Helen Kearney alikuja kuzungumza kwenye Mkutano wa Vijana. Baada ya kuugua ugonjwa wa ataxia, Helen alishinda medali moja ya fedha na mbili za shaba katika mashindano ya farasi katika Olimpiki ya London 2012. Ni mafanikio ya ajabu kama nini! """Ilikuwa ni msukumo sana kumsikia akizungumza nasi kuhusu uzoefu wake wa London 2012, masaa yote marefu ya mafunzo, kazi ngumu na azimio linalohusika, na jinsi alivyofurahi kushinda medali hizo kwa nchi yetu." Helen pia alituambia kwamba anaamini kwamba Michezo ya Paralympics imekuwa na athari chanya juu ya maoni ya watu kuelekea wale wenye ulemavu. Hii ni ambapo lengo letu lilikuwa wakati tulikuwa kuendeleza uchunguzi. "Kama matokeo ya utafiti wa mwaka mmoja, wanafunzi wa kila darasa walijibu ""Hakika, asilimia 89 ya wanafunzi waliona Olimpiki, wakati asilimia 72 waliona Paralympics.""" Kwa hiyo, umaarufu wa Michezo ya Paralympics ulikuwa sawa na ule wa Michezo ya Olimpiki. Wanafunzi wengi waliamini kwamba michezo ya Paralympics ilikuwa na athari nzuri kwa maoni kuelekea ulemavu. "Watu 75 waliamini kwamba ""watu wenye uwezo wa kufanya michezo ya Paralympics ni wenye uwezo sawa na wanariadha wenye uwezo wa kufanya michezo ya Paralympics.""" Hii inaonyesha kwamba kuna kukubalika kwa nguvu na wahusika wa msukumo wa hawa Paralympians. "Hata hivyo, ni jambo la kushangaza kuona kwamba asilimia 79 ya wanafunzi waliochunguzwa wanasema kwamba watatazama michezo ya Paralympics ijayo.""" """Tumefurahi sana kuona matokeo haya ambayo yanaonyesha urithi wa michezo." Tunatumaini kwamba sasa wanariadha wa Olimpiki wanaonwa kuwa mashujaa, kama vile wanariadha wa Olimpiki. """Tunatarajia kwamba wanariadha wa leo kama vile Helen Kearney, Jason Smith na Michael McKillop watatuchochea kuendelea na lengo la kushindana katika michezo ya kiwango cha juu zaidi katika siku zijazo." "Mchezaji huyo wa Olimpiki aliwahi kupewa jina la ""Mwanamke wa Paralympics"" na aliahidi kuwa ""mwisho wa miaka miwili ya mafanikio yake, ataendelea kupinga maoni ya watu wenye ulemavu na kwamba kila mtu ataangalia Olimpiki ya Paralympics ijayo huko Rio de Janeiro mwaka 2016.""" Tunamshukuru sana Helen kwa kuwasiliana nasi na kwa ushauri wake. Amyrose Forder (3G)