Authenticity.  Only authentic experiences.

            I thought it was very helpful to read the discussion Levinson proposes about the difference between service learning, a community service oriented perspective vs. a guided experiential civic education.  The example about the fund raising activity during Valentine’s day as a central purpose for the student council felt too familiar as a teacher and as a former student in binational school. Unfortunately I think that neither students nor teachers in the environments I have worked or studied at have very clear their role as an institution within a democratic regime.   Levinson says: “…all schools teach experiential lessons about civic identity, expectations, and opportunities- even when they have no intention of doing so.” (p. 174). 

But the reason I thought her reflection was helpful was because even when a curriculum considers at its core to develop practices of citizenship it is important to define what this would mean within the program.  Since in my final paper I plan to analyze the concept of citizen in IB programs and the kind of civic engagement it proposes, I thought it was important to start gathering information about what this citizenship would look like. I was looking for primary sources and I came across the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) program proposed by the International Baccalaureate Organization:  “(CAS) a framework for experiential learning and reflection about that learning” (IBO 2002, page 7).CAS is part of the core of the diploma programme curriculum in International Baccalaureate; each student has to complete 150 hours of CAS, this means three different possibilities: creative activities that could be included even if they are extracurricular, like dancing, working in the Christmas Show, etc.; action, that could be related to sports; and service, that implies service to others in the community (Austin 2006, page 163-167).  Brunold-Conesa, says that “the IB places great emphasis on both its second language and TOK (theory of knowledge) courses toward the promotion of global citizenship.  On a more practical level, there is a strong service-learning component of the curriculum in all three programs, requiring service at the family, school, or local, national or world community level.” (Brunold-Conesa 2011, p. 269).  So this looks more like the service learning oriented education that Levinson is comparing to the guided experiential civic education.

How are these different? What would experiential civic education mean?  Levinson says about the second: “I suggest that every school must be intentional, transparent, and reflective in how both models and enables students to practice authentically empowering civic relationships, norms and behaviors.” (p.186). But for me the most important word in this definition is related to authenticity for it seems to be the central issue to put together experiential, civic and education. Authenticity seems to put in order the rest of the other values/conditions. And along the book authenticity is related to fighting your own struggles instead of fighting the struggles that adult built for you and allow you to fight.  Moreover, a civic education should go beyond knowing how to use or benefit from the rights that are there already (p. 293).  This means something deeper than charity and a Christian caring for others, or being good and kind.   In her book I understand from Leavinson that she is concerned about democracy and that she feels the gaps of the current democratic system can only be closed if a constant renegotiation occurs that guarantees that diversity is represented in that system; this can only happen if those that are in the margins enrich the struggle and constant change of the institutions.

This means for the schools a different kind of participation from the one described in what I have very superficially read about CAS.  Levinson narrates some scenes that show moments where a process of identification is taking place, where students see they can actually make a difference on matters that are important or interesting to them using the tools and skills necessary to do this and more significantly where students changed their own perception about themselves and their potentialities.  “Guided experiential civic education does not follow one neat path from conception to completion, just as its impact cannot be limited solely to one kind of capacity.  Studies of other, similar programs illuminate these varieties of impacts and outcomes, including significantly higher levels of personal and political efficacy, communication, collaboration, decision making skills, knowledge and interest in politics, expectation of participating in civic and political life and sense of civic obligation” (page 238).  

I sometimes felt that at the same time that the book seemed so well informed and aware of the challenges, difficulty, complexity of the dynamics of a school (particularly about the obstacles that standardized tests suppose for education) there was some naiveté --or is it that we do not hope anymore in the academia-- in her proposal.  But then again I agree with her when she says we should not accept less than this, especially when she talks about her example with Jacquari and how her and his life are different even when they live under the same ‘rule of law’. We should not accept less than a school which is authentic about its intentionality of supporting civic processes taking place within the school.  Transparency, as to allow both parts to openly discuss and listen to what both parts have to say about the activities and processes they go through; this I understand better as  a partnership where members of a group learn and share others readings.  Reflection means to be in constant search for feedback and to be observing oneself.  These are some guidelines that I do not see happening in a school structured by the IB program as I have the opportunity of learning; these schools have a different epistemology and view on citizenship from what I know and have read. 

            I just wanted to mention this at the end of the reading response some of the institutions she talks about because I am curious about them and I wonder if we could talk about them in class: Mikva Challenge, Hyde Square Task, National Action Civics Collaborative, YPAr, Philadelphia Public Schools