The Central Park Five describe their lives before April 20, 1989. New Yorkers talk about a city divided between the very rich and the very poor. In 1984, crack cocaine comes to the city and the crime rate soars.
Citizenship is defined not only as the status of being a citizen, but also the way in which an individual responds to and engages with being a part of a broader community. What happens when individuals don’t view themselves as part of a greater community? How are they and the community affected?
In these activities, students will gain an understanding of the value and responsibilities of citizenship and the role of education in developing active citizens. Students will read about and discuss the history of education within prisons and the positive impact that education can have on incarcerated individuals and their communities. Students will learn about “othering,” the act of treating or viewing a person or a group to be intrinsically different from oneself or one's group. How does the act of othering people affect perceptions of citizenship in these marginalized communities? Students will carefully consider and discuss who in society has historically been granted access to high quality education to further reflect on how we as a society determine who “deserves” this access.
Learning Goals
Students will understand:
The value and responsibilities of citizenship;
The role of education in citizenship: creating engaged, active and productive members of a community;
The impact of othering and marginalization in education and broader communities;
The impact of education on an incarcerated person, both in and out of prison.
The Central Park Five describe their lives before April 20, 1989. New Yorkers talk about a city divided between the very rich and the very poor. In 1984, crack cocaine comes to the city and the crime rate soars.
Citizenship is defined not only as the status of being a citizen, but also the way in which an individual responds to and engages with being a part of a broader community. What happens when individuals don’t view themselves as part of a greater community? How are they and the community affected?
In these activities, students will gain an understanding of the value and responsibilities of citizenship and the role of education in developing active citizens. Students will read about and discuss the history of education within prisons and the positive impact that education can have on incarcerated individuals and their communities. Students will learn about “othering,” the act of treating or viewing a person or a group to be intrinsically different from oneself or one's group. How does the act of othering people affect perceptions of citizenship in these marginalized communities? Students will carefully consider and discuss who in society has historically been granted access to high quality education to further reflect on how we as a society determine who “deserves” this access.
Learning Goals
Students will understand:
The value and responsibilities of citizenship;
The role of education in citizenship: creating engaged, active and productive members of a community;
The impact of othering and marginalization in education and broader communities;
The impact of education on an incarcerated person, both in and out of prison.
