Critical Review of, “Educating the Next Generation of Global Citizens Through Teacher Education One New Teacher At a Time” In Canadian Social Studie

This is my condensed critical review. If you click the title it will lead you to the home page of the initiative the article follows.

The article is based on the premise that there is renewed interest in the social engagement of today’s students. As we know from reading our textbook there are multiple ways to look at the aim of social studies education. In this article the authors see SS as an avenue for change in an "era preoccupied with consumerism (McLean, 1). The auricle goes on to say that the problem is how to educate teachers so that they can teach the social issues in today’s world. The article then briefly explains the University of Ottawa initiative "Developing a global perspective for Teachers." The stated aim of the initiative is to reinforce the teacher education students by adding to their knowledge base and skills. The article then describes three ready made classroom resources in keeping with the authors ideas of SS education. The study of photographs from CHF (Canadian Hunger Foundation), “The Real Cost of your clothes” and Kids Who Care are all intelligent and well thought out lessons to make the children and youth of today globally active and aware. However I would caution you all to use this ready made resources as a starting point because in an “era preoccupied with consumerism” there is considerable irony in just purchasing ready made lesson plans rather than being creative and researching topics of Social Studies classrooms. In other words use this but go out and get involved and get your knowledge the old fashioned way by earning it.

Here are the links to these websites for you use:

Kids Who Care

The Real Cost of Your Clothes

Photographs Lesson

May I add some of these ready made lessons are free but most are not.

Lindsay Dube