Implementing Citizenship in schools doesn’t happen automatically. What’s missing is a positive and motivating narrative. By sharing the ‘why’ of citizenship in clear language, you stimulate ownership in both students and teachers. Contribution to Van12tot18, ‘citizenship’ edition.

In this blog, you can read our submission for Van12tot18, ‘citizenship’ edition of March 1, 2024. The piece has been published in abbreviated form in the ‘Reading Table’ section. On our website, we show the original version:

The ‘Why’ of Citizenship

Implementing Citizenship in schools doesn’t happen automatically. Despite the Citizenship expertise center and the wide range of support available, the inspectorate continues to issue recovery assignments. What’s missing is a positive and motivating narrative. By sharing the ‘why’ of citizenship in clear language, you stimulate ownership in both students and teachers.

Citizenship in schools is a challenge

Despite clear guidelines in the Dutch ‘Secondary Education Act‘ on promoting ‘active citizenship and social cohesion’, implementing Citizenship remains a challenge for many schools. How to do this is now clearly explained in various places. Think of the Dutch Citizenship expertise center and the many providers that can help schools. With this support, it’s expected that implementing the core objective of Citizenship in schools would happen automatically. But apparently, that’s not the case. How else can you explain that many schools are still struggling with the introduction of Citizenship? And that so many recovery assignments on citizenship are being issued by the education inspectorate? Why doesn’t it happen automatically?

Citizenship or else…

Citizenship seems primarily intended to solve problems. Apparently, we collectively believe that without Citizenship, children don’t participate, or participate too little, or in the wrong way in school and society. Or perhaps we think this about adults and hope to prevent it in the future. That there are too many conflicts, short tempers, and too little respect for each other. From this perspective, it’s logical that there’s strict oversight on schools to address this and that students are warned to behave, or else…
Unfortunately, a negative narrative isn’t stimulating for anyone, not for teachers, not for students. Implementing the core objective of Citizenship then becomes a very frustrating task.

The positive narrative

What’s missing in all attempts to establish Citizenship in schools is a positive narrative; the ‘Why’ of Citizenship. The ‘Why’ is a term from marketing coined by Simon Sinek. He showed that you must first make clear the why of a product before you ‘sell’ the how and what. And if you want people to be inspired, it must be primarily a positive ‘Why’. No doomsday scenarios but attractive visions and successes. So first the positive ‘why’ of Citizenship and then the ‘how’ of implementation and the ‘what’ of the lesson content. Only through an inspiring story does the engine for change start. Behavioral change in this case, because with Citizenship we hope to positively influence the behavior of young citizens.

Inspire the students

If you want students to apply the Citizenship knowledge and skills in their own lives, they must want to do so themselves. Inspire them and tell them why citizenship is a good idea. For example, that you can practice at school to participate in society later. Because you learn how to give your opinion during a lesson in such a way that others want to hear what you say. Or that you gain understanding for someone in the class who is ‘different’ from you. Making school a nicer place. By telling the positive ‘why’ of Citizenship, you stimulate ownership and increase the chance that lessons in the classroom lead to changes in society. Or even better, don’t just tell them but also set an example.

Show how you make the world more beautiful

You may not realize it, but as a teacher or school leader, you are also a role model. Perhaps not by taking to the barricades, but simply through small daily actions. When you demonstrate how to give a sincere compliment to a student or colleague and listen attentively to someone else’s opinion. When you show that it’s normal to think along with each other. When you openly share your uncertainty about a restless class, but still confidently continue working towards a pleasant atmosphere. When you pass on your enthusiasm for a subject and show how you still want to improve in it yourself. Then you are a role model or maybe even an influencer!

Become a Citizenship Influencer!

It may be that you as a teacher or school leader are not entirely satisfied with your own ‘exemplary behavior’. Being a role model starts with awareness of your role. When you see what role you have, you might make different choices. You say or do something specifically or refrain from doing so because you know what your influence is. As the famous saying goes: ‘Change the world, start with yourself’. Of course, this doesn’t happen overnight. It means practicing, persevering, and trying again and again. What helps is a common language, a language permeated with a ‘from good to better’ attitude. A language based on what has been proven to work. And above all, a language that is understandable and inspiring, both for you as a role model and for the students you inspire.

It’s no coincidence that the Leerbaas.app (in future availalbe as Learnlikeaboss.app) we developed for students offers this common language. Through tools for measuring, discussing, and developing, citizenship conversations become easier and ownership is encouraged. So that a student not only knows how to do better but also applies it with pleasure in practice. The accompanying Leercoach.app encourages teachers, school leaders, and parents to set a good example. Based on the same positive psychology principles and with the same clear language. Inspire for a better world and become a citizenship influencer!

Dr. Nicolet Theunissen is an entrepreneur and behavioral scientist, Wouter Nijhof is an entrepreneur and mathematics teacher, together they bring Leerbaas.app and Leercoach.app.
NB: the Van12tot18 version can be read with a subscription to Van12tot18.