Fairness as a critical concept for grade six and seven students

• Main Author: Clarke, Tracy Danielle
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/11509

This ethnographic study provides a unique portrayal of one classroom and illustrates how this learning environment has helped students in grade six and seven gain a more comprehensive understanding of the critical concept of fairness. Through their participation in class meetings and a variety of critical thinking activities these students have become more thoughtful, responsible, and active citizens who try to deal with situations in a fair and caring manner. The concept of fairness provided the scaffolding for the class meetings and critical thinking activities, as it is relevant to the students and integral to both democracy and critical thought. The British Columbia Social Studies Curriculum and the British Columbia Performance Standards for Social Responsibility were used to guide this research. The emphasis was placed on critical thinking, as it is necessary for the interpretation and application of knowledge, effective problem solving, and active participation in a democratic society. The class meetings provided students with authentic opportunities to explore democratic principles and exercise and further develop their thinking abilities. Throughout this study, students strove to maintain a fair and equitable learning environment and advanced the principles of responsibility, respect, non-discrimination, commitment, equity, honesty, trust, and participation.