To be a good citizen, you have to prepare yourself to do good work in society. Well, then how can you prepare yourself?
First, you need knowledge. Today's society is knowledge-based. Without having knowledge of modern sciences, technologies including ICT and other necessary subjects, you will have difficulty living a good life. The other areas you, as a good citizen, should have knowledge about are:
- our country, its constitution, geography and people
- our state, its executive and legislative powers
- our judicial system
- our government and its structures and functions
- our history, cultures, traditions, literature, moral values and religions
- our socio-economic activities and educational system
Second, you need skills to do things. Knowledge is not enough. You must be able to apply your knowledge to do things practically.
Finally, knowing and doing things will bring about a change in your behaviour towards others. This behavioural change will show your attitudes towards others, that is, it will show how you think and feel about a person or thing.
Let's take an example. Suppose you, as a student, need to know about 'group work' in the classroom. So you ask yourself or your teacher or anyone else, "What is group work?" Or you may find about it in a book. In this way, you may know, or you may have the knowledge about group work. To do group work, the class has to be divided into groups. Each group is to do some tasks given by the teacher or in the textbook. The group members will discuss and share ideas and points, and finally one member will write the answers.
Then you start working in groups. In each group you take turns discussing points and answering questions. In this way you can actually do the task. Your teacher may monitor and help you to do the work.
Lastly, through regular group work it is expected that there will be noticeable changes in your behaviour. Possible changes are:
- You will develop the skill of speaking freely in English with your classmates and teacher.
- Your shyness will gradually disappear.
- You will develop the attitude of helping and cooperating with each other.
- You will learn to behave in a democratic way.
Most importantly, these behavioural changes taking place in you inside the classroom will be carried over outside the classroom in real-life situations
© English for Today, Unit 1, Lesson 2, class 9-10, edition 2018.