Paolo Scotton

Each educative practice always rests on an explicit or implicit philosophy of education that can be aimed at promoting very different political and social scenarios. However, the comprehension and discussion about such premises of educational activity are often dismissed in the education of future teachers. As a consequence, a hegemonic thought may be implicitly endorsed, which is commonly known as the hidden curriculum, when teachers and chosen content authors project what they perceive as correct political and social ideas, often unaware of such positioning as a form of ideology. In a time in which the tremendous progress of the information society demands an urgent redefinition of the teachers’ role, this chapter proves that its overall reconceptualization is needed in order to foster meaningful educational processes. Accordingly, this chapter can inform teacher education and programmes exploring education for social justice by reflecting on what is helpful for coming as close as possible to an idea of emancipatory and emancipated teachers, based on five key aspects related to the scope and aim of the educative process (Scotton, Stud Philos Educ 39:71–84, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-019-09699-4, 2020). These aspects take into account the content of the education process, the rational comprehension of the apprentice, her vital and emotional responses and, consequently, the definition of her intellectual and political position in the social world. In particular, this chapter proposes three principles that can constitute an emancipatory process of reflection and education during teachers’ university studies and/or for the purpose of teacher training.

Education is commonly considered to be a transformational practice that contributes both to forging the personality of individuals and to promoting social entanglements. For this reason, education always has a normative character that rests on a particular concept of what humanity and society should be. However, educational policies and practices are frequently unaware of these theoretical presuppositions, and for this reason, they frequently appear to act in a naïve and superficial manner. This is particularly the case for citizenship education, which, if superficially implemented, risks being distorted into a form of civic education that reproduces established norms and social relations, without promoting any meaningful social change. Thus, the first part of this article aims to deepen the notion of citizenship, in particular by studying what the concept of ‘consensus’ means, conceiving of it not as a synonym of social resignation, but rather as a collective conspiracy towards a common political project. Accordingly, the article defines the basic characteristics that education should always possess to effectively promote a democratic and participative citizenship education. In particular, it identifies five constitutive contrasts in relation to the ways in which information is transmitted, reasoned, emotionally perceived, and then discussed and countered both by individuals and society. The article therefore presents an overall theory of education, seen as a momentous practice of dialogue and common action that opens the way for a democracy in progress.