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Your opinion: When is the best time to start discussing personal identity issues in school?

  Early Years (before 5 yrs)

  Key Stage 1 (age 5-6 yrs)

  Key Stage 2 (age 7-10 yrs)

  Key Stage 3 (age 11-14 yrs)

  It shouldn't be discussed in school

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If identity is a personal thing, why discuss it in schools? It impacts on every part of our life as a society. Because social change is happening so quickly and all around us, we are grappling with questions that could strengthen or divide our society in real time. Do multiple identities enhance our sense of who we are, or cause painful conflicts within our communities?  If identities can be both given and chosen, what does that imply about who we are?  How do we practically encourage greater contact between young people of different identities, faiths and cultures; and how do we make sure that the lessons of history regarding conflict between identities, ethnicities or nationalities are learnt? Ultimately, what identities are we developing - and how do those relate to a shared citizenship for this country?

In talking about our shared citizenship, we know that we are not going to simply delve into the past together until we find the golden age and then recreate it.  We intend that through exploring issues of diversity and identity we will be able to give individuals the opportunity to shape a framework for shared citizenship.

Along with colleagues in History and Geography, those of us in the Citizenship field think that it is vitally important to develop skills of critical inquiry, to create meaningful personal and social narratives, and to create the skills and space to explore controversial issues without spiralling into conflict.  So Who Do We Think We Are week is a cause for celebration. As one participant at a development workshop for the programme put it: "ultimately, this isn't just about ‘who we think we are'; it is about who we want to be".  In building a shared citizenship, we begin to answer the second question, not just the first.

Written by:
Essi Lindstedt
Director, External Relations
The Citizenship Foundation
www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk

DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in the article featured above are the writer's own and do not represent the views of either the Who Do We Think We Are (WDWTWA) consortium of partners (Royal Geographical Society with IBG, the Historical Association and Citizenship Consultant Paula Kitching) or the project's funding body, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

If you would like to comment on the content of this article, please send a response via the WDWTWA Blog (Have your say) or email wdwtwa@rgs.org.