Module 2: WHO CARES?

Page 5

alternative topic one: personal attitudes (continued)

to the teacher

This topic looks at the rights and responsibilities of citizens and how these affect the kind of society in which we live.

topic development

We often hear about people demanding their rights for higher wages, better care from the National Health Service or the right to be heard on some issue about which they feel strongly. Someone from a minority group whose people were feeling threatened and continually demanding their rights, said to his people, "No one can take away from me the right to be responsible". Discuss this with the class. Do they agree? What does this mean?

Ask the pupils to write down what they consider to be five of their basic rights as citizens and then to write down five basic responsibilities.

when they have completed these two lists, ask them

• Which list did they find most difficult and why?
• What happens in countries where the citizens have no basic rights? Dictatorship? Totalitarianism?
• What happens in countries where basic rights exist but where citizens do not take responsibility for the way society goes? Anarchy? Dictatorship?
• What can responsible individuals do to help bring about a more caring society?

After a full discussion on these points the pupils should write a description of what they would consider a really caring society referring to their original lists of rights and responsibilities. They should also include any ideas they have about steps they can take to be more responsible themselves.