Research On Citizenship Education Thought Of Hu Shih

Hu Shih was a famous modern scholar and educator, who served as principals of the Chinese public school and the Peking University and other staffs. He wrote a lot of composition in his life, and his written papers, notes and lectures covered a wide range. In1979Mr. Tang Degang wrote a sense of translation for "Hu Shih’s oral autobiography" and concluded:"Mr. Hu Shizhi is the greatest modern Chinese scholar and thinker, whose influences on our generation and even the next several generations was inestimable." Hu Shih’s idea of civil education may launch the exposition mainly from four sections:The first part introduces Hu Shih’s whole life and major origins of his citizenship education thought. This part is chiefly about Hu Shih’s education experience and practice in the period of studying in hometown, Shanghai, the United States and after returning from studying abroad. Besides, Hu Shih’s idea of civil education was primarily affected by Chinese classical culture, enlightenment thought of modern China, Chinese public school’s trend, Dewey’s experimentalism and American political life.The second part focuses on the democratic ideal and the ideal citizen of Hu Shih. This section analyzes that his democratic ideal is to create a modern state with clean politics, prosperous economy, developed culture and stable society, corresponding to the free and independent citizens. They have a sense of participation and critical thinking skills, enjoy full freedom of development and fulfill the corresponding responsibilities and obligations.The third part elaborates Hu Shih’s citizenship education’s approaches. Hu Shih advocates that gaining experience of democratic participation and learning to be a qualified citizen in the process of doing democracy and doing a citizen. It contains participation in the country’s political life and the school’s democratic construction. Citizens’participation in the political life of the country includes participating in political elections, monitoring the behavior of the government and political parties, forming the habit of life under law. Teachers and students’ participation in the building of the school’s democracy refers to participating in the decision-making and management of the school; founding publications and student organizations; establishing the educational system, selecting subjects and careers by students’personality-oriented; constructing a democratic and free school environment.The fourth part mainly discusses the inspirations of Hu Shih’s civic education thought. In terms of the training objectives, we are to cultivate citizens with free and independent personality. In the way of educational mode, we should learn democracy and learn to be citizens by doing democracy and citizens. Specific educational approaches cover two aspects:promoting the country’s democratic political construction and building democratic schools.