Approaching and Implementing Civic Education Pedagogies and Engagement Values in the Moroccan Classrooms: Gender-Based Perspectives

Abstract

Civic education and engagement in Morocco faces many obstacles which make any step towards democratization commitment a hard process. In the present paper, the urgent need to incorporate civic education values in the teaching/learning process in all disciplines in general and within the EFL classrooms in particular will be addressed, along with the effective pedagogies, techniques and the concrete strategies that can be deployed to ensure an efficient reinforcement of engagement values in the Moroccan school. The rationale behind the teaching of civic education is that the basic principles of this field, such as democracy, human rights, gender mainstreaming as well as freedom of speech are closely related to our teaching career. As an attempt to reflect my personal perspectives and the needs of our teacher trainees in our English department, three primary questions will be addressed: 1-To What End/Why? 2- What? 3- By What Means/How? These questions will attempt to offer a better understanding of the problem, approach civic engagement with a gender lens, and provide insights to the integration of civic education pedagogies in the Moroccan classrooms. As the study reveals, to ensure a rewarding implementation of the civics program and an efficient reinforcement of engagement and gendersensitive values, teacher educators, teacher trainees and all teacher practitioners should be familiar with the available resources and content relevant to civic-oriented education. Indeed, without educating the student community the most vital component of society- on these principles and practices, the process will remain slow, vulnerable and unsustainable.