European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

162 EUROPEAN IDENTITY. INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND SOCIETYwould be giving young people the stigma of starting adulthood withthe label «Failed in Life Skills».But who should develop citizenship? This is less straightforward. Themembers of CiCe, representing those university and college tutors whowill be preparing the new professionals to work in these area, wereasked who they thought best placed to influence the way that childrenand young people develop social ideas and behaviour (Ross, 1999).Parents were seen as significantly more influential than any otherpossible factor. Television, teachers and friends were next mostinfluential, followed by other family members and the school curriculum.What are the factors that have most influence on howchildren young people develop their views about their nation?FactorScoreParents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Television. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Friends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44School Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Education is not the major player. Parents are far more important.Television appears to be of the same order of importance as teachers.The opinion of the network’s members was that teachers weresomewhat more influential than the school curriculum in developingideas about identity. Teacher educator’s views thus have a particularinterest: the formation of future teachers will have a long-terminfluence on the development of identity and nationality with the youthof Europe —but will not be solely responsible for this. The responsibilityfor preparing children to take their part in society— participating insocial institutions, contributing to political democracy, and playing a partin economic activity —is shared between parents, those professionalworkers who have a role in educating and caring for children and youngpeople, and members of society at large. Higher education institutionshave a particular duty in the education and training of the professionalswho will work with children: teachers, early childhood workers, socialpedagogues, youth workers. Nevertheless, education has an importantpart to play: indeed, it is pivotal in the development of the understandingof society.