Educating the new generation is a major purpose of educational systems.  It is a highly complex concept that means being a member of a political community. The very concept of citizenship changes over time, depending on the individual's relationship with government, the state and the rights guaranteed. Of a historical option, historical shift from a strictly political definition of the citizen - with an emphasis on his or her relationship with the state - to a broader somewhat more sociological definition, which implies a greater emphasis on the relationship of the citizen, with society as a whole. (Steenbergen, 1994).

In the Marshal’s classic essay on citizenship “Citizenship and social class” (1950), he distinguishes three types of citizenship. First, the civil citizenship in the 18^th century which established the rights necessary for individual freedom, such as rights to property, personal liberty and justice. Second, the political citizenship in the 19^th century was built and encompassed the right to participate in the exercise of political power, and third, the social citizenship in the 20the century the type of citizenship that emphasized the citizen’s rights of economic and social security and gained its expression in the modern welfare state as it developed in Western Europe. In the perception of Marshall, social citizenship marked the end of history, but new concepts of citizenship are emerging, such as cultural citizenship, European citizenship, global citizenship, ecological citizenship, digital citizenship.

Dewey stresses that ‘Since a democratic society repudiates the principle of external authority, it must find a substitute in voluntary disposition and interest; these can be created only by education. … A democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience’ (1916, p. 87). For Freire, education is always a political act. Is it impossible to remain neutral in education, all educational policies and practices have social implications (1985). Also, “It is only when one leaves one’s home and enters the public space that the dialogue about a citizen’s idiosyncrasy begins” (Kingwell 2000, p. 41). “Citizenship or civics education is construed to encompass the preparation of young people for their roles and responsibilities as citizens and, in particular, the role of education (through schooling, teaching and learning) in that preparatory process.” (Kerr 1999, p. 2).

Civic values and competences such as equity, mutual understanding and active citizenship are promoted by the European Commission (ET 2020) which has triggered the scientific discourse on this subject (EC 2017, Cockburn, 2013, Moss, 2007).

Traditional curricula promoted the 3Rs, -reading, writing, and arithmetic. Reviewing literacy is a continuous process emerging from contemporary social needs and scientific progress. In this sense, a literacy crisis is never temporary, but, rather, the constrain desired in literacy and curriculum studies. Exploring four hypotheses on literacy standards, Welch and Freebody showed that each and every era and society undergoes its own literacy crisis (1993). Maitles and Gilchrist (2004), underline that children are citizens, and not just “citizens in waiting”.

           The purpose of this research was to investigate the educational practices that promote the democratic citizenship in preprimary education in Greece.

Research questions:

           What is the place of social sciences in the curriculum framework?

           What are the views of educators on citizenship education?

           What pedagogical strategies do preschool educators use to develop social science topics?

           How do they handle challenging issues related to religious and ethnic differences?

The study is based on the qualitative example of scientific research. Documentary analysis of the curriculum and official documents is applied upon the main categories of content. Also, a focus group interview with preprimary educators was made. Ethical concerns specifically attend to critical policy and pedagogy analysis as a way of improving coexistence and active participation. As for the interviews, participants were informed about the purpose of the research, and they had the opportunity to withdraw at any time. Method and ethics of the research Method: Qualitative, was carried out by structured interviews Participants: 12 experienced preprimary educators and also Master Degree students. Time: Spring 2023 Method: Praxeological research and participatory paradigm Participants were informed about the purpose of the research and negotiated the time of the interview. They took part voluntarily and had the opportunity to withdraw at any time. They presented their perceptions as well as specific examples from their educational practices.

Teachers promote in many ways the opening of the preprimary education to parents and the local community. They organize activities and various projects where parents and other citizens take part. In this way, the pre-school institutions function somewhat as a forum for civil society. Educators claim that they promote dialogue with parents and other citizens and this helps a lot in pedagogical work and problem solving. They argue that this method helps to build a cohesive school community and promote a sense of belonging. Also, opening the pre-school center to the community helps to get to know and understand the cultural heritage of the participants, which is very important in today's pluralistic world. They claim that they provide opportunities for student choice and that they promote differentiated teaching when necessary. Teachers handle children from other faiths with discretion during religious days. Many times, children do not participate according to their parents' decision. Regarding national days, teachers emphasize that they highlight the issues of peace and cooperation of states instead of war events. More experienced educators seem to develop projects with social and political content to a greater extent. Educators develop social studies activities and promote civic values and citizenship. Implementing democratic citizenship curriculum in today's pluralistic society is a demanding endeavor and educators should be supported by continuing education and good working conditions. At the same time participatory pedagogical praxis benefits children, families and teachers themselves.

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