Active Citizenship and the Democratic World · 1st Year

Active learning ideas

People Who Help with Justice: Judges and Gardaí

Active learning helps students grasp the nuanced roles of judges and Gardaí by making abstract concepts concrete. When students step into roles, debate responsibilities, and investigate real materials, they connect theory to the lived experience of justice in Ireland.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Law
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Democracy

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 45 min · Small Groups

Role Play: The Community Meeting

Students act as local residents and Gardaí at a community meeting to discuss a local issue (e.g., anti-social behavior in a park). They must work together to find a solution that respects everyone's rights.

Identify the roles of a judge and a Garda.

Facilitation Tip

For the Role Play: The Community Meeting, assign clear roles (resident, Garda, judge) and provide scenario cards so shy students can prepare.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine your school playground is having a disagreement. Who in the school community has a role similar to a judge, and who has a role similar to a Garda? Explain why.' Encourage students to justify their comparisons.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Policing Powers

Students are given a list of Garda powers. They individually rank them from 'most necessary' to 'most intrusive,' then discuss their rankings with a partner to see if they can agree on where to draw the line for public safety.

Explain how these people help our community.

Facilitation Tip

During Think-Pair-Share: Policing Powers, give students 2 minutes to recall one fact about GSOC before pairing up.

What to look for

Ask students to write down one specific task a Garda performs and one specific task a judge performs. Then, have them write one sentence explaining why respecting these individuals is important for everyone in Ireland.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Garda Code

In small groups, students examine the Garda Code of Ethics. They create a digital presentation or poster showing how specific ethical principles (like 'Honesty' or 'Respect') protect the rights of citizens.

Discuss why it's important to respect people who work in justice.

Facilitation Tip

During Collaborative Investigation: The Garda Code, provide highlighters and printed excerpts so students can annotate key clauses as they read.

What to look for

Present students with short scenarios (e.g., 'Someone is speeding', 'Two friends are arguing over a toy'). Ask them to identify whether a Garda or a judge would be the primary person to address the situation and briefly explain their reasoning.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Begin with a brief, neutral overview of An Garda Síochána’s history to establish context. Avoid dramatizing crime; instead, focus on everyday interactions where justice is upheld. Research shows students learn best when they first consider their own rights before examining authority figures.

Successful learning looks like students explaining how Gardaí and judges balance authority with rights. They should reference accountability systems like GSOC and articulate the Irish model of unarmed policing. Classroom discussions should show respect for due process and human dignity.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Think-Pair-Share: Policing Powers, watch for students claiming Gardaí have unlimited authority to stop or search anyone.

  Use the GSOC discussion to redirect: provide the GSOC mandate excerpt and ask students to find the clause stating that complaints against Gardaí are investigated independently.

• During Collaborative Investigation: The Garda Code, watch for assumptions that all police worldwide carry guns.

  Have students highlight the section on ‘policing by consent’ in the code and compare it to images of armed police from other countries shown on the board.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play
• Think-Pair-Share
• Inquiry Circle