Democratic School Research Articles

Civil Disobedience in Democratic Education

The study’s goal was to examine the tension between democratic school governance, requiring its participants to obey school rules, even though they might disagree with those rules, and personal responsibility, requiring the participants to act morally, in accordance with their conscience and their sense of what is right and makes sense for them, regardless of the democratic nature of the imposed school rules. This examination was based on three sources: 1) three Open Symposia with American and Russian democratic educationalists, 2) my review of the existing literature on civil disobedience and democratic education, and 3) my empirical study based on the interviews of participants of an American private democratic school, known as The Circle School, regarding their instances of civil disobedience. The three Open Symposia allowed me to develop a working definition of civil disobedience as a particular principled disobedience. One important finding arising from these Open Symposia was that neither democratic educator could come up with an example of civil disobedience in democratic schools. My literature analysis revealed four types of civil disobedience: instrumental, existential, safeguarding, and expedient. The participants of my interviews in a democratic school – current teenage students, staff, and alumni – reported many instances of diverse types of civil disobedience, but primarily existential. Despite a lack of discussions of civil disobedience in the school, I discovered that the democratic school apparently promotes civil disobedience as its unintended curriculum by promoting and supporting students’ authorial agency, aiming at the students deciding what is good for them, and opposing educational paternalism.

On the Legislative Reform in Albanian Pre-University System Related to Democratic School Governance and Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights in Accordance with the Un Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Objective: The aim of this study is to invesigate and assessment of the level of alignment of Albanian legislation with the requirements of of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a specific focus on SDG 4 (Quality Education) and EU documents. Identification of issues and problems that should be the subject of the following legislative reform is the main objective of the study. Methodology: The study was carried out as a desk study. The legislative framework that deals with issues of reform in the pre-university education system, the documents of the Council of Europe that deal with the principles, standards and issues that should be the subject of reforms related to Democratic School Governance, Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights in the perspective of SDG 4 were analyzed. Results and Discussion: The Albanian legislative framework has created supporting conditions for carrying out an effective reform on the pre-university education system. The implementation of policies and programs to support capacity building to Democratic School Governance, Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights is being carried out in accordance with the requirements of EU documents and SDG 4. The study has identified the issues that should be the future subjects of the reform in the pre-university education system. Contributions: This study contributes to the academic discussion on issues related to Democratic School Governance, Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights as important objectives of reform in the pre-university education system in Albania. The assessment of the level of compliance of the Albanian legislation with the requests of the Council of Europe, the identification of gaps, problems and issues that should be addressed in the framework of the reform of the pre-university education system are the contributions of this study.

PAI Teacher's Perspective on Educational Democracy in Elementary School 200515 Padangsidimpuan

The purpose of this article is to examine how is the PAI teachers’ perspective on Educational Democracy. Where this article used qualitative as an approach. Education as a right for all mankind, is seen as a unifier in social life. Education is not only a way to become a better individual, but also seen as an increase in a person's status. In this case, it becomes an interesting discussion related to educational democracy which views education as being for everyone without siding with one group only. Educational democracy is also in line with Islamic views. This is an important study on how to implement educational democracy from the perspective of teachers, especially Islamic Religious Education teachers in schools. A teacher's perspective on equitable education is a benchmark for the success of educational democracy in schools. This article presents interviews with two Islamic Religious Education teachers at elementary school 200515 Padangsidimpuan as a form of their perspective on educational democracy and also observations as a form of deepening information about educational democracy in schools.

Migration & the Quest for Educational Equity in Germany

Abstract Germany has undergone a significant transformation from a nation that saw itself as culturally homogeneous to a society characterized by diversity and immigration. The education system, however, continues to struggle to meet the needs of children and young people from diverse backgrounds. This manifests in forms of unequal treatment and discrimination that impede the effective integration and education of students from different ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and religious groups. This is particularly true for students from nonacademic, low-socioeconomic status backgrounds, as well as for students from immigrant families: categories that frequently overlap. However, there are promising educational interventions and initiatives that address issues of democracy, diversity, and equal opportunity in schools. I provide an overview of select issues in the production and reproduction of inequality in the German school system and in everyday teaching practices, with a focus on including students of immigrant origin.

The Lau decision and the San Diego National Origin Desegregation Assistance Center

ABSTRACT This article documents the San Diego National Origin Desegregation Assistance Center (NODAC), one of the nine national centers established by the U.S. Office of Education to provide technical assistance to school districts cited under Section 601 of Title VI, from the Office for Civil Rights, to meet the Lau compliance requirement based on the Lau v. Nichols Supreme Court decision (Title VI. 42 U. S. C). Additionally, it provides insights into the ideological and political challenges and triumphs of implementing federal mandates for educational equity. The focus of this article is on the San Diego NODAC which provided technical assistance to the Southern California area consisting of 10 counties with the highest concentration of national origin students in the nation. This evaluation case study documents the work, process, and impact, of the San Diego NODAC and reflects on the enforcement of the Lau Task Force Remedies under the Region IX U.S. Office of Civil Rights, the process used by the NODAC, and the organizational receptivity and perceptions of school districts personnel responsible for coordinating compliance at or beyond minimal compliance. This article concludes with an evaluation process using lessons learned by the NODAC based on more than a decade of work and advocacy for students’ equal access to opportunity, quality bilingual education, and democratic schooling.

Talking the Talk, or Walking the Walk? How Managerial Practices Relate to Nonprofit Organizations’ Role as Schools of Democracy

Nonprofit organizations are touted as “schools of democracy” that teach civic skills and values, but their increasing use of managerial practices from the business world may endanger this role. We examine the relationships between nonprofits’ managerial practices, practices of organizational democracy, and endorsement of public participation. Using organizational-level survey data from the Viennese metropolitan area, we find that the extent to which nonprofits use managerial practices negatively relates to their degree of organizational democracy. However, greater use of democratic and managerial practices positively relates to endorsing public participation. We conclude that managerialization often turns nonprofits from practitioners into mere preachers of democracy.

School Democracy and Increased Student Diversity

School Democracy and Increased Student Diversity

The Role of Teacher in the Success of Inclusive Education

The process of adopting and implementing inclusive education is endless with the aim of continuously increasing children's participation in cultures, schools and curricula and not a stage that a school can reach at some point in its operation. It consists of a constant effort to discover, adopt and formulate good practices in the direction of continuous improvement in providing equal opportunities to students (Angelidis, 2011). The goal of a democratic school, a school of equal opportunities, is, that is, permanently active. Moreover, the inclusion does not only concern the teaching practice, but reflects the whole school life (Tsagalidis, 2016). Essential part in giving equal opportunities to all students is the role of teacher in a school settings. Thiw paper will examine the role of the teacher in the success of inclusive education.

THE PEDAGOGICAL COORDINATOR AND HIS TASKS FACING DEMOCRATIC MANAGEMENT

The present work deals with the pedagogical coordinator in democratic school management. Democratic school management originated in the 1970s and 1980s, when the state decentralized its power. It is important that this management occurs, so that the elements involved feel part of the decision-making processes and solutions of problems, exercising democracy in search of the collective benefit. The pedagogical coordinator plays a fundamental role in this type of management, not being a leader or an authority, but an articulating leader, who harmonizes the relationships between school, student, teacher, director, community, parents and others involved, always giving priority to the pedagogical proposal decided by team and the qualification of the learning teaching process.

Local Democratic School: Community Social Training for Improving the Quality of Democracy

The lack of awareness and knowledge among the Banjar community regarding government participation and transparency led to the implementation of the community service activity at the Local Democratic School. The purpose of this community service is to provide education to the community about democracy and governance. The community service method, using the participatory action research approach, began with an initial survey, focus group discussions, and training targeting KPU partners, attended by 25 participants serving as the Election Committee in each village or neighborhood across Banjar City. Through a series of concrete and collaborative steps, it is expected to establish a stronger foundation for inclusive and sustainable democracy at the local level, enhancing community involvement and contribution to positive changes in social structures and public policies. The duration of this PkM activity is seven months, from March to September 2023. The outcomes of the activity received positive feedback from the community, with a 91% response rate from participants indicating an understanding of various topics covered, including local content, governance, civil society, gender and democracy, welfare state, Pancasila democracy, sociopreneurship, law and human rights, and citizen participation in government. The implication is that this program can enhance community understanding and involvement in creating positive changes in social structures and public policies at the local level.

Modernity and democracy in normal school: the School Republic in the 1920 reform in São Paulo (Brazil)

ABSTRACT At a time when extremist movements are gaining proportions on the world stage, it is relevant to reanalyse experiences that intended to establish democracy as a principle in school education. The School Republic was one of them, which was proposed by the Sampaio Dória Reform, in 1920, taking the New School as its context; the School Republic aimed to promote modernity and provide students with knowledge and experience, and incorporate democracy. The School Republic was a student association that had the function of practical learning in civic education. Organised along the lines of a presidential republic, the association should have its own constitution to govern its operation. This article aims to analyse the School Republic proposal and its role in teacher education for democracy and to map the experiences of implementing school republics in normal schools. The starting point is that by having self-government as its axis, the student association would promote new configurations and change the constituted ethos and habitus, threatening the established and inscribed power of principals and teachers in normal schools. For Sampaio Dória, students should learn to live in a democracy through civic activities. Among other changes promoted by the reform, the more horizontal relationship between teacher and student seems to have shaken the school field, ending the school republic

Incidence of Student Participation in The Democratic Culture of School Municipalities

Purpose: Determine to what extent student participation affects the democratic culture of School Municipalities. Theoretical Framework: Focuses on the importance of developing a democratic culture through student participation in spaces such as school municipalities, based on the theories of John Dewey and Roger Hart. Method: A quantitative approach was used with a causal correlational design and a sample of 230 students between 12 and 17 years old, selected from a population of 569 members of the school municipalities through probabilistic sampling. Results and Discussion: It was found that 32.6% of students consider student participation positive, while 33.9% perceive it negatively. Furthermore, 68.3% report a regular perception of the democratic culture in school municipalities. Although there are spaces for participation, student involvement remains low on many occasions. Research Implications: This study seeks to promote democratic culture through student participation in school, thus contributing to improving educational management and aligning with the objectives of sustainable development in education. Originality: Offers a perspective on the role of educational institutions in building a democratic school community through student participation. Conclusion: Student participation has a significant impact (82.5%) on the democratic culture of the School Municipalities, which supports the study hypothesis. It is crucial that students understand their role as citizens and actively participate in school life to build a strong democratic culture.

Pupils’ right to inclusion in an urban Finnish lower secondary school: a Bernsteinian analysis of pupils’ social relations

Finnish schools are famous for their egalitarian principles, but they face challenges related to pupils’ equal opportunities and, more broadly, democratic schooling. In this article, we examine the lived consequences of a growing challenge, school segregation, using Basil Bernstein’s concepts of inclusion and classification. Our analysis is based on ethnographic data produced in a lower secondary school located in a relatively disadvantaged residential area in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Finland. First, we explore how the classification of pupils from different social class and ethnic backgrounds is present in the school. Second, we analyse how the strength of this classification affects pupils’ right to inclusion. We conclude that weak boundaries between pupils, and thus weak classification, construct an inclusive school community. However, the different categories—social class, ethnicity or other—intersect, and the strength of their classification varies, which in turn affects pupils’ peer relations and feelings of belonging.

Children’s Voice as a Parameter of Ryan’s Model for Promoting Inclusive Education: The Case of Greece

The choice of the appropriate model of educational leadership for the promotion of inclusive education is a key issue for contemporary educational policy. This paper focused on the role of children’s participation in democratic school leadership based on the Ryan model in order to promote good inclusive education practices in primary schools. Five school principals from different schools in Athens, Greece, participated in this research. The research showed that involving children in school leadership through a range of activities can enhance the participation of all children in the daily life of the school. This article concludes with a discussion, suggestions and limitations on using student voice as part of school leadership to strengthen inclusive education.

Getting to Know Democracy in the Primary School Environment

Education is a need for everyone. From time to time, education always experiences developments in a better direction, such as the implementation of educational democracy in learning which carries the concept of giving students freedom to express opinions, express objections, and also have equal opportunities without any distinction in terms of ethnicity, race and class. This research aims to determine the application of educational democracy in the student learning process in elementary schools. This research uses a literature study method where information is obtained from journals, articles, and sites available on the web and analyzed using a qualitative approach using information analysis techniques through four stages, namely searching for information, reducing information, presenting information, and drawing conclusions. The research results show that students are currently not only used as learning objects but also as subjects who are involved in discussions during the learning process. Therefore, it is hoped that masters will be able to create a democratic learning environment for students. Educational democracy is realized in democratic school learning, namely by involving all parties such as teachers, students and other parties involved in education (Zahrawati B, 2018).

GESTÃO DEMOCRÁTICA ESCOLAR: POSSIBILIDADES E DESAFIOS EM UM SISTEMA NEOLIBERAL VIGENTE NO BRASIL.

The present work aimed to analyze possibilities and challenges in the consolidation of democratic management in Brazil, a capitalist country. The study, based on bibliographic analyses and field research, was organized into three chapters, which will be presented to understand the challenges and possibilities of action regarding democratic management in schools. Within this perspective, we analyzed the neoliberal capitalist system and its implications for the educational context. We also reflected on the Brazilian economic and social system in order to understand its interrelation with Brazilian education. It was necessary to conduct a study on democratic school management in public schools. To do so, a visit was made to a school, where we could observe the management. We studied its pedagogical political project, observed the actions carried out in school management, and conducted interviews in order to understand the organization of the management of this school. Theoretically, we relied on Libâneo (2009), Saviani (2002), Frigotto (2003), Paro (2001), Dourado (2001), and Sapelli (2004), among other scholars. This study proved to be important not only to understand the challenges imposed by the economic system on education but also to point out the possibilities of action in the face of these challenges. Its importance also lies in the possibility of indicating a transformative bias for the implementation of democratic management in public schools in the state of Paraná

‘Because it’s your education, not mine’: a retrospective on student voice in curriculum decisions and school policy

ABSTRACT Student voice has held a prominent place in the tradition of progressive and democratic schools and classrooms around the world. Once engaged it offers a chance to develop and use crucial skills for democratic living and to shape meaningful contexts for learning as students bring their own personal questions, cultural experiences, resources, and prior skills to curriculum planning and school policy. At the same time, engaging student voice raises concerns about curriculum design, teacher and student roles, student expectations, and school politics, as well as the need for scaffolding and support for both teachers and students. This paper outlines the rationale for student voice, a framework to consider options for teacher and student voice in curriculum planning, and a number of examples of student voice in curriculum planning, school policy, classroom organisation, and school culture drawn from the author’s long involvement with student voice projects.

A happy system crasher at home and in conventional and democratic schools

Often, “system crashers” are portrayed as disturbed children (students) who actively break the institutional system work and disturb relationships with other people. However, some system crashers are perfectly happy children who, precisely due to their happiness, liveliness, and rich imagination, do not fit into a conventional school. In this paper, I provide a detailed case of such a happy system crasher at home and in conventional and democratic schools. I found out that at home, the parents of the system crasher often reflected and rethought their parenting practices, priorities, and values to shelter their child’s happy life, often at a great expense for themselves. In contrast, the conventional school either ignored or punished the happy system crasher to preserve its institutional practices and keep them smooth. I hypothesize that conventional school is aimed at promoting a disciplinary society by making students convenient, obedient, and useful citizens at the expense of the student’s authorial agency. In contrast, parents and democratic schools address a happy system crasher’s disruption of their lives by rethinking and renegotiating their practices. Finally, I argue that happy system crashers are essential for Democratic and Dialogic Education.

Preparing teachers for critical global and democratic practice: shifting inquiries into the teaching of democracy and global citizenship in teacher education

AbstractThere is an ongoing and increasingly pressing need to prepare teachers and students for a still globalising world. Such work requires that we contemplate how we are preparing learners to think globally and embody critical practices of citizenship. Much work has been done in this space yet there is little work that focuses on teacher educators and their respective views of global citizenship education, the primary paradigm through which the global context and civic action converge. Recognising the important role that teachers play in this educational process and the evolving nature of the notions of citizenship and democracy, this project focuses on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) to understand how teacher educators envisage their roles in preparing pre-service teachers (PSTs) to teach about democracy in schools. To learn how teacher educators understand global citizenship education as part of their research and teaching, we undertook a small case study wherein we interviewed teacher educators to solicit their views of global citizenship education. Through a presentation of the voices of teacher educators, we argue that there is a pressing need for those working in global citizenship education to consider how to better support teacher educators to navigate what we argue are two consistent themes: (a) a complex and unclear conceptual terrain that teacher educators find themselves navigating and; (b) an ever increasing set of regulatory and institutional hurdles that make enacting critical global citizenship challenging.

Fail to plan, plan to fail. Are education policies in England helping teachers to deliver on the promise of democracy?

AbstractThis paper examines three questions: (1) (How) Is democracy promoted in secondary schools in England? (2) How is the promotion of democracy understood in education and teacher education policy? and (3) To what extent does existing education policy benefit the promotion of democracy in schools in England? To explore these questions, we first discuss the policy landscape surrounding democratic education in England. We then outline our data collection and analysis methods, which comprised (a) the coding of ten different policy documents, including curriculum specifications, teaching standards and inspection frameworks, and (b) the utilisation of an original survey of more than 3000 teachers working in approximately 50% of all secondary schools in England. Together, our data allow us to raise three important points. First, education and teacher education policy neglects to specify ‘how’ democracy should be promoted and by ‘whom’. Second, schools are offering scant provision of democratic education. Third, the majority of teachers feel fundamentally underprepared to teach democracy. We conclude this paper by arguing that, if policymakers do wish to promote democracy, there is a need for a cohesive policy and teacher education approach that guarantees democratic education for all.