Active School Democracy To Live and To Learn
Sep 06, 2014
Active School Democracy
To Live and To Learn
Comenius School Development Project
2006-2009
Germany – Hungary – Italy – Portugal -Turkey
Year 1Teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about
democracy
What is democracy?
Germany Hungary Italy Portugal Turkey
freedom of expression
cooperation & activ
participationfreedom of expression,
equal opportuni-
ties
equal opportunitie
s
equal opportunitie
s
free & secret
electionsfree & secret
electionssharing
responsibili-ties,
cooperation& active
participation
cooperation and active participatio
n
division of power
freedom of expression
expression &
submission to the will
of majority
freedom of expression
(top 3 results)
What is school democracy?
Germany
Hungary Italy Portugal Turkey
participation & respect of
rules
learning - a right and a
duty
participation & respect of
rules
participation & respect of
rules
participation & respect of
rules Who makes the rules will apply them and control
their application
participation & respect of
rules
sharing clearly defined
responsibilities
sharing clearly defined
responsibilitiesschool for everyone
learning - a right and a
duty
Who makes the rules will apply them and control
their application
school for everyone
school for everyone
sharing clearly defined
responsibilities
(top 3 results)
Where can you find information related to the democratic operation of your school?
Germany
Hungary Italy Portugal Turkey
program of the school
pedagogical program
school regulations
minutes of meetings
local admiinistrati
on
law of the school school policy pedagogical
offercode of conduct colleagues
arrangement of school
quality management
school regulations for teachers and students
executive board
student adviser service
(top 3 results)
To what extent do you know the documents of
your school?
How easily can you access these documents in your
school?
How easy to understand are the documents
regulating school life?
To what extent do you apply these documents in your
everyday practice?
Do you think it is a teacher’s duty to know
these documents?
What do you think about the documents and procedures
ensuring the democratic functioning of the school?German
yHungar
y Italy Portugal Turkeydiscuss
with colleagues
use/apply them
use/apply them
Use/apply them
discuss with
colleagues
important to update regularly
important to update regularly
discuss with
colleagues
discuss with
colleagues
participated in
elaboration
participated in
elaboration
discuss with
colleagues
participated in
elaboration
uselessimportant to update regularly
(top 3 results)
What can hinder the democratic operation of a
school?German
yHungar
y Italy Portugal Turkeytoo many regulation
slack of interest
lack of interest
lack of interest
lack of information; interest
old routines & reflexes
democratic
decisions – no
change
lack of informatio
n
lack of informatio
n
decisions are not taken in
democratic manner
helpless-ness
lack of informatio
n
old routines & reflexes
Contradicto-ry
regulations
people don’t know how to
use opportunities
(top 3 results)
How can the democratic operation be improved?German
yHungar
y Italy Portugal Turkey
fewer, straightforwar
d & more transparent regulation
fewer, straightforwar
d & more transparent regulation
re-evaluating
teacher roles
clear definition of rights &
duties training
revision of democratic framework
clear definition of rights &
duties
training, staff
development
fewer, straightforwar
d & more transparent regulation
fewer, straightforwar
d & more transparent regulation
re-evaluating
teacher roles
revision of democratic framework
greater transparen
-cy
re-evaluating teacher
roles
clear definition of rights &
duties
For the democratic operation of the
school...German
yHungar
y Italy Portugal Turkey
put in time & energy
my contributi
on is important
my contributi
on is important
my contributi
on is important
i’d like to be
actively involved
my contributi
on is important
i will have to grow
professionally & personally
i’d like to be
actively involved
my contributi
on is important
left as it isi would be
willing to put in time & energy
everything has been
solved
put in time & energy
Risks and dangers of school
democracy...abuse and misuse of democracy and rights, excess, immaturity, misinterpretation of rights
and opportunities, parents’ and students’ interference into professional matters, lay people can decide, leading
personality influences the decision, the majority decides without thinking, students are more
aware of their rights than their responsibilites, majority vote against unpopular, but useful
suggestions, overregulation, weakening work discipline
no opinion