coACTION_dsc_en

coACTION Project Page 4/27 Democratic School Culture Introduction: Democracy education as a core task of schools Democracy education in elementary school involves much more than teaching purely factual knowledge about elections or political systems. It is a fundamental task that aims to enable all those involved - pupils, teachers, school administrators and parents - to have a real say in the process. A central goal of school education is to enable people to competently assess social issues and actively stand up for freedom, democracy and human rights. Schools should therefore not only be places of learning, but rather living democratic spaces of experience in which democratic values and norms are not only taught, but also lived, exemplified and learned. How can this approach be taken into account in school development? We would like to begin with the following assertion as an answer: !"#$ A sustainable democratic school culture can only emerge if schools combine three crucial dimensions: Needs orientation, genuine participation and competence building. This assertion may seem bold at first glance, but the following explanations will prove it. Specifically, we want to show how William Glasser's basic psychological needs, Sherry Arnstein's ladder of participation and the Council of Europe's Reference Framework for Democratic Competences (RFCDC) interlock. In our opinion, this interplay forms the foundation for developing deeply rooted democratic competencies in schools, enabling people - children and adults alike - to take responsibility, cooperate with others and actively stand up for democratic values. Co- determination School management Teachers Pupils Parents