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