Democracy is something one best understands through living. Classrooms represent miniature versions of society, and students, like many adult citizens, often do not take an active part in decision making. Sometimes students wonder, "Why does it matter what I think about an issue? Who cares about my opinion? Is it my concern if it is not affecting me right now?"
But I find myself asking, "Whose classroom is this, anyway?" Creating a democratic classroom environment means involving students, on a regular basis and in developmentally appropriate ways, in shared decision making that makes them responsible as well as "respons-able" (a term used by Stephen Covey to denote someone who is capable of responding to an issue).
The dilemma I faced was figuring out how to bring this mentality into the classroom and foster a democratic environment. I realized my 12th grade students needed to be taught two qualities to become proactive citizens of tomorrow: to have a voice and to have a choice. And so our journey began.
Phase One involved using the 20-minute period designated for advisory meetings each morning to engage in lively discussions. The first step toward achieving democracy in the classroom is letting go of your authoritarian role. Initially, you may feel an uncomfortable loss of control because the classes that are participating actively in the discussions are not the quiet and well-controlled ones. It's important to set the rules for discussion so that everyone gets a chance to express his or her opinion and then allow students to speak their minds.
Every morning, my class sits in a circle and discusses various topics. Initially I suggested the topics, but students later started coming up with the topics themselves. They can include ethics in business, political issues, social problems concerning the community, gender bias, and classroom-related problems—in fact, anything under the sun. Some students jumped right into the exercise, but I noticed other students preferred not to take part. It took a while to make them understand that the opinion of each student matters.
The lessons in empathy and self-control paid off. Eventually, aggressive discussions led to more mature and logical debates, moving from fault finding to problem solving. Mahatma Gandhi's words, "Be the change you want to see in the world," were the guiding force for my students.
I can identify three distinct areas where the morning discussions have had an impact. First, the class has managed to develop its own ethical culture, and any student faltering in this responsibility is immediately prompted by his or her peers.
Second, students who are usually quiet are now confident of themselves and express their opinions more openly and frequently.
Third, I am often able to learn the other side of the story. For example, this class had problems with high absenteeism. We discovered that the problem was partially the result of the way the timetable (schedule) was drafted, as well as homework and test policies followed by the teachers. These revelations proved helpful in solving the problem amicably.
Now we are moving from Phase One (independent thinking) to Phase Two (interdependent thinking)—from tolerance to cooperation. Various management games, case studies, and classroom activities are helping us in achieving this goal.