A democratic school is an alternative school where classes are voluntary, learning is self-directed with no set curriculum, and the school itself is run as far as possible by direct democracy, with students and teachers holding an equal voice in decisions. Students are free to spend their time as they choose so long as they keep the rules set by the school community, and the model is meant to put democratic education into practice while supporting self-directed learning. The term was first used by the Democratic School of Hadera, founded in 1987. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Core ClaimIn a democratic school, classes are voluntary, learning is self-directed without a set curriculum, and the school is run as far as possible by direct democracy giving students and teachers an equal voice. 1 FAQs
How are decisions made in a democratic school?
Through a school meeting where every student and staff member has an equal vote.
Most democratic schools hold a school meeting, often weekly, that is open to all children and adults and acts as the highest decision-making body. Everyone has an equal vote regardless of age, so a student's vote counts as much as a teacher's, and the meeting is usually chaired by a student. The guiding idea is that those who are affected by a decision make it. Practice varies: some schools have founders or principals who keep the final say on certain matters, and not every meeting decides on finances or safety rules.
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Source Democratic school (Wikipedia)
Long-Form Articles
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1. Democratic school (Wikipedia)
Lead section
The term was first used by the Democratic School of Hadera in 1987.
Definition
Classes are voluntary. Learning is self-directed and takes place without a curriculum. The school is run to the greatest possible extent by a direct democracy in which students and teachers have an equal voice in decision-making.
View the SourceDemocratic school (Wikipedia)
Lead section
A Democratic School refers to an alternative school that meets the following criteria: Classes are voluntary.
In Group: Alternative and Democratic Schooling Ideas, intro of the article
Learning is self-directed and takes place without a curriculum.
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