2. Task and key questions for conditions of teaching and learning

2.1 Task

2.2 Key questions

• What do I know about the class?
• What characteristics of the class should I take into account and respond to?
• How do I want to, or how must I lead the class (communication, social behaviour, disturbed relationships, etc.)?
• What is the class atmosphere like (developments in the group, ties of friendship, outsiders, etc.)?
• Which conventions are to be adhered to (language, duties, seating, rules of social interaction, rituals, special occasions, ceremonies and parties, etc.)?
• What is the size of the class, and what is its structure (gender, multicultural variety, etc.)?

• What general experience, skills and knowledge do I have?
• To what extent is my knowledge incomplete – referring to contents and subject matter, objectives, suitable teaching methods and the processes of learning?
• In which fields do I wish to learn myself (knowledge, teaching methods, professional skills, personal qualities, routine, etc.)?
• Which concept of human nature serves as my general guideline?
• What is the theoretical framework, or the simplified version of a theory, which guides my work as a teacher?
• How would I describe and classify my relationship to my students?
• Where are my personal limits, as far as working hours, stress, etc., are concerned? How do I make use of my personal working capacity?
• How can I reduce my workload by better planning, both of my work and other activities?
• How do I use, and economise on, my time budget, and how do I deal with sources of personal stress?

• How do I account for the time of the day or year, and the disposable teaching time?
• How has the classroom been designed?
• How is the school equipped: quantity and variety of rooms, available media, materials, etc?
• What framework is provided in terms of school culture (joint projects for different age groups, team work and team obligations, co-operation with parents, authorities or experts for children with specific needs, etc.)?

• Empathy, devotion (responsiveness to feelings, thoughts, views and needs), benevolent acceptance (personal esteem does not depend on any conditions), sincerity, stability, reliability
• Leadership in a spirit of esteem and respect (emotional devotion, inductive reasoning, authoritative control, support of social Integration and democracy)

Relationships and communication in the class

• Mutual understanding
• Symmetrie relationships
• Sexually non-discriminating co-education
• Meeting other people
• Friendship
  • Verbal and non-verbal communication
  • Adopting other perspectives and points of view
  • Self-perception and pereeption by others

Atmosphere of conflict prevention

• Fair and caring Community, Community of learners, shared responsibilities (teachers and students – both male and female)
• Co-operation, not competition
  • Social learning
  • Rules and Conventions
  • Meta-communication and meta-interaction
  • Limitation and reinforcement

Educational measures

• Conflict resolution talks
• “Round table”
• Games
• Co-operation as guideline for modifying personal behaviour
• Supportive feedback
• Individual responsibilities
• Punishment
• Dealing with bullying and violence and in the class or school

• Order is necessary under all circumstances. A group without order and basic rules cannot be democratic.
• Limits are necessary. Rules may be wrong or inappropriate. But as long as they have not been replaced they must be respected. It must, however, be possible to change them.
• From the very beginning, children should participate in setting up and enforcing rules. Only in this way is it possible for them to identify with the rules.
• A classroom community cannot function without mutual trust and respect. In some cases it may prove difficult to create such an atmosphere.
• Team spirit must replace competition in the classroom.
• A friendly classroom atmosphere is of vital importance.
• The social skills of the teacher have an essential contribution to make (democratic leadership, developing a feeling of belonging to the group, building up relationships, etc.).
• Group communication is a permanent reality in a democratically led class.
• Students, both boys and girls, must be encouraged to explore something new and to learn from mistakes.
• Within the limits set, it must be possible to exercise liberties. Only in this way is it possible for individual responsibility to develop.
• Discipline and order will be accepted and complied with most willingly if they help each individual to express himself or herself, and if they support the group in developing satisfying relationships and working conditions.

Teachers have to lead and accompany the class. This is their task. They have to decide on various things and also control everything. What teachers should not do is to aim at also controlling thinking processes and personal development of their students. Especially in EDC/HRE, the teacher becomes a role model for his/her students. How does he/she deal with conflicts? What idea of people does he/ she promote? The following list gives a clue where one can position oneself. But it is clear, however, that according to learning situation, mood of the day, moments of danger or set-up of the group of students, etc., it can make sense to be more autocratic or to be more democratic. Generally it is important to note: my idea of a person as a teacher will leave an imprint on my daily work with the students.

If a teacher decides to organise the classroom more democratically this is connected with a big goal. The following table shows the steps that could be taken.

1. Where do I stand in which aspects?
2. Which aspect do I choose for tomorrow, for next week, next year?
3. How do I act as a teacher in order to make my school benefit from my learning progress?

EDC/HRE and the way to a democratic atmosphere cannot only take place in the classroom but also have to be developed within the school. In this respect, the most important key player is the school principal.

Within the Council of Europe EDC/HRE materials the tool “Democratic governance of schools” suggests key areas to work in and steps to take on the way to school as a democratic community (see also Unit 5 in this part, Work files 15-18).

These four key areas are:

1. Governance, leadership, management and public accountability
2. Value-centred education
3. Co-operation, communication and involvement: competitiveness and self-determination
4. Student discipline

Governance, leadership, management and public accountability

Various stakeholders such as legislators, local school boards, trade unions, students and parents as well as local communities make demands of school leadership. How are these challenges met by the school leader? What kind of management is applied by him/her in the school? Is leadership built on consensus and trust or is leadership characterised by mistrust and rivalry? How are responsibilities shared in the school? How is diversity dealt with by the school leader? And how does the school show accountability towards different stakeholders?

Value-centred education

How do values such as democracy, human rights and respect for diversity appear in formal and informal contexts in a school? How are values and social skills promoted as a prerequisite for peaceful co-existence in the modern globalised society? How are these values given thought in the school?

Co-operation, communication and involvement: competitiveness and self-determination

School is not separated from the rest of society or from the real world. How does a school communicate internally and externally? How does a school co-operate internally and externally? Does the school resemble more a dissociated company or does it resemble a door to the rest of society through its ways and modes of communication and involvement? What does a school mission statement say? How much is the school determined to put into practice its set goals when communicating and opening itself to the rest of society?

Student discipline

A lot of people work together in a school. What forces should be used to maintain discipline and order in a democratically governed school? What makes students follow given rules, and what makes them oppose them? Does a democratic school mean chaos without the students following any rules?