Democratic Spaces: How Teachers Establish and Sustain Democracy and Education in Their Classrooms

Authors

Julia Collins, Crane Country Day SchoolFollow
Michael E. Hess, Ohio University - Main CampusFollow
Charles L. Lowery, Ohio University - Main CampusFollow

Abstract

Democratic education focuses on developing students using democratic principles and processes in the classroom. In this study, we aim to understand how self-identified democratic educators practice democratic education in public-school classrooms. Nine participants, teachers in K12 schools, were interviewed for this qualitative study. In investigating how public-school teachers implemented and sustained democratic education in their classrooms, six themes emerged—fostering relationships, empowering students, and teaching and using democratic skills, democratic educative structure, democratic teacher praxis, and obstacles.

Response to this Article

Rick Ayers, The Struggle for Strong Democracy: We Need to Go Deeper

Recommended Citation

Collins, J. , Hess, M. E. , Lowery, C. L. (2019). Democratic Spaces: How Teachers Establish and Sustain Democracy and Education in Their Classrooms. Democracy and Education, 27 (1), Article 3.
Available at: https://democracyeducationjournal.org/home/vol27/iss1/3