Theories of Democratic Teaching

(Rudolf Dreikurs)

Definition & Description

Rudolf Dreikurs ideas in

classroom discipline

All students

have inborn

need for

belonging

Learning

occurs best in

democratic

classroom

Students unable to satisfy the

needs

Mistaken goal can

help them satisfy the

needs

Seek attention,

seek power, seek

revenge, withdraw

from class activity

Turn to think

that Lead

students to

To solve this problem, Dreikurs suggest

Democratic teaching.

Definition of

O Democratic teaching

O A theory which allows students to take part

in the teaching and learning activities along

with the teacher.

Key concepts of Dreikurs Theory

O Identify and address mistaken goals of

misbehaviour.

O Act as democratic rather than autocratic

or permissive.

O Use logical consequences rather than

punishment.

O Understand the difference between praise

and encouragement.

Democratic teachers O Democratic teachers are neither permissive

nor autocratic.

O Democratic teachers provide firm guidance

and leadership by establishing rules and

consequences.

O For democratic teachers, freedom comes

from discipline.

O To the extent that students understand that

consequences follow behaviour, they are then free

to choose behaviour that will attain their legitimate

needs.

Democratic Classrooms O Democratic classrooms are where the

curriculum actively engages students in

collaborative inquiry

O Example:

O decision making is shared between students

and staff

O students choose their daily activities

O Democratic classrooms help students

become active citizens and preparing them

for participation in a democratic society.

Source: RMC Corporation, Denver, CO, May 2004

O In democratic classroom;

O Students and teachers work together to

make students learning a contribution to

their community

O Students demonstrate their learning in

public settings and receive public

feedback

O Students have choice, both as individuals

and as groups, within the parameters

provided by the teacher

O Students actively work with problems,

ideas, materials, and people.

The approaches

The strategies

Approaches

O Teachers withdrawing as an authority figure

O teachers can redirect students ambitions for power

by having them participate in making decisions or

giving directions.

O According to Dreikurs, logical consequences

referred to reasonable results that follow behaviour

either desirable or non-desirable.

O typically require students to make right of what they

have done wrong

For example,

O If students do not complete their work during class, they are required to do it for homework. In a democratic classroom, the students would know in advance the consequences of their misbehaviour because as part of the classroom they helped formulate the consequences.

One of the example of

Democratic Teaching

approach that can be used in

the classroom is

Class meetings

Class meetings

O opportunities for students to engage

in open talk and debate

O time for the entire class community to

come together

O discuss topics that didn't have to

connect directly to what we were

studying in other parts of our

curriculum.

O talk about a wide variety of

topics and issues

O Some meetings were about

current events, others focused

on news from our lives

O Some meetings emphasized

problem solving, and many

were on topics my students

raised.

O Students can voice out opinions

O Other students can agree or

disagree with the opinions

Strategies

O Provide lessons with social interest in

mind.

O Provide a teaching environment that

supports students sense of belonging.

O Come up with a set of classroom rules

as a group.

O Support responsibility through freedom

of choices in lesson plans.

O Encourage students rather than praise

them.

O Provide students with logical

consequences to mistaken goals to

support responsibility and avoid

punishment.

Dreikurs's claims that the following 8

conditions foster a democratic classroom:

1. The establishment of order.

2. The setting of limits.

3. The use of firmness and kindness:

Firmness from teachers shows that they

respect themselves.

Kindness shows their respect for others.

4. Involving student when establishing and

maintaining rules.

5. Leadership from the teacher.

6. Inviting cooperation and eliminating

destructive competition.

7. Promoting a sense of belonging within a

group.

8. Encouraging an atmosphere of freedom to

explore, discover, and choose acceptable

behaviour through understanding the

responsibilities and consequences

associated with it.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

O Democratic classrooms and teaching styles.

O Gives opportunity for the students to participate

in the teaching and learning process.

O The power is not restricted for teacher only

(authoritative).

O Mutual respect motivates students to

behave constructively.

O This occurs out of their heightened sense of

social interest.

OPraise supports completion.

OEncouragement supports the

process.

OLogical consequences produce

better results than punishment.

OPromotes respect and

communication among teacher

and students.

O Allows students to take responsibilities

for their own actions to help establish

class rules.

O Compliments good teaching by

providing a caring classroom

community using student centered

techniques.

Weaknesses

O Might be difficult for teachers to identify

and understand students reasons for

misbehaving.

O Teachers may not be able to respond

properly and to provide logical

consequences for all misbehaviour.

O Some deep emotional problems that

lead to serious feeling of inadequacy or

to elaborate plan for revenge might

require professional counseling skills.

O Teachers who are inherently autocratic

or permissive might have difficulty

adopting democratic perspectives.

Practicality

Practicality of Democratic Teaching in a Malaysian primary ESL classroom.

O Suitable to be used in dealing with

problematic students.

O Uses different approach.

O Gives students opportunity to

correct their misbehaviour.

There is always a reason behind

most difficult behaviour

Students with difficult behaviour

should be treated with dignity,

respect and compassion

~In conclusion, Dreikurs'

greatest contribution lies, not in

how to suppress undesired

behaviour in the short term but

in how to build in students an

inner sense of responsibility

and respect for themselves and

others.~

References

O 29/01/2013 Teacher Matters 2013. http://www.teachermatters.com/classroom-discipline/models-of-discipline/the-dreikers-model.html

O RMC Corporation, Denver, CO, May 2004

O 30/01/2013 New World Encyclopedia http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Rudolf_Dreikurs

O 30/01/2013 Prezi.com http://prezi.com/94y-r1dc3p1d/exploring-the-theories-of-democratic-teaching-rudolph-dreikurs/

O 02/02/2013 http://ulyarosyita.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-is-difference-between-strategy.html

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By

Nurul Ain Binti Rahman

Ahmad Muhaymin Bin Ishak

Ahmad Syafiq Bin Harazi

THANK YOU