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Programme

→ List of all speakers

During the public conference (Part B) on 4th and 5th August there will be 45 workshops/presentations arranged in 5 time blocks (sessions) about 4 subject areas.
1
Democratic Education and Society
2
Democratic Schools - chosen examples
3
Learning
4
Controversial discussions
5
Miscellaneous
Lecture
Lecture
Lecture and Discussion
Lecture and Discussion
Workshop/Discussion
Workshop/Discussion

Opening Session (Thursday 09:00 - 11:15)

 

Opening Session

  • Thomas Krüger, President of the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (Federal Center for Political Education)
    "Do we need a new school culture?"
  • Paula Sell, Lorenz Terpe (K.R.Ä.T.Z.Ä.)
    "Equal rights and human rights at school - the motivation of the hosts"
  • Otto Herz (Civil Courage Foundation, Germany) and
    Meghan Carrico (Windsor House School, Canada)
    "Devil's advocate: Do democratic schools have a place in society?"
  • David Gribble (England) and a panel of students
    Doubts and problems
    Many people have serious doubts about the effectiveness of democratic schools. Even among democratic educators there is often disagreement. There are problems in every kind of school. It is important that such doubts, disagreements and problems should be openly acknowledged. After a brief introduction a panel of students with inside experience will answer questions from the audience.
  • Organisational details
Lecture
AudiMax

Session 1 (Thursday 13:00 - 14:30)

1

Democratic Schools - an introduction

What, in fact, is a Democratic School? Using four concepts - democracy, law, freedom and responsibility - the essential characteristics of a Democratic School are presented, and the differences with state schools and other alternative school models are pointed out. People from different schools contribute their viewpoints in video clips.
Lecture
Room: H2
1

Indispensable content

Juli Gassner-Gering, New Zealand
Should students be obliged to work outside their comfort zones, to try subjects that they don't like? Is there "indispensable content"? Is there something everyone needs to learn in order to lead a successful life? The workshop will pursue these questions using the examples of "emotional intelligence" and literacy.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 117
2

Arduous freedom - a free school in Germany

A free school cannot be more free than the people who make it. Leipzig Free School has been cutting its own path for fifteen years and is turning more and more into a school where children decide how, when and what to learn. A report on day-to-day experience in the school and on the difficulties of winning acceptance from parents as well as the education authorities.
Lecture
Room: H9
2

Education for democracy in mainstream schools - illusion or reality?

The workshop presents various moderation methods: "Appreciative inquiry" as a basic principle of pedagogic work makes true participation possible even in a mainstream school. The moderation method, "WIR-WERKSTATT", was developed for work with primary school children. After getting to know the methods, the participants in the workshop will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the respective methods. The workshop will take place in the Primary School Workshop of the HU-Berlin.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: EXT
2

Human rights and democratic education - a report on the Booroobin Sudbury Democratic Centre of Learning

Ben Sheppard, Claire Greatorex, Australia
Booroobin School in Australia is having to stand up to a government and an environment which are equally unable to cope with the idea of legitimising a democratic school. Two representatives describe the situation at first hand, and tell how the school is dealing with it.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 108
3

Childhood? We don't believe in that any more!

Why is childhood thought to be a special age? It seems self-evident that childhood is a special time, but on second thoughts it proves to be an invention of our civilisation. "The child" is seen as an object: of coercive education, parental care, state tutelage, school supervision and drill - and it is supposed to be grateful for all this? But what would young people be like if they were allowed to educate themselves and develop freely according to their own feelings and needs?
Lecture and Discussion
Room: H8
3

Community dance - what is it?

In a lecture with a video and an open forum Royston Maldoom will give insights into the ethics, philosophy and practice of "community dance". His work with marginalised groups (in particular young people) of all ages, abilities, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, is based on the conviction that the ghettoisation of education is a serious impediment to the development of a healthy society.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: H21
4

Learning is life - school reform in Germany

An overview of the history of the German education system and its present state demonstrates the need for a new paradigm. In Germany there are examples of a movement from strict regimentation towards more individual responsibility in a living community. Reflections of the National Association for Natural Learning (BNVL) on school reform in Germany.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 102
4

Freinet pedagogy as a democratic approach in state schools

Hartmut Glänzel, Germany
Freinet pedagogy has a tradition of "giving children a voice". The model of the Stadt-als-Schule (city as school) in Berlin, for example, is about individual responsibility not only for the content but also for the process of learning. Harmut Glänzel illustrates this and other models.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 217
4

Democratic schools in the public education system

Are democratic schools a model for the state system? Are they in a position to meet the demands made on mainstream schools, or do they only have a niche position? A discussion with the former chair of the GEW, Eva-Maria Stange and Matthias Kern, joint founder of a democratic learning project on the Lake Constance (Baden-Württemberg).
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 400

Session 2 (Thursday 15:00 - 16:30)

1

Rules and punishments: Are they really necessary?

David Gribble, England
David Gribble discusses the sense and nonsense of rules and punishments with the participants in this workshop. Some schools solve their problems with thick, communally devised books of rules and sanction rule-breaking with punishments. Other projects and schools manage without firmly defined rules and punishments. What results do these significant differences have?
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 402
1

A critique of the principle of consensus

Martin Wilke, Germany
Democracy relies not only on binding decisions, but also on a diversity of opinions. The demand of the "principle of consensus" that we must always achieve unanimity is criticised against this background. But there is also room for improvement in the conventional methods for majority decisions. Methods will be presented that allow votes on several alternatives simultaneously, in particular, the "instant runoff" and "Condorcet" methods.
Lecture
Room: H8
2

Models of school

At Lumiar International School social diversity is an important principle. Between Brazilian state schools with underpaid teachers and elitist private schools that segregate students from the rest of society, this non-profit organization offers children from different backgrounds an opportunity to study together and get to know each other.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 117
2

Self-directed education: The perspectives of a Sudbury student

In a short lecture Michael Sappir talks about the learning in the Democratic School of Jerusalem. Afterwards the participants will have the opportunity to discuss his experiences with him and other students from different Sudbury Schools. This authentic encounter with Sudbury students leads to insights into the concept which are not directly accessible at the conference.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 217
3

Motivation and success through the flow experience

Intrinsic motivation, fresh challenges and the use of one's own talents are indispensable for every kind of learning. With the highly respected concept of "flow" Gerhard Huhn presents a key to the deeper understanding of the learning process.
Lecture
Room: H9
3

Hanging Out with Bad Company? Kids, Television, Video Games and Freedom

Kids should be free to pursue their own interests. Really? What if they just want to play video games? What if they only watch television all day? To what extent do kids need protection from these electronic and other temptations?
Workshop/Discussion
Room: H21
4

Democratic Schools in Denmark

Niels Lawaetz, Denmark
In the past, Denmark has been very proud of its school system. But what is the situation today? The results in international tests gave little pleasure. As a consequence politics and the general public demand more discipline and control. But does this not (also) result in schools producing bad results and children with no self-discipline? Or is it the fault of the lack of democracy and autonomy?
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 108
4

Rethinking Democratic Education: Curriculum and Freedom in Free Schools

Yoad Eliaz, Israel
Democratic Education is anything but free education. Free schools fight against traditional schools instead of fighting for social justice. They have neglected the core of education: the curriculum. Free schools serve the dominant ideologies of their society and promote forgetfulness, ignorance and illiteracy - Yoad Eliaz presents these these and other unusual propositions about free education in his lecture.
Lecture
Room: H2
4

Daily routine

Democracy requires everyone to participate - not by compulsion, but voluntarily. Everyone must contribute according to his ability. Equal opportunity demands individual challenges and individual support. Privileges or disadvantages based on social origin are incompatible with the idea of a democratic school. An early end to communal learning and splitting children up into separate school careers makes it harder for them to become socially competent. Examples of all children learning together will show how the development of social competences alters motivation to learn and the school atmosphere.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 102

Movie screenings (Thursday 17:00 - 18:30)

5

Voices From the New American Schoolhouse

2005, USA, Daniel J. Mydlack
A documentary on the Sudbury Model that deals with the pedagogical questions raised by this school model. The students of Fairhaven School and their view of the school take centre stage; there is no commentary from parents, teachers or voice-overs. (Language: English)

Room: H2
5

Leerjare – Germans and their Schools

1996, Germany, a DENKmal film by Claus Strigel
A documentary on the German school system in the 20th century from the series “100 German Years”. Interviews with students, former students, parents and educators inquire whether things have really changed fundamentally in German class rooms since 1900. (Language: German)

Room: H8
5

Sudbury Schools - Interviews with Students, Teachers and Parents

2004, Germany, Martin Wilke and Henning Graner
A collage of various interviews on topics such as school life and learning, assessment and certificates, judicial system and school assembly, the role of teachers and parents at Sudbury Schools and the success of alumni. The interviews were conducted at IDEC 2003 in the USA. (Language: English with German subtitles)

Room: H21
5

Pretty cool system - Living and learning in the Democratic School of Hadera

2005, Germany, K.R.Ä.T.Z.Ä.
The democratic school in Hadera, the oldest democratic school in Israel, is presented through interviews with parents, teachers, students and former students. Particular emphasis is placed on the different paths in life and a retrospective view of the school by alumni. (Language: English with German subtitles)

Room: H11
5

Free to learn - a movie about Albany Free School

USA
This is a documentary of Albany Free School, filmed over the course of a school year. Albany Free School was founded 1969. It was a cohost of the IDEC 2003. It is a private, inner city school, but has no minimum tuition and is interracial. It has about 50 students aged from 2 to 25. It makes day-to-day decisions democratically. Class attendance is noncompulsory. The school is publicly funded. (Language: English)

Room: H9

Session 3 (Friday 09:00 - 10:30)

1

Ways towards democratic teaching

When a lesson is entirely determined by the teacher, it meets resistance from the students. If students are not able to participate in decisions on lesson targets and methods, learning is often ineffective. Do better results have anything to do with democracy? And is it even possible to found a democratic school in a country like Russia with an inadequate democracy?
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 402
1

Democratic Schools - the educational answer for the 21st century?

Yaacov Hecht, Israel
What are the main reasons for the crises that the education system is facing? What is the difference between democratic education today and "free education" in the Sixties? What new solutions does democratic education offer? Yaacov Hecht talks about a form of learning in which the different aims and ways of learning of each individual count.
Lecture
Room: H9
2

Summerhill - a school, a family

Zoë Readhead, England
Zoë Redhead, director of Summerhill, answers questions about the best known democratic school in the world. Summerhill follows the idea of a "live-in community". The young people live together with teachers on the school grounds - a fact that distinguishes the school from other 'free' schools.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: H2
2

The effects of religion and state on democratic education - an example from South India

The Shikshayatan School in Tamil Nadu works with the rural poor. Students are often the first generation to be literate. Religion is a dominant influence, but state regulations also hinder learning. Students from Shikshayatan describe their situation and discuss the advantages the school offers and the problems they encounter.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 108
3

Learning for the information age

To what extent are our assumptions about "school" relics from a system for turning farm kids into factory workers? As we move into the information age, how are kids going to learn what they need to know to reach their goals? Will they still use "schools" to learn? Mikel Matisoo, staff member at Sudbury Valley School, discusses with participants how schools must change and what new skills they must impart.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: H21
3

Equal rights for children and adults?

Gabi Kirchner, Josias Kern, Malchus Kern, Karen Kern and others, Germany
A decision in favour of a relationship based equal rights leads to new challenges in the communal life of young and old. Hierarchical structures and dominant role patterns come more clearly into view. What can and should teachers, pupils and parents do to contribute to change? How can trust and responsibility be internalised? This workshop shows what demands are made on adults and children when they want to live on equal terms at school and at home.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 102
3

What is a good question?

Henrik Ebenbeck, Deutschland
Learning starts with questions, but many schools systematically eliminate children's natural curiosity. Free schools make the development of a culture of asking questions an important part of their work. How do questions arise, and how are they handled? What is a "good" question? Together with the participants Henrik Ebenbeck addresses this problematic area.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 217
4

More shared, democratic decision-making in state schools

Derry Hannam, England
In England schools have been encouraged for some time to introduce democratic participation. Are there similar tendencies in other countries?And what influence can democratic schools have in this situation?
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 117
4

A comparison of traditional and democratic schools.

David Gribble, England
David Gribble's next book, due out in the autumn, includes extracts from official internet pages and prospectuses of traditional and democratic schools, which clearly bring out the differences in relation to size, facilities, exam results, social structure and values. This lecture presents these findings.
Lecture
Room: 400

Session 4 (Friday 11:00 - 12:30)

1

Intrinsic motivation in practice

Anjo Snijders, Netherlands
What happens when a school decides to work only with "intrinsic motivation"? What are the results? A model based on experiences at "De Ruimte" school in Soest was designed to answer these questions. In 2004 a pilot project for "intrinsic motivation in teacher training" was also started in Hengelo in the Netherlands. The project was so successful that it was continued. What were the visions behind it and what happened?
Lecture
Room: H2
1

Conflict resolution without force

Leslie Rook, Germany
Can judicial systems, when overused, inhibit the development of effective, non-violent conflict resolution? How can teachers create an environment with conscious non-violent communication? How valuable are judicial systems, student mediators and student judges and the use of "stop" rules?
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 102
2

The Institute for Democratic Education

Yaacov Hecht, Israel
The Institute for Democratic Education in Israel sees itself as the central tool for promoting democratic education at the regional and the national level. One of its functions is to train teachers for working at Democratic Schools. Yaacov Hecht reports on the founding of the Israeli institute, and how it works.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 108
2

Experiences in founding a Sudbury School

Uwe Hartung, Germany
Beginning in August, the Sudbury School Halle-Leipzig will enrich the educational landscape of Saxony. How has such a school opened in a major German city without state recognition? Why are so many parents willing to register their children? How does communication with the authorities work? Where does the money for the founding of the school come from? How is the inner quality of the school's procedures preserved?
Lecture and Discussion
Room: H8
3

Trust is the key to happy learning

The KPM approach to children shows why trust can be the key to happier learning. The basis of the programme is the assumption that a happy person has high self-respect, is secure, confident, and curious about everything. He readily takes the initiative and is gentle and caring. In order to achieve these objectives you need teachers who understand the children's needs and interests and take them seriously. Then the child becomes a good learner, has no inner blocks and is relaxed and confident. Information is more readily absorbed. There is always an honest teacher available to the child, and this leads to a deep relationship between the two - the foundation for happy learning.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 402
3

Autonomy, solidarity and competencies in young children

Kindergartens in Germany focus on the lives and interests of children and parents as well as conventional fields of education. Internal assessment and external evaluation help practitioners to develop quality in early childhood education in a systematic way. Parents and children participate in the quality development process.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: H21
4

Teachers with a democratic approach in mainstream schools

Tim Perkins, Australia
Tim Perkins tells of his experiences in mainstream and democratic schools. At the age of 33 he was about to give up teaching because he could not work as he wanted to. Then he found work at Currambeena school. After two years teaching there, he recognised that he could do more to change education if he went back into a mainstream school.
Lecture
Room: H9
4

Home schooling and democratic schools

The Clonlara School in Michigan is a democratic school with a long tradition. But in the USA and around the world it is also known for its support of home-school families, whose children learn at home and are connected to the school only through writing. Home schooling is controversial in Germany. Pat Montgomery, the founder of the Clonlara School, explains the differences between various motivations for home schooling and describes the corresponding practices.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 400
4

Introducing democracy to non-democratic environments

As director of the Alternative Education Resource Organization Jerry Mintz has traveled far and wide, introducing democratic process to a variety of environments. He will talk about his experiences of introducing democratic process to several places, e.g. in the Former Soviet Union in 1991, charter schools in the USA, a table tennis club that is part of an authoritarian Boys and Girls Club, the Naleb School in Guatemala, the organizing group of Brooklyn Free School, etc. How does one approach the introduction of democratic process in such a variety of situations so that it is understood and can continue?
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 117

Session 5 (Friday 14:00 - 15:30)

1

Democratic Schools in the new EU countries, Central and Eastern Europe

First a few schools will introduce themselves and describe the position of democratic schools in Central and Eastern Europe. The ensuing discussion will investigate the emergence of these democratic schools and their legal basis. Do they have the same rights as state schools? Do they need to compromise to achieve them? Do social and economic changes bring opportunities for development, or does the increasing commercialisation threaten to impair the free school movement? An overview with Jakub Mozejko, who has been working as a teacher at an alternative school in Breslau, Poland for 12 years.
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 400
2

Summerhill and Sudbury Valley School - a discussion

Mikel Matisoo,USA and Zoë Readhead, England
Summerhill School in England and Sudbury Valley School in the USA are two of the best known and oldest free schools in the world. Both schools are based on the same principles. Nevertheless they differ in significant ways and in the daily school routine. A panel discussion with Zoë Readhead, the head of Summerhill School, England, and Mikel Matisoo, a staff member at Sudbury Valley School, USA.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: H9
2

(...)

(...)
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 117
3

Open Space changes schools

Can the Open Space method succeed in schools? Is it suitable for including young people in planning processes and lesson contents? The Fuldatal-Simmershausen (Hessen) primary school uses the Open Space method to include students in decisions. The (seemingly) disorganised exchange of ideas and the informal group discussion help to change the whole school.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: H2
3

How to reach a state of flow

Gerhard Huhn shows how the highly respected "flow" concept can be used in the daily reality of school. The "proper approach" to one's own mind leads to intensive and lasting learning. A demonstration of some practical steps to put the flow concept into practice in everyday life. Mastering challenges and setting personal goals leads to the "flow" feeling. How can students and teachers get to know the "flow" feeling and how can the necessary conditions be produced in schools?
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 402
3

Observing schools (scientifically)

The democratic school, which has arisen out of a critique of the normality of the mainstream school, also develops its own "normality" and its own routine. Then it also needs criticism, (self)-observation and reflection. What role can science and research play? And what kind of research is needed to help a school to develop further? In this session experiences of co-operative academic research into alternative schools should be discussed.
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 108
4

The tension between marking and democracy in mainstream schools

Frank Winter, Germany
In Germany, goals of democratic education are codified in all state policies, but the classic procedure of marking counteracts the basic idea of democracy. Can experiences of democratic schools, such as abolishing grades, be put to use in mainstream schools?
Workshop/Discussion
Room: 217
4

Principles of democratic education and co-operation with the state

Meghan Carrico and Jim Carrico, Canada
Recent changes in Canadian government policies have led to a conflict between ministry regulations and the principles of a democratic school. This has forced the school community to sort out which themes are negotiable - and which themes are not. Can a democratic school fulfil the demands of the state? Is the "democratic school" principle open to compromise?
Lecture and Discussion
Room: 400

Closing Session (Friday 16:00 - 18:00)

 

Curiosity or Curriculum: a Provocation or a Contradiction?

Panel discussion in a plenary session
with
Zoe Readhead (Head of Summerhill, England)
Michael Sappir (Student at the Jerusalem Democratic School, Israel)
Malchus Kern (Student, Sudbury Initiative Überlingen, Deutschland)
Raphaela Schweiger (Member of Board of the Association of Bavarian Students)
Hans-Jürgen Pokall (Head of Schools Administration for the State of Berlin)
Chair: Arno Widmann (Berliner Zeitung - the Berlin Newspaper)
Lecture and discussion
H10
Democratic Schools
- a film about the desire to learn


Demokratische Schulen
- Ein Film über die Lust zu lernen
Resolution der
IDEC 2005


IDEC 2005 Resolution
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