Leach, Tony ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1021-6361 (2018) Democracy in the classroom. Power and Education, 10 (2). pp. 181-194.

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Abstract

This paper presents the case for a progressive education that embraces notions of democratic values in the classroom, and an education for democratic citizenship. Informed by John Dewey’s and Martin Buber’s philosophies of education, and Homi Bhabha’s concept of ‘third space’ work, the paper examines the problematic and contested issues of emancipation and empowerment for learning in the classroom and across the school. Democracy in schooling requires a learning environment where teachers and student are encouraged and empowered to engage in mutual dialogue over matters to do with teaching and learning. Acknowledging this requirement, and the traditional agential and power-related positioning of teacher-student relationships and role identities in the classroom and across the school, this paper argues for the creation of learning environments where classroom practice is democratically ‘top-down’ teacher-guided and ‘bottom-up’ student informed.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.1177/1757743818756911
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
School/Department:	School of Education, Language and Psychology
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/2404

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