As I sit here in my lonely classroom, the day before Thanksgiving I ponder upon the never ending question, "Is it possible to have authority and democracy in a class?"
I have read a lot about authority and how it can soon turn into authoritarianism. On the other hand, the big push lately seems to be democratic classrooms. This notion of democracy in a classroom is great, yet I wonder how most principals feel about this. Do they support this or would they prefer to have teachers that hold sole authority? The principals I have worked with believe in sole authority by the teacher. The principal often says, "Sure! Give them a choice between two well-thought out assignments, but DO NOT let them come up with it on their own." So even if I wanted to give them choice, there really isn't any.
I have found that giving my students options often eases their mind. Of course, I stay within the confines the administration sets for us. As adults we have choice, yet as children we do not (in many life situations). Even though we assume that children do not know how to make positive and correct choices, they do! It is incredible how they can decipher what they want and give well supported answers behind their decision.
So the question remains, do you want to have our children grow up with a sense of what democracy is, or keep them blind and confined until they turn 18?
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