Supporting civic education
About:
The National Pedagogical Institute of the Czech Republic performed an experimental verification of ‘Systematic Support of Civic Education in Schools’. In the Czech Republic, self-governing learner parliaments can be established at schools to prepare learners for life in a democratic society and contribute to the schools’ democratic climate. The verification initiative aimed to find and verify a system-wide solution, evaluating future systemic support of civic education in schools. It entailed setting up learner parliaments at 21 schools across the country, involving school leaders, teachers and learners. It included training teaching staff, listening at meetings of learner parliaments, interviews, and coaching and mentoring.
Outcomes:
In the participating schools, pedagogues guided learners to set up and manage their parliaments. The country reported that:
… the approach to the voice of the pupils changed, they were listened to more, the pupils were approached more in partnership, and specific actions or activities were implemented in the participating schools according to the proposal of the pupils and pupil parliaments.
In one school’s case:
Pupils began to work on a new task – to increase mutual respect at school and to achieve a positive attitude towards school for pupils and also staff. Together they came up with an event for the whole school, submitted a project, obtained funding and they managed to implement this event. It was so successful, that it will repeat every year.
Key element(s) of the VIA Framework:
This example reflects SPACE and VOICE in particular. Learners are given an opportunity not only to express their voices, but to be appropriately equipped and listened to. Training also extended to school leaders and teachers, ensuring a positive school climate. It is unclear how the findings and recommendations from this project have been implemented to extend its impact.