Leopoldschule Althausen
Germany
Recordings of the 2-day workshop on teaching sociocratic principles:​
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Session 1
Preparation
Session 2:
Role description
Session 3:
Election
Session 4:
Reflexion
Monika Boschert-Rittmeyer, headmaster:
"In June 2024, together with Lisa Praeg, we held an initial workshop to introduce our pupils to sociocracy in order to find out together how this method can best be taught to pupils with special educational needs.
The Leopold School is a special education and counseling center for hearing and speech with a special focus on hearing. Children and young people with speech impairments or hearing impairments can obtain a secondary or intermediate school leaving certificate at the Leopold School. The speech therapy lessons are tailored to their individual needs. In addition to the technical equipment in the classrooms, this includes special support services such as vocabulary development, articulation training and the promotion of communication in social contexts. Rhythmization within a lesson is essential: short theoretical phases alternate with practical implementation. Communication skills and identity development are of particular importance in our everyday school life in order to ensure the social participation of our pupils.
We gained the following insights from the first introductory workshop:
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PARTICIPATION CONCEPT: Sociocracy within the school should be embedded in a concept for democracy education. The concept of levels of participation creates transparency for pupils in which areas they can help shape the school. Real opportunities for participation should be available here. Classes should talk about the class representative tasks of the previous school year and evaluate them in terms of their importance. A regular exchange at eye level with the school management increases the students' motivation to get involved and participate.
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SPEAKING IN ROUNDS: At Leopold School pupils' concerns are discussed in regular class council meetings and decisions are made within the class. Speaking in rounds can be practiced here. In this way, reserved pupils can gain or build up confidence in their communication skills. Pro/con discussions with well-prepared vocabulary are also a good practice area.​
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COMPETENCE TRAINING: The sociocratic class representative election was carried out as a pilot following a workshop in a seventh grade class. Since our students' need for support in the area of language is very extensive, the necessary skills should be developed/refreshed in the first year of implementation within a project (first school week). This includes vocabulary training and the promotion of self-confidence and self-assessment. Sentence modules on the topics of voting/strengths and weaknesses/arguments increase our pupils' language skills.
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EXERCISES & THEORY: Rhythmization is also necessary within the project: Alternate action-oriented phases (exercises/games for team building) with shorter theory inputs (max. 30 minutes, preferably digital), listening breaks can be taken, reflection breaks can be inserted and individual learning can be facilitated.
Jandita Vejer" is a project of active pedagogy located in a natural environment in the surroundings of Vejer (Cadiz, Spain). It´s continuous growing and developing since its foundation in 2013. It is the result of the questioning of traditional education and arises from the search for change, the need and concern of a group of families to create an integral and respectful space for the development of children and with the intention of contributing to new educational and social paradigms.
Carlos Valverde, pupil of Escuela Jandita
This video has the explicit consent of the pupil and the minor's guardians.
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“They voted for their friends, not for whoever was best for that election. In addition, those who were presented were usually the most popular or those who had the most friends and promised things that were not true or deals.
From an early age you can practice the open selection process and gradually implement all its steps.
I honestly prefer sociocracy because no one is left angry or frustrated and the best person is chosen to do those tasks.”
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Katrin Haussler, managing circle member:
“Sociocracy is a very valuable tool for children develops cognitive, social and emotional skills, it has many strengths, respect for other opinions, a sense of community and critical thinking.”
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PRACTICE SOCIOCRACY:
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Experience: sociocracy is a possibility to improve communication. It supports responsibility as it is not individual but group decisions. It promotes equal participation, equality and respect, which for me are the foundations of a healthy society.
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Families and teachers have learned about sociocracy from Nora Plaza and are aware of the importance of implementing this method in the classroom, a good option is to start with sociocratic selection.
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The schools main driving force is to understand, respect and promote the integral development of the people we accompany in their life processes. We are open to different influences related to our philosophy and ways of understanding education and we share common features with other pedagogies, thoughts and educational lines.
Among our inspirations we highlight the research of Rebeca and Mauricio Wild, promoters of the Active School. ​Other influences come from Montessori, Pestalozzi, Waldorf, Piaget, Reggio Emilia, Libertarian Pedagogy, Democratic Schools. We also incorporate in our way of working non-violent communication, concepts of creative education, relational psychomotricity and the philosophy of psychotherapies such as systemic pedagogy, Gestalt, Mindfulness.
Sport Mittelschule Schendlingen
Austria
Please use the subtitle for English.
Dominik Dalffolo, teacher:
"We attach great importance to respect and participation at our school. Lisa Praeg gave us an in-depth introduction to conducting the sociocratic election. Since then, we have been two teachers who conduct the election sociocratically in many classes every year at the request of the other class teachers. We now use the consent decision and open election in many different ways: Aim of the project week, purchase of toys, use of class budget. It's a very suitable setting for anyone who seriously wants to involve children in decision-making processes!"
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It is important for the children to learn to make joint decisions that are not 100% what they personally want. Away from consent to consensus, away from egocentric decision-making and towards joint decision-making.
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As a teacher, it was new to slip into the role of moderator, to leave the decision to the children and not to make egocentric decisions myself. Being open to creative, new results.
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The class representative teams are really the spokespersons for the class and no longer "my class representative".
Laura, cooperative member and mother:
“Sociocracy has opened up a world of possibilities and empowered my 9 year old daughter.
For years my daughter would have liked to be a class delegate, she was very curious and wanted to do the functions, but every year it was always the same child and she wasn't given the opportunity.
In her first sociocratic selection a child proposed her and explained the reasons for her proposal, other boys and girls joined the proposal, finally she was not elected. Although it was very great and immense her happiness when she came home and told us about it."
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El Roser is a self-managed learning community, formed by families and professionals who promote individual empowerment to achieve a global transformation of society. Our guides for action are respect, trust, love, commitment and freedom.
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At El Roser, we want to work in sociocracy because we believe that it is not only an efficient management model. It is the guarantee that every voice counts.​
This path towards inclusive and transparent governance is our commitment to a fairer environment for people.
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Theresianum Eisenstadt
Austria
Please use the subtitle for English.
Sophia Bonomo, 6th and 7th grade:
"I had only two 50-minute sessions available for the implementation. After coaching with Lisa, I decided to dedicate the first hour to developing the role description. In the second hour, we conducted the first nomination round and then switched to the secret ballot voting. Despite the short time, the execution was overall satisfactory."
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The collaborative preparation of the role description and listening to the nominations proved beneficial, especially when students felt personally addressed.
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Unfortunately, the secret ballot led back to the dynamics of old behavioral patterns.
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To ensure the success of the election, it is crucial to discuss it thoroughly with the head teachers beforehand, making them familiar with the new process to prevent falling back into old patterns.
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A full sociocratic election is not possible in 2x50 minutes with students that are not yet familiar with sociocracy.