Class council
Encyclopedia
The term class council is derived from the classroom assembly ("Réunion coopérative", "Conseil") of Freinet
pedagogy.
Freinet did organize the class like an (agricultural) cooperative society.
Much like the farmers organize cultivation and marketing of their products together in a cooperative the pupils plan and organize learning themselves.
The class council is an agency of self-determination in which all pupils participate with equal rights.
An alternative model of the class council is based on work of Rudolf Dreikurs
, a pupil of Alfred Adler
.
Dreikurs developed the class council based on individual psychology
and without reference to Freinet pedagogy as an instrument of problem solving and mediation but not as an agency of self-determination.
In the class council pupils can
. The individual learning goals and the social interests of the pupils are the focus of the class council. The self-determination of the class includes economic experience as excursions, common property and consumption items require funding.
Differences between curricular educational objectives and individual learning goals of the pupils may lead to a conflict of interests for the teacher and the class. Experiences in class councils have shown that pupils are eager to follow extra-curricular learning objectives.
In a later stage the pupils can rotate
the offices of chairman, keeper of the minutes, rule monitor, time monitor and other tasks.
The pupils can also determine the agenda
.
/wall newspaper
that is used to collect contributions in different categories (e.g. criticism, appreciation, proposals). All pupils in a class can make contributions to the bulletin board.
A class left to its own devices may run the risk of encouraging oligarch
s.
A successful instrument of self-determination supposedly develops best with the support of the teacher in the role of an advisor.
Prearranged rules may be helpful but undermine the self-determination of the pupils.
The view what constitutes an orderly class council may be quite different for pupils and for teachers.
Pupils need scope for development and the chance to make their own experiences by experimenting with and inventing their own democratic behaviors and rules.
Even in the democratic toolkit building blocks of the BLK the class council is primarily a means for problem solving.
Célestin Freinet
Célestin Freinet was a noted French pedagogue, and educational reformer.- Early life :...
pedagogy.
Freinet did organize the class like an (agricultural) cooperative society.
Much like the farmers organize cultivation and marketing of their products together in a cooperative the pupils plan and organize learning themselves.
The class council is an agency of self-determination in which all pupils participate with equal rights.
An alternative model of the class council is based on work of Rudolf Dreikurs
Rudolf Dreikurs
Rudolf Dreikurs was an American psychiatrist and educator who developed psychologist Alfred Adler's system of individual psychology into a pragmatic method for understanding the purposes of reprehensible behaviour in children and for stimulating cooperative behaviour without punishment or...
, a pupil of Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology. In collaboration with Sigmund Freud and a small group of Freud's colleagues, Adler was among the co-founders of the psychoanalytic movement as a core member of the Vienna...
.
Dreikurs developed the class council based on individual psychology
Individual psychology
Individual psychology is a term used specifically to refer to the psychological method or science founded by the Viennese psychiatrist Alfred Adler...
and without reference to Freinet pedagogy as an instrument of problem solving and mediation but not as an agency of self-determination.
Tasks and fields of activity
The class council can:- deliberate on excursions.
- deliberate on teaching methodTeaching methodA teaching method comprises the principles and methods used for instruction. Commonly used teaching methods may include class participation, demonstration, recitation, memorization, or combinations of these...
s. - deliberate on subject matter.
- The intent is to promote a sense of community, community spirit and a democratic attitude. Communicative competencies and independent study skills are also meant to benefit.
In the class council pupils can
- present self-determined learning projects and tasks which are useful to run a democatic class council.
- decide on cooperations.
- formulate missions and requests to working groups.
- present and discuss learning results.
- plan the social life of the class.
- plan the expenses of the class.
- discuss relations and problems with other classes.
- discuss issues of self-determination.
Valuable class institution
The class council is a means to promote citizenship educationCitizenship education
There are two very different kinds of citizenship education,The first is education intended to prepare noncitizens to become legally and socially accepted as citizens...
. The individual learning goals and the social interests of the pupils are the focus of the class council. The self-determination of the class includes economic experience as excursions, common property and consumption items require funding.
Differences between curricular educational objectives and individual learning goals of the pupils may lead to a conflict of interests for the teacher and the class. Experiences in class councils have shown that pupils are eager to follow extra-curricular learning objectives.
Administration of a class council
During the introduction stage the class teacher can perform the necessary administratory tasks.In a later stage the pupils can rotate
Job rotation
-Introduction:Job rotation is a management technique that assigns trainees to various jobs and departments over a period of a few years. Surveys show that an increasing number of companies are using job rotation to train employees...
the offices of chairman, keeper of the minutes, rule monitor, time monitor and other tasks.
The pupils can also determine the agenda
Agenda (meeting)
An agenda is a list of meeting activities in the order in which they are to be taken up, by beginning with the call to order and ending with adjournment. It usually includes one or more specific items of business to be discussed. It may, but is not required to, include specific times for one or...
.
Agenda
The agenda for a meeting of the class council can be prepared by pupils. A useful means is a bulletin boardBulletin board
A bulletin board is a surface intended for the posting of public messages, for example, to advertise things to buy or sell, announce events, or provide information...
/wall newspaper
Wall newspaper
A wall newspaper or wall-newspaper is a printed newspaper designed to be displayed and read in public places, such as walls. The practice dates back to at the least the Roman Empire. They are often produced by governmental entities in locations where production costs or distribution problems might...
that is used to collect contributions in different categories (e.g. criticism, appreciation, proposals). All pupils in a class can make contributions to the bulletin board.
Role of the teacher during the class council
The teacher is meant to actively reduce his influence and to allow for democratic and social processes in the group.A class left to its own devices may run the risk of encouraging oligarch
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
s.
A successful instrument of self-determination supposedly develops best with the support of the teacher in the role of an advisor.
Rules
The self-given rules of the class council should suffice as long as they are not in contradiction with school policy or the law.Prearranged rules may be helpful but undermine the self-determination of the pupils.
The view what constitutes an orderly class council may be quite different for pupils and for teachers.
Pupils need scope for development and the chance to make their own experiences by experimenting with and inventing their own democratic behaviors and rules.
Criticism on contemporary class councils from the perspective of Freinet pedagogy
The class council today is often removed from its pedagogical context in Freinet pedagogy and is modified and reduced. Freinet pedagogues criticize that the class council loses its democratic and emancipatory aspects and becomes an extension of class teacher and school administration.Even in the democratic toolkit building blocks of the BLK the class council is primarily a means for problem solving.