Living in a democracy cannot be taken for granted. Democracy goes beyond casting your vote once every few years. Without active citizens who look out for each other, a democracy cannot exist. Because we are not born as equals, but have to work hard to live together as equals, as Hannah Arendt stated. But how do children learn to be part of a democracy?
With the project Critical ChangeLab Waag Futurelab is looking for innovative ways to have a dialogue with young people about democracy. Eva Vesseur is working on the project as expert making education at Waag. In this article, she shares her insights from the lesson Waag gave to four vmbo final exam classes in Amersfoort.
Maker education
An important aspect of maker education is the development of ownership, where students learn by experimenting and doing. They are given frameworks or an assignment, but take full ownership of their making process.
During the class in Amersfoort, students in groups made a uniform with a statement. Each group made a mood board of their groups identity. Using the collective moodboard, they created a uniform that represented the whole group. By cutting, sewing and using other design techniques, each group created a uniform with statements that were important to them; from statements about racism to sexuality and climate. The challenge was making joint decisions about the design. To support equal collaboration, some democratic principles were given.
But Eva notes that the context of the lesson also plays a role in how far democracy becomes discussable in class. ‘School is an essential democratic tool. Everyone has equal opportunities thanks to compulsory education’. Thus, everyone should and can go to school and there is an appropriate level for everyone. ‘At the same time, many students see school differently. School for these children, is not perceived as democratic.’ They often feel they don't have a say in things. That feeling makes it difficult to have an open conversation about democracy. How do you create a good setting?
Give space for democratic conversations
‘A classroom is actually a mini-society,’ says Eva. So conversations are already taking place that are (unconsciously) part of democratic processes. For example, a conversation started at the beginning of the lesson about the division of the groups in which the students would work together. The groups had been predetermined by the teacher, but the students did not agree: they wanted to form their own groups.
The facilitator made room for different ideas and opinions to come to a joint decision. By asking the students about the arguments they had for making their own groups, the students started to discuss what they thought was important.
‘While you are teaching, you are simultaneously reflecting on democracy with each other.’
- Eva Vesseur, expert maker education at Waag Futurelab
The impact of being graded
Since the lesson was part of the school curriculum, the students were assessed. They knew that the teacher was assessing them on the mood board of their own identity, their costume and a reflection report. The focus on assessment sometimes kept the students from discussing the democratic processes that took place during the making process.
‘The students were very excited to participate,‘ says Eva, “although they were also quick to ask, ”Will we get a grade for it?’ and ‘How will we be assessed?’’ But that turned around when the students started making the mood board and costume. ‘During the making and when the costume was ready, the students really felt ownership. They were very happy with all the things they got to do.’.
But it was difficult to discuss the democratic process with the pupils. Many students found it difficult to reflect on their own responsibility, on the process and development, because they are used to being judged on that. They were afraid of being judged worse if something in the process had not gone well. ‘For example, there was one student who, when I asked ‘how did you work together’, replied with ‘I give us a 9!’’.
A safe space is a prerequisite
Eva sees that lessons work best when students experience space for openness and empathy. Creating a safe place is a prerequisite for this. School is not always a place where young people feel safe, for example because of performance pressure.
A number of things can help create a safe place. Among them; creating smaller groups and the atmosphere set by the regular teacher. It can also help to teach lessons around democracy in a different environment than the regular classroom.
About Critical ChangeLab
Young people are the future of democracy. With the Critical ChangeLabs project, Waag investigates how to encourage active citizenship among young people aged 11 to 18. Within the project, Waag organises make-education activities that let young people think together about what the future might look like. An important aspect of maker education is the development of ownership, where pupils learn by experimenting and doing. They are given frameworks or an assignment, but have full ownership of their making process. The assignment always appeals to their creativity using art, technology and science, for example by making a self-conceived object.
