Pedagogical Approaches and Institutional Policy for Democratic Practices in Education

Democracy is interrelated to education which has a social function by which society members are always developed and shaped through participation in the mobility and ideology of that society. Since the democratic individual is the basis of society, one’s democratic formation cannot take place unless the educational process makes him/her a focus. In addition, democratic principles, values and society progress should be a goal of that process. Moreover, democratic behavior is based on interaction and participation in an atmosphere of freedom where equality, justice, acceptance of others, work through responsibility and teamwork, as well as social understanding. This democratic behavior plays an important role in the educational process and is considered as an indicator of the mental health of principals and teachers. It also has an impact on the behavior, attitudes and achievement of learners. The purpose of democratic behavior is to provide an educational atmosphere in which the desired educational goals are achieved, and to build effective humanistic relations among the educational community members, students and their parents, based on respect, trust, self-expression and a sense of tranquility. This chapter ended with presenting some of the factors helping to activate democratic practices in the educational institution, by stating the role played by each element of the educational system in the school