Democracy and democratic classrooms are terms that get thrown around in schools with some regularity. Yet, if you ask students what democracy means, many will say, “voting.” In reality democracy involves more than just simple voting. History teachers talk about democracy, but getting students to make connections to and more fully understand the concept of democracy is more complicated than that. Democracy is messy and time-consuming. Messy and time-consuming are not concepts that many schools handle well.
My favorite way to teach and infuse democracy into both the academic and social curricula involves exploring the concepts of Democracy versus Idiocy as well as Me versus We. These concepts represent the need to balance personal interests with the good of the community. I usually begin with Me versus We and then layer in Democracy versus Idiocy. Deconstructing the false dichotomy between Me and We helps students begin to understand that these are not mutually exclusive concepts and that we can balance both of these interests in our work together. Our shared and personal interests can actually work together so that each member of the group gets what they need to succeed (equity). To do this, we have to invest in a process that brings the notion of democracy off the pages of assignments and into the daily experiences of students.
Not long ago I posted an article on LinkedIn by Professor Walter Parker regarding Democracy and Idiocy. This article is a great starter course for teachers but I would encourage people to read the long version in Parker’s book Teaching Democracy (2003). I love starting the school year off by exploring democracy versus idiocy with students. The concept works on several levels within the classroom. In middle school academics, or anytime you teach about Colonial America, this work especially well. As you do this you can personalize the origins of America a few different ways. As you unveil these ideas academically you can connect the idea to students and their social interactions (really the similarities between the government and middle school astonish me).
Democracy versus Idiocy and Me versus We provide an academic and social framework for the classroom. Academically, Democracy versus Idiocy creates opportunities to discuss early America, politics, and government. As Professor Parker introduces idiocy as the Greek pejorative for those “engaged only in self-interested or private pursuits, never mind the public interest.” (p. xv). The self-centered idiot is the opposite of a citizen and also the antithesis of Greek demos. This line of inquiry allows us to question historical and political experiences in the United States. I operationalize the democracy and idiocy notion as Me versus We to examine the social or power dynamics in my classes. This helps address the constant interplay between the needs of individuals and the group, as well as the power dynamics within the community. Reframing the discussion as Me versus We brings the selfishness of the Me actions to the fore in a subtle way, and makes sure no one goes home and tells their parents that I called them an idiot.
When I teach Colonial America, I explain to the class that Me versus We is one of the central issues within the founding of our country. In essence, the individuals and group wrestle with similar problems that the colonists did. And just like the founders of our democratic republic, they also have to find a way to create a system that balances personal and public interests and do away with tyranny in the community. More specifically, we discuss that each student wants to be who they are and have the freedom to explore or express their ideas. Yet doing so does not come at the expense of what is good for the community (i.e. violates our agreed-upon classroom expectations). If everyone in class pursues only what they want or what benefits them, problems ensue and little is accomplished. Unfortunately, too often this is standard operating procedure in many classrooms.
Connecting these academic ideas to the social (or personal) experiences makes these historical concepts real for students. All of a sudden, learning history becomes tangible. If you want to extend this connection, I have several ideas. First, I often have students write their own declaration of independence. Parents do not always appreciate this, but for adolescents trying to establish themselves as independent young adults, this fits well developmentally. Also, have the class create their own constitution by further refining the classroom agreements. If your classroom involves group discussions and collective decision-making, you have opportunities to discuss the tyranny of the majority and analyze how group dynamics can corrupt the voting system. If you’re on a tight schedule this may not work, but that’s part of another conversation. If history becomes personal, you can increase student buy-in.
This year for U.S. Government, I brought democracy versus idiocy into the curriculum in a new way. In this iteration I used the concept as the last piece of a foundational unit on the origins of democracy. This way as we continue to explore politics, etc. we have a language and reference point on which to anchor our discussions. For instance, in recent weeks we have examined the growth of Athenian democracy and contrasted Socrates’ criticism of democratic practices in the city state with current events in American politics. We have examined the issue of zero-sum politics and how these practices impact the intent of our democratic principles. Democracy versus Idiocy (and Me versus We) will help shine a light on these strands of curriculum (curricula?) prior to culmination. And since my students don’t like reading this blog, one of their culmination questions will be, Is our country a democracy or an idiocy?
Democracy represents more than just voting. You can apply Democracy versus Idiocy and Me versus We a variety of ways, in class and across a wide variety of grades. Professor Parker asserts that infusing a better understanding of democracy into schools is critical to preparing students to succeed in increasingly diverse communities. As a teacher this works on so many levels, and also helps make learning more real and personal to students.
The democratic framework of the United States has fractured and may crumble in our lifetime. Without being exposed to a more complete idea of democracy and democratic experiences in school, the adults of tomorrow may be cool with that. This frightens me. Schools represent the best starting place for youth to engage democracy in a more meaningful way. An experiential education in democracy might be the key to saving a cornerstone of the country.