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Childhood Education
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Creating Caring and Democratic Communities in

Our Classrooms and Schools
a
Cathy A. Pohan
a
Teacher Education , San Diego State University
Published online: 04 Sep 2012.

To cite this article: Cathy A. Pohan (2003) Creating Caring and Democratic Communities in Our Classrooms and
Schools, Childhood Education, 79:6, 369-373, DOI: 10.1080/00094056.2003.10521237

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2003.10521237

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 Cathy A. Pohan
Cathy A. Pohan is Assistant
Professor, Teacher Education,
Creating Caring and
San Diego State University.
Democratic Communities in
Our Classrooms and Schools

The habits a society wants adults to hold are established most

readily when a child is discovering and establishing "self" in the
world beyond family life, particularly between five and twelve.
(James Comer, 1997, p. 222)
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F or years, the American Association of University Women's (AAUW)

Educational Foundation has been studying the climatk on school campuses
across the United States. As with previous studies, the most recent report,
When serious

Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing, and Sexual Harassment in School, indicates attention is given to
that harassment of all kinds happens frequently, often in plain sight, and that
it can begin as early as elementary school (AAUW, 2001; Woods, 2001/02).
Girls and boys are affected, emotionally and psychologically, to an equal establishing a positive
degree by harassment. The study also found that many students choose to
avoid harassers by skipping school, dropping out of a particular activity or and supportive
sport, and/or dropping courses (AAUW, 2001; Woods, 2001/02). The failure
of schools and teachers to take bullying, teasing, and sexual harassment
seriously is clearly a violation of the equal protection clause found in the classroom that is
Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Perhaps what is less obvious
is how such failure sabotagesthe social, emotional, moral / ethical, and cognitive
development of youth, and how it adversely affects the larger community. also physically and
With the recent increased focus on raising test scores and the subsequent
misguided standardization of curriculum and instruction found in many psychologically safe,
schools and districts across the United States, one must ask if those entrusted
to make important decisions are paying any attention to the vast amount of
literature linking social and emotional health to academic achievement. The student learning
early school years are a critical window of opportunity for developing the
important "habits of life" that will lead to success as an adult (Comer, 1997).
In his book Emotional Intelligence: Why I t Can Matter More Than I.Q., Daniel will also increase.
Goleman (1995) argues that emotional well-being is a very strong predictor
of success not only in academics, but also in employment, marriage, and
general physical health. Yet, as Comer (in ONeil, 1997) points out, "It is
difficult to internalize a sense of well-being, high self-esteem, and a passion
for achievement in an environment that is chaotic, abusive, or characterized
by low expectations" (p. 9). Thus, it would be prudent for educators to
contemplate the learning environment and its impact on students' overall
development. When serious attention is given to establishing a positive and
supportive classroom that is also physically and psychologically safe, stu-

INTERNATIONALFocus ISSUE 2003 + 369

 dent learning will also increase (Comer, 1997; Wong &
Wong, 1998).
As a teacher educator, I believe that in order for
educators to help students become caring, empathic
adults who are able to help realize the ideals of democ-
racy, we must abandon traditional approaches to class-
room discipline and management (i.e., compliance
and efficiency models). School personnel must under-
stand the need to create communities in classrooms
and schools that move us toward the goal of equipping
young people with the knowledge, skills, and disposi-
tions needed for effective and productive participation
in an increasingly diverse and democratic society. All
who are invested in young people today must be
committed not only to academic achievement (i.e.,
cognitive development), but also to the social, emo-
tional, moral / ethical, and psychological development
of each and every student.
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Citizenship for a Democracy
Wherever deinocracy has fallen, it was too exclusively
political in izature. I t had not become part of the bone
and blood of people in daily corzdzrct. Unless dcinocratic
habits of thought and action are part of thefiber of a
people, political democracy is insecure.
(Collected works, p. 225)
Recent media attention to the seriousness of ongoing
physical and verbal abuse experienced by many stu-
dents on school campuses today has understandably
produced a rash of programs aimed at restoring order
and safety. While order and safety certainly are essen-
tial to establishing positive and supportive school
communities, if we hope to raise empathic, caring
adults who exhibit moral integrity in their personal
and professional lives, programs that focus on order
and safety alone will be insufficient. As citizens of a
democratic society, students must understand demo-
cratic rights and freedoms and how to exercise them
responsibly. Furthermore, students must understand
that democracy is not so much anideal to be pursued
as anidealized set of values that we must live and that
must guide our life as a people (Apple & Beane, 1995,
p. 7). A solid character may very well be a prerequisite
to good citizenship. Indeed, such qualities as respect,
responsibility, justice, integrity, industriousness, car-
ing, and trustworthiness are the shared values upon
which a democracy depends. Berreth and Berman
(1997)argue that empathy and self-discipline are cen-
tral to character development, and it is these skills that
form a foundation for moral behavior. As Dewey
(1941) so perceptively warned, unless such character-
istics become part of the blood and bone of each and
every citizen, democracy is destined to fail.
Although well-intentioned, schools and teachers who
370 + CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
focus solely on establishing order and safety in the
classroom may be missing critical opportunities to
nurture students character and traits of good citizen-
ship. Perhaps more than ever before, future leaders
and citizens will need the skills of effective communi-
cation, cooperation, care, and the ability to work with
diverse groups of people (Poussaint, 1997). Along
with the home, schools are the most likely place where
students can build character and learn the essential
democratic habits of thought and life. To achieve this
goal in the classroom, teachers must change how they
perceive their role. The remainder of this article de-
scribes the key ideas that should be part of any teacher
preparation program. I strive to incorporate these
ideas into the classroom discipline and management
course I offer to preservice teachers.
The Dimensions of Effective Classroom
Management and Discipline
Discipliize per se innkes no sense except in relation to
what the teacher is atteinptiizg to accoiizplislz in the
clnssrooin. (Alfie Kohn, cited in Charles, 2002, p. 192)
If we hope to create classrooms and schools that are
positive, productive places where young people can
learn important democratic habits of thought and
action (Dewey, 1941), then teachers must be chal-
lenged to think beyond the traditional approaches to
management and discipline. Educators must under-
stand and appreciate the difference between getting
students to comply with a set of behavioral expecta-
tions and teaching them to discern right from wrong
and make good behavioral choices. Learning to make
decisions that are guided by an interizalized set of
attitudes, values, and democratic ways of being is
most likely to occur in environments where students
have opportunities to contribute and feel supported,
and where they sense respect and belonging from
peers as well as the important adults in their lives
(Comer, 1997).
These principles were the foundation of my course
titled Seminar in Creating Caring Communities for
Learners, in which I emphasize that an effective class-
room management and discipline system:
Ensures that teaching and learning can occur
Is built upon and is reflective of the nations shared
values
Nurtures in students the qualities needed for effec-
tive and productive participation in an increasingly
diverse and democratic society.
As a guide for thinking about how ones discipline
system can and should facilitate students social, psy-
chological, and ethical development, I have developed
 the following guidelines (see Figure 1):
Safety First: Physical andPsychologica1 Safety. An
educator's primary concern should be the establish-
ment and maintenance of an environment that ensures
every child is free from physical harm. The general
room arrangement (e.g., furniture, materials) and pro-
cedures for moving about the classroomhelp to achieve
physical safety. Beyond making sure that students do
not get hurt physically, however, teachers also must
pay special attention to protecting and nurturing the
psychological well-being of every student. Whoever
said "sticks and stones may breakmy bones, but words
can never hurt me" was wrong. Words do hurt! In fact,
the psychological damage done by words (or even
nonverbal gestures) may leave deeper, more perma-
nent scarring than the external markings caused by
sticks and stones. The most recent study conducted by
AAUW (Woods, 2001/ 02) emphasizes the importance
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of eliminating bullying, teasing, and harassment on
school grounds, particularly name-calling(e.g., "sissy,"
"faggot"). Early on, students must learn to be kind and
gentle with their words and actions, and to show
respect for themselves and others. These habits, along
with the ability to exercise self-control in difficult
situations (e.g., anger management) and resolve con-
flicts peacefully, are central to healthy relationships
and good citizenship, and to ensuring that school
environments are free of harassment.
Efficient and Effective. All teachers hope to create an
environment that enables teaching and learning to
occur. New teachers often set out to run an efficient
classroom that is free of chaos. However, while effec-
Figure 1: Graphic Organizer
tive teachers may be efficient, not all efficient teachers
are effective. In addition to implementing a challeng-
ing and engaging curriculum, effective teaching is
largely the result of well-established classroom proce-
dures that have been taught and practiced by the stu-
dents until they have become routines (Wong & Wong,
1998). Teachers-new teachers in particular-need to
understand how the first days of school set the stage for
the rest of the year. Sufficient time must be spent
establishing important classroomprocedures (e.g., sig-
nals for getting the students' attention, accepted ways
of entering and exiting the classroom, how to ask and
answer questions, how to pass out papers, and where
to put completed work) so that critical instructional
time is not continually being wasted.
Interestingly, while few educators would disagree
that the first days of school are a critical window of
opportunity for establishing an effective and efficient
classroom, far too many teachers fail to adequately
utilize that time. In their book Classroom Management
for Elementary Teachers, Evertson, Emmer, Clements,
and Worsham (in press) provide an excellent set of
checklists for starting the year out right. Wong and
Wong (1998) also offer a comprehensive list of proce-
dures in their book The First Days of School.
In addition to establishing procedures and routines,
effective classrooms typically establish a set of rules or
norms of behavior, as well as logical consequences
(positive and negative) that are applied according to
students' behavioral choices. To increase the level of
student ownership and to give students a voice in how
the classroom is governed, teachers should involve
Focus ISSUE 2003
INTERNATIONAL + 371
 students in a democratic process of establishing these
rules and consequences. Indeed, the discussions ema-
nating from this process will help students consider
why rules are necessary, and thereby increase the like-
lihood that the rules will become an internalized set of
values by which students live in the world outside of
the classroom.
Socialization for Character Development. As previ-
ously argued, the purpose of a classroom management
and discipline system goes well beyond the mainte-
nance of a safe and efficient classroom. Schools are
primary institutions of socialization. If emotional in-
telligence is a strong predictor of success in and out of
school (Goleman, 1995),theneducators would be amiss
to emphasize only the cognitive-academic develop-
ment of students and neglect their social, psychologi-
cal, and moral /ethical developmental needs. An
effective classroom mirrors a caring community and
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instills in students the foundations for moral and ethi-
cal behavior. According to Berreth and Berman (1997),
Nurturing empathy and self-discipline is our best
hope for establishing an ethic rooted in shared rights
and responsibilities (p. 24). Lickona (1991) suggests
that teachers should employ four classroom processes
(community, cooperation, moral reflection, and par-
ticipatory decision-making) that can affect character
development, both in the formal, academic curricu-
lum, and in the informal, human curriculum (e.g.,
rules, roles, relationships). Within the teacher prepa-
ration program, educators must not only discuss these
processes, but also provide teacher candidates with
sufficient examples of how to incorporate them into
everyday classroom life.
Socialization for Democratic Development and Par-
ticipation. Cherry McGee Banks (in J. A. Banks, 1999)
argued that maintaining a democratic society and
preserving and enlarging freedom require citizens who
embrace democratic values and recognize their re-
sponsibility to help narrow the gap between real and
idealized American values (p. 99).
While a full discussion of how to prepare students
for life in a democracy is beyond the scope of this
article, suffice it to say that we learn democracy through
democratic participation. Hutchinson and Hunt (2001)
argue that people who have not had the experience of
governing will not learn to govern themselves. There-
fore, with the teachers support, students must co-
create the governance system of the classroom (i.e.,
rules and consequences) and learn to be responsible
for how the community functions. Schools serve as a
microcosm of society. It is within the walls of each and
every classroom that students learn some of the more
challenging aspects of democracy. For example, for
democracy to thrive, our citizens must balance indi-
vidual rights with two important concerns: 1)concern
372 * CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
for the welfare of others and the common good, and 2)
concern for the dignity and rights of all individuals
(not just the dominant group members).
We will move closer toensuring life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness for each of us when individual
citizens learn to strike such a balance in their personal
lives. It is within the classroom that a student best
learns that she is not an island. In school, the important
skill of considering the way in which exercising ones
rights and freedoms might affect the larger commu-
nity is put to the test in a way that cannot be tested at
home. If we ever hope to narrow the gap between real
and idealized American values (McGee Banks in
Banks, 1999, p. 99), students need opportunities to
think critically about complex issues involving equity
and social justice. Clearly, these goals cannot be real-
ized through traditional methods of striving for class-
room efficiency, nor by strict compliance to models of
discipline and management. (For a more thorough
discussion of democracy in schools, see Democratic
Schools by Apple and Beane, 1995.)
Carpe Diem: Making Every
Lesson, Every Decision an Opportunity
Educators must seize every opportunity to teach, nur-
ture, and develop in students the traits of good citi-
zenship and a deep commitment to the nations shared
values. The following target understandings will
help to ensure a teachers success in achieving this
worthy goal:
Without a vision of what you hope to accomplish through
your inanagenzent and discipline system, it is unlikely that
your vision zuill become n reality. Ones ultimate goal
must be at the forefront of every decision in the class-
room. Therefore, teachers must take time to develop
a vision for what they hope to accomplish (i.e., for
students) and identify several factors that will ensure
that ones purpose is fulfilled (i.e., through a plan of
action). This vision should reflect a commitment to
developing good character traits and the skills needed
for democratic living.
Your actions inlist be consistent zuith your vision and
goal(s). Actions speak louder than words!
Practice what you preach. If teachers want their stu-
dents to become good citizens who exercise moral
integrity, then they must model such behaviors. If one
values democracy, being an unsympathetic dictator in
the classroom is out of the question. Every decision
you make must help your vision become a reality.
I t is important to ideiztib a set of classrooiiz procedures1
routines that will help your classroom rzin snzoothly. These
procedures/routines must be taught during the first
days of school and consistently reinforced throughout
the school year. If something in your action plan is not
 working, you must analyze why that is so and develop dents; this newsletter outlines their vision and plan for
an appropriate alternative. Ultimately, teachers must management and discipline, and invites parent /
ensure that teaching and learning can occur. caregiver support.
When students are unable to gain a sense of belonging in
the class, they often turn to the mistaken goals of seeking With these important understandings securely in
attention, power, or revenge, or begin to display feelings ofplace, even the novice teacher can have a successful
inadequacy (Dreikurs, in Charles, 2002). Teachers can first year. Effective teachers capitalize on every teach-
prevent a good deal of misbehavior by creating an able moment to introduce, reinforce, and deepen stu-
engaging curriculum and an environment in which dent understandings of what it means to be a caring,
all students feel accepted, respected, and valued. responsible, and ethical citizen. In addition to class
When the agreed-upon classroom rules are broken, governance, teachers can nurture these qualities
teachers first must identify what is at the root of the through 1) literature selections; 2) social studies les-
students actions (e.g., mistaken goals). Only then sons; 3) discussions of current events; 4) analysis of
can teachers respond appropriately to misbehavior song lyrics; and 5) ethical debates (e.g., a discussion of
and provide a corrective that will help the student the implications of using animals or human embryos
internalize a set of values that will guide future deci- to make advances in science and/or medicine). What-
sions in a positive way. ever the means, students must have daily opportuni-
I f adults always intervene to resolve problemlconflicts ties to internalize and embrace a set of democratic
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between or among students, students will never learn to attitudes and values that, ideally, will become part of
resolve conflicts themselves. Students must be taught, the bone and blood of their daily conduct.
and have the opportunity to practice, conflict resolu-
tion and effective communication skills. We must
make it our goal to equip youngsters with the skills to References
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