“Faik Konica” elementary middle school (9 years) is one of Pristina’s schools that conveyed an interest in raising quality as well as being more up-front and democratic. This is the constant concern of its leaders, teachers, students and parents.
The school initiated research on the level of democracy at the institution with the support of the EDISON Project. That being the case, the school formed a working team consisting of teachers and students (from the student council) who worked together with the EDISON Project in compiling questionnaires as instruments to obtain information about the current situation. The questionnaires were addressed to teachers and students in grades 6, 7 and 8, as well as parents.
Research results have pointed out that the school requires improvment in two aspects as follows: towards more democratic teaching and learning, and towards a more intensive and substantive cooperation with the community.
The working team established in the school prepared a plan to address the research findings. The team planned to organise some activities before carrying out another assessment to identify if any improvements have been made in the two aforementioned areas.
The first activity envisaged by the team was to consider the ways of improving teaching and learning to make it more democratic in school. To do this, they invited MESTI officials Mrs. Shqipe Gashi and Mr. Arbër Salihu, project coordinators in the Living Democracy Advocacy Campaing-EDISON for Kosovo, to contribute to meetings with teachers, school leaders and student representatives regarding the teaching and learning improvement so as to make it as democratic as possible. As such, a meeting was held on school premises at the end of October with the contributors mentioned above.
A conversation was first held at the meeting about the research findings, regading the teachers’ views, what and how they think things should be improved, good experiences in their school and the difficulties, etc.
In addition, representatives for the students presented their point of view on what they think needs to change in the atmosphere/climate at school towards a more democratic teaching and learning style and towards their greater involvement in decision-making, etc.
After this very interesting session, the coordinators Mrs. Gashi and Mr. Salihu introduced the https://www.living-democracy.com website and presented the materials and opportunities the site offers, relating them to teachers’ discussions about their everyday school issues. Then selected parts from the materials of the volume Educating for democracy (I) Part 2- Teaching democracy and human rights, Unit 4 – Guiding processes of learning and choosing forms of teaching, or parts: Participation, Controversial issues (in materials for school leaders/principals) were presented, explaining their three dimensions: awareness, preparation and action, as well as the possibilities of their practical use in the daily work/activities carried out at school. Clarifications were given to the participants about the possibility of using parts of the materials as needed, as well as about the possibility of printing them. The participants were asked to access the website directly through their smartphones and browse the materials that were discussed.
Some of the participants stated that they had knowledge of the existence of this site, but that they had not known in detail about the possibilities it offered and how to use it. Those, as well as the rest who did not have this information, were quite enthusiastic about using the materials in their daily work, especially after the clarifications and browsing of the specific materials.
The school uploaded this activity on its Facebook page, accessible at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/100057576634844/posts/pfbid0336wMfxzFNrkjNqca6k4yHjQY6dkxdLtr2suLvMRq1MzsG7gw5i5weMJQnv1Szool/
Democracy cultivation and growth in a society starts in the family and at school, and it is known that it is not an easy task. But when the initiatives come from the school itself, it is very promising and hopeful. Thus, the case of “Faik Konica” school is an example worthy of respect and attention, and is a model to be followed.
Both pictures taken during the lessons.
