Democracy education throughout the learning path

Democracy education also encourages active participation and develops skills such as negotiation, critical thinking and decision-making.

“The aim is to create a respectful and inclusive learning environment where different opinions are heard and everyone has the opportunity to contribute,” says Harri Rinta-aho, Deputy Mayor for Growth and Learning. “When young people eventually move on from the learning path of the City of Espoo, we will have raised active and responsible citizens who are able to participate in and contribute to a democratic society,” he adds.

Democracy education involves several different perspectives:

From the perspective of equality, for example, democracy education helps pupils understand different challenges related to equality, such as gender equality and issues related to cultural differences or sexual orientation. It encourages constructive thinking and discussions on these issues, promotes the principles of equality and justice, and supports the fight against discrimination. Through democracy education, pupils learn to respect diversity and participate in the promotion of equality in their own communities.

Another example is climate change, as democracy education promotes understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change, and sustainable solutions to it. It encourages pupils to critically assess climate change issues, examine different perspectives and consider different courses of action.

Democracy education also supports a multicultural and pluralistic society. It promotes pupils' understanding of different cultures, values and perspectives. Through democracy education, children and young people learn to value diversity, develop empathy and participate actively in society.

Democracy education starts in early childhood education. Allowing children to participate in and contribute to matters affecting them and their local community and environment lays the foundations for growing up to be active citizens.

“It all starts with treating children in early childhood education with respect and truly listening to their thoughts and opinions. When an adult stops to listen to a child's reflections, the child gets the feeling that their opinion is valuable and their wishes and ideas are heard,” say Early Childhood Education Specialist Anita Vataja and acting Early Childhood Education Development Manager Marianne Leppänen from Espoo’s Finnish early childhood education.

Finding out and listening to children's opinions and ideas is also part of the early childhood education plan.

“It is not just about asking for the child's opinion in different situations; inclusion is the starting point and pedagogical objective of the whole activity. It takes time and effort from the educators,” Vataja says.

Children are given the opportunity to practise participation and influencing. Opportunities for this are constantly arising in the day-to-day life of a daycare centre, and the professionals of early childhood education are able to make effective use of them.

“Children's initiatives and ideas are integrated into the day-to-day life of the daycare centre, drawing on the pedagogical skills of the staff. Children can participate in the planning of the group's activities by proposing and planning projects that they want to carry out, for example. Similarly, in different everyday situations, the children are given the freedom to make their own choices. For example, the children can decide which game to play or where to go on a trip,” Leppänen says.

A key principle is that every child is included in the planning of their own early childhood education. When a child’s individual early childhood education plan (vasu) is drawn up, the strengths, interests, needs and wishes of the child are also identified. The child’s guardian can also participate in and contribute to what is recorded in the child’s plan.

Participation is supported in early childhood education, even if the child does not yet have the skills to express their thoughts.

“If necessary, methods such as picture communication cards or key word signing can be used to ensure that the child is heard, understood and supported in the expression of their views,” Vataja says.

Participatory budgeting is also used in early childhood education.

“A part of a daycare centre’s budget can be used to implement children's wishes. This gives children a very concrete way to influence their own daycare centre and decide on purchases,” Leppänen says.

It is also possible to talk to children about social issues, taking into account their age and level of development. Some pre-primary education units have also visited the Parliament.

Democracy and human rights education is strongly reflected in the curricula of comprehensive and general upper secondary schools and has long been part of the daily routine of Finnish schools. Since 2016, the national core curricula for basic and general upper secondary education have placed all school activities under the umbrella of an operating culture that fosters democratic participation and promotes communality.

A set of transversal competences that strengthen pupils’ skills has also been established as a common objective for all subjects. In particular, L7 (participation, involvement and building a sustainable future) focuses on the promotion of democracy skills.

Pupil council activities have been a legal requirement for all levels and types of education for many years.

“At Kirkkojärven koulu in Espoo, the pupil council and its board are active,” says Saila Törmälä, the school’s Assistant Head Teacher.

Törmälä explains that democracy education is integrated into every subject at the school. Of course, it is also part of the social studies curriculum for grades 7–9. Social studies provide pupils with a basic understanding of how society works and how citizens can influence it.   The role of social studies is to support pupils' growth into active and enterprising citizens. The value base of the subject emphasises the fundamental principles of democracy.

“In social studies, we have discussed elections and conducted election-related candidate research,” says class teacher Pia Ojala.

She considers democracy education to be essential.

Kirkkojärven koulu is a joint comprehensive school for grades 1–9 in Espoo and has a total of 730 pupils.

All pupils in grades 7–9 of Kirkkojärven koulu have participated several times in the youth elections organised by Allianssi ry. “Democracy is also often discussed in ethics and history lessons,” Ojala says.

“Pupils also have varying opportunities in different subjects to choose their working methods and assignments to be assessed,” she adds.

Through the pupil council, pupils have the opportunity to put forward initiatives and organise polls/votes and theme days. At Kirkkojärven koulu, a food panel has conducted a survey for pupils to vote on what they want to have for lunch on a special theme day.

Schools can also include democracy education as part of various events organised at the school, such as the Family-School Get-together, the next of which will take place on 29 September. The idea of the get-together is to organise a unique event based on the needs and desires specific to each school.

Saunalahden koulu is part of the Eco-Schools Programme and has an environmental council with members from every grade. The pupils are given the opportunity to take part in the planning, implementation and evaluation of how environmental issues are taken into account at the school.

The pupils have developed Eco-Schools policies for the school, promoting actions such as water and electricity conservation, sustainable mobility and waste prevention. The school has also organised activities such as a campaign for which the members of the environmental council grew saplings for sale. In addition to this, pupils’ guardians were given the opportunity to learn about the activities through questions and discussion.

“The best part of the project in general were the efforts of the active, committed and enthusiastic members of the environmental council,” says special education teacher Hannu Takala. “The fact that the pupils planned, implemented and evaluated the activities in the project. The ideas that come from pupils and the pupils’ growth into contributing members of future society are very important. The green hearts made by the council members about sustainable everyday actions brought joy to many.”

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