A journey towards a democratic teacher ethos and a democratic culture in schools

Being a “democratic teacher” requires more than just being good at one’s subject. Among other things, it requires the ability to listen to learners, colleagues and parents and openness to the cultural affiliations and practices they bring to the educational process, empathy and a sense of responsibility for the well-being and empowerment of all learners.The teacher self-reflection tool aims to support teachers and other educators to develop their own competences relating to democratic culture and a “democratic professional ethos”, which builds on the values of democracy, human rights and intercultural dialogue. It offers guidance throughout this development process and on working with the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC).The tool can be used as a means of getting acquainted with the RFCDC, but it can also be used as a companion to self-reflection on teaching and democratic competences.