Democratic School of Hadera

The Democratic School of Hadera is a democratic school in the Israeli city of Hadera. Founded in 1987 it is the oldest among the 25 democratic schools in Israel. With approximately 370 students aged between four and 18 years, she is also the largest democratic school in the country and the second largest worldwide.

Broad School

The Democratic School of Hadera is called through a weekly school assembly, parliament, passed. There, each employee / teacher and every student has a voice. Furthermore, the parents of current students and former students are entitled to vote. The School Parliament decides by majority vote. For the implementation of decisions and organizational tasks committees are responsible, whose members are elected at the beginning of the school year. Complaints about violations of school rules ( mishmat Wa'adat ) the Discipline Committee, a kind schulinternem court investigated.

Some years after the school's foundation, the school decided to Parliament that the class attendance should be voluntary. The students now choose to start a school year, at which learning courses or projects they want to participate. Furthermore, them so-called learning centers (library, music, theater, art room ) stand during the continuous von 8.15 bis 13 clock clock school day available. You computer or spend their time with football, basketball, card games, chat with their friends and engage in other self-chosen activities.

The school is not divided into individual grade levels. The younger students ( 4 to about 7 years) and the middle-aged students (up to about 12 years) do have their own areas in the school, but can move freely on the school grounds, use the learning centers as well as participate in teaching courses that are more likely to be older students judge.

Each student has a teacher as a contact person ( mentor / tutor ).

Success of the school

A study by the Institute for Democratic Education about former pupils of the Democratic School of Hadera shows that the approach of the school is successful according to conventional criteria. From the time of the study 30-40 year old graduates the majority has reached top positions in your field of interest; 20 % have earned a PhD; 90 % work in a job of their choice. Among the former students are also the Olympic champion Gal Fridman and Sarit Hadad the singer.

IDEC

In 1992, the Democratic School of Hadera educational prize of the President, who is regarded as the most prestigious prize in the field of education in Israel. Representatives of the Democratic School of Hadera and other democratic schools were then invited to a conference in 1993. Since this was unsatisfactory from the perspective of democratic schools, they organized in the port in the Democratic School of Hadera own conference, which is now known as the International Democratic Education Conference ( IDEC ) and takes place every year in a different country.

In 1995, the Democratic School of Hadera chosen among all schools of Israel to the school of the year.

Documentary

2004 visited the Children's Rights Project Krätzä the school and turned the 41minütigen documentary Pretty Cool system, which shows the school day and some of the students, staff and graduates can talk about their experiences.