ABSTRACT
This chapter offers the rationale and procedures for creating a classroom environment that rewards participation and supports democracy. Theoretically, two-year schools were meant to democratize higher education, and the chapter proposes a bridge from theory to practice. The technique mirrors the structure and social relations found in the most democratic of our institutions. The learning college movement brought changes to the culture of two-year schools, and the changes came with repercussions that affect life in classrooms. With respect to teaching, the aspect of learning college culture with the most significant impact is the notion that educators, campuses and classrooms all impose unnecessary restrictions on the process of learning. For Dewey, the development of a model teaching practice begins with an educator's image of an ideal society. As educators, two-year college teachers also have a responsibility to counter the trend toward political disengagement among students. As a teaching method, town hall meetings hold the promise of addressing both concerns.
