Inspired by Deweys “Education and Democracy” the traditional understanding of teaching and learning changed. Centered by Deweys idea, that students learn more and even better, when they have the chance to make experience and, when teachers and students interact in a democratic way we could see changes in the use of the learning environment and thinking about school buildings and classrooms (Stadler-Altmann, 2015). Did School design influences school culture and changes the way of teaching and learning? Or, have the changes in teaching and learning over the past hundred years changed the school design and school culture? Many (historical and architectural) research postulates changes in teaching and learning which have influenced the school building and classroom design (see Gislason, 2011). Nevertheless, most teachers in Europe teaches in traditional school buildings and classrooms as Higgins et al. (2005) point out, even if they want to teach in a democratic and modern way. Taking in consideration, that the school culture must have an influence on teachers’ beliefs (see Helsper 2008) and teaching practice, we will observe teachers dealing with their classroom conditions. Martin (2002) shows there is a strong relationship between the pedagogical ideas of the teachers and their dealing with the classroom conditions. Following her results, we examine data from a school project to show how school culture influences the beliefs of teachers in a first step. Therefore, we take the educational objective democracy as a common goal in the center of our reflections (see Stadler-Altmann/Gördel, 2015). Second, we observe the use and the arrangement of classrooms in schools, which have a focus on democratic education in their school program. Based on the technique of behavioral mapping (see Prosansky et al., 1974) and interviews we collect some data for this explorative follow up study. Finally, we discuss the influence of democratic school culture on teachers’ beliefs and interaction, using the results of both studies as work in progress.

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