Project Based Learning Child Participation

4 basic principles in CRC Art 2 Right to non-discrimination Art 3 Best interest of the child Art 6 Right to life and development Art 12 Right to be heard and express its views

4 basic principles in CRC Art 2 Right to non-discrimination Art 3 Best interest of the child Art 6 Right to life and development Art 12 Right to be heard and express its views participation protection provision

UN Child Rights Convention (CRC) CRC could be described with 3P:s P for Provision (food, health care, education, social security) P for Protection (maltreatment, neglect, all forms of exploitation) P for Participation (right to act, be involved in decision making)

What is Participation? “Participation is a human capacity that will shape and make our environments in ways that satisfy our needs and give meaning to our lives.”

What are the benefits of Participation? If you allow participation in class you will end up with new, serious, and relevant solutions to complex problems. Participation to Improve Life for Children occurs when you let children address serious problems by applying democratic processes in class.

Think of the relation between: Teacher Pupil Learners Learners

The Right Based Approach – teacher vs student The teacher is changing her/his relation to the student from this: to this: Teacher 1 Student 0 Facilitator 1 Learner 1 9

What are the challenges of Participation? How to deal with: Code of conduct Discipline rules Physical punishment Positive discipline

Teachers have to participate! •Teachers have to understand the problems that children are facing in class. They can’t look upon the problems as if they don’t matter to them. •Teachers have to change their behavior and act as if they are responsible. Because they are..

How can teachers promote curiosity?

Children need to know that their questions, comments and observations are welcome in the classroom. Therefore compliment your children: -Wow, great question! -That’s an amazing observation. Would you say it again for the whole class? -I’m glad you asked that question. -That’s a tough question, I will write it down. -Unbelievable, I will tell your mother, I must tell her.

How can we promote polyphony in class?

•Let children talk in pairs and then in groups of four before they talk in front of the whole class. •Call on children whether or not they have raised their hands. •Have children put their hands down when another child is speaking. •Give each child as much time as possible. •Celebrate breakthroughs. Private or in class.

Open-ended questions? To convince children that school is a place for them, you need to get rid of right and wrong thinking and right or wrong answers. What is an open-ended question, choose a subject and create an open-ended question.

Give two examples (good or bad) from your classrooms on : participation in decision-making or pupil participation. Make a short role-play .

The Ladder of Participation: 8-Child initiated, shared decisions with adults 7-Child-initiated and directed 6-Adult initiated, shared decisions with children Participation 5-Consulted and informed 4-Assigned but informed 3-Tokenism Non - Participation 2-Decoration 1-Manipulation

Give examples from your schools relating to one or two steps of the ladder.

In your group develop one or two activities that match one of the Participation Ladder steps (refer to steps from 4 to 8) You have 15 minutes to develop the activity and 5 minutes to present it .