Children’s Participation, Progressive Autonomy, and Agency for Inclusive Education in Schools

Abstract

Whereas children’s agency and their right to civic participation have been extensively discussed in childhood studies, especially within sociology, their presence in pedagogical studies is still scarce. We intend to contribute to tentatively plugging that gap by analysing the need for a change of perspective in school settings based on acknowledging children as participatory social actors. We are committed to an epistemological broadening of the expression “inclusive education” that complements the traditional and necessary meaning of “reaching to all learners”; a broadening grounded on the configuration of intergenerational relationships in which children participate in schools as learners and partners, as agents who are part of their community and take part in it. Schools are thus transformed into inclusive democratic educational communities or fellowships that include children in the decision‐making on those aspects that affect them, according to their progressive autonomy, while validating their knowledge and experiences. The article is framed on the sustainable development goals (SDG), specifically on SDG no.4, to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education, and SDG no.16, which urges to promote just, peaceful, and inclusive societies and the consolidation of institutions. Our stance is that a significant step forward to achieving these goals is that schools should prepare for life in democracy by being experienced and run democratically. This involves children’s gradual participation in school management, from the micro to the macro level. To this end, we focus on three key elements: children’s rights to participation, the principle of progressive autonomy, and acknowledging children’s agency in schools.

Teacher solidity in the digital age and its effect on the effectiveness of primary school management

“…Based on the objectives of the study, the formulation of the problem is: how the importance of teacher solidity in the digital age can affect the effectiveness of primary school management? Research on solidity and its relation to changes in school management has been widely carried out [20]- [23]. A notable difference from this newly conducted study is when teacher solidity is related to the digital age.…”

Η Συμβολή Των Βιωματικών Εργαστηρίων «Παρεμβαίνουσας Μη Κατευθυντικότητας» (NDI) Στην Ανάπτυξη Αξιών Και Ικανοτήτων Της Αειφορίας

“…Εάν λοιπόν ο σκοπός της ΕΠΑ και του αειφορικού σχολείου είναι να θεωρηθούν τα παιδιά όχι μόνο ως μαθητές αλλά και ως κοινωνικοί συνεταίροι (partners) και συμμέτοχοι στη λήψη αποφάσεων της σχολικής κοινότητας (Esteban, 2022), οφείλουν να επιμορφωθούν οι εκπαιδευόμενες/οι εκπαιδευτικοί προς την κατεύθυνση αυτή σα να ήταν παιδιά, ώστε με τη σειρά τους να μεταλαμπαδεύσουν το δημοκρατικό κλίμα στις τάξεις τους. Μέσα από αυτή τη δημοκρατική συμμετοχή/εμπλοκή πολιτών και τα συμπαρομαρτούντα στοιχεία -υπευθυνότητα, ανεκτικότητα, αμοιβαίος σεβασμός, ενσυναίσθηση, ελευθερία έρευνας (Galt et al, 2012)-η ΕΠΑ εστιάζει στον στόχο του ενεργού πολίτη, που ζωντανά και μαχητικά παίρνει μέρος σε συμμετοχικο-δημοκρατικές διαδικασίες (WCED, 1987• United Nations, 1992• Huckle, 1999• Φλογαΐτη, 2006, στοχεύοντας την κοινωνική αλλαγή (McKeown & Hopkins, 2007) 9 .…”

Developing a sense of human agency in childhood and adolescence through participatory experiences: enabling contexts and agentic qualities

“…Dailey and Rosenbury (2018) consider that granting agency rights to children will enable them to exercise their rights autonomously. This would involve recognising and confirming children' s knowledge, capabilities, and experiences (Esteban, 2022).…”