Abstract
This paper sets up a dialogue between Article 29 and Article 12 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. A research that seeks to broaden the students voice and to promote school improvements following a critical model of participation is analysed. The project was carried out in 11 education schools in Cantabria (Spain) from early childhood to secondary levels. The methodological framework is based on Participatory Qualitative Research. The results are organized according to three key aspects: (1) Can all children participate? We will focus on our research concerning how age, capacity or any individual trait does not limit the right of participation. (2) Has everyone “the right to express their views freely”? It is analysed which were the most relevant improvement proposals for the children and how innovative methodologies can be used successfully for children to express important ideas, even if orality is not yet developed. (3) Has everyone the right to participate “in all matters affecting the child”? The paper concludes by affirming the necessity to develop student voice as a democratic day-to-day practice in schools and as a feasible path to approach children’s rights in a way that leads to real participation.
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Notes
- 1.
The Roma is the main ethnic minority in Spain. The presence of students from this minority is a common feature of the schools participating in this project. Although the schooling of students in Compulsory stages is practically complete (Fundación Secretariado General Gitano, 2013), we find high percentages of absenteeism and premature abandonment: 64% of Roma students do not complete compulsory studies (Fundación Secretariado General Gitano, 2013), which is more pressing in Roma girls (Cárdenas-Rodríguez et al., 2019). This makes them a disadvantaged group at risk of social and educational exclusion.
- 2.
The school playground is the area that is available to students for free play which is used for between 20 and 30 minutes of the school day.
- 3.
This experience has been documented in detail in the book, When everyone counts. Experiences of student participation in schools., edited by Susinos et al. (2018).
- 4.
It is common in the classrooms to find students responsible for certain tasks: watering the plants, writing the date, and organising the materials, etc.. This figure of the leader of the day rotates among the students.
- 5.
Students refer to that time that passes between the end of one activity and the beginning of the next in which they can choose between playing, reading, etc..
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Ceballos, N., Susinos, T., Saiz-Linares, Á. (2021). Small Voices Bring Big Messages. Experiences of Student Voice and Inclusion in Spanish Schools. In: Gillett-Swan, J., Thelander, N. (eds) Children’s Rights from International Educational Perspectives. Transdisciplinary Perspectives in Educational Research, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80861-7_12
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