Children’s Views about an Authoritarian School

Abstract

In this chapter, the data produced in the first focus group session with children in Scotland and Greece are analyzed. The children who participated in this session were read the plan for a teacher-directed school for young children, which does not provide for most of the children’s rights relevant to their education. Children in both countries mainly talked about the physical environment of the school in the plan, which they found poor and hindering play (article 31). In terms of the social environment of the authoritarian school, children wanted to be consulted (article 12) but this tendency was stronger in Scotland and only children from Greece talked about the need for children to be safe at school (article 19). The significance of article 5 on adults helping children with exercising their rights was raised.

Keywords: Children’s participation, Right to education, Right to play, Right to protection from physical harm, Teacher-directed school.

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