How to understand and implement children’s participation in preschool?
Sonja Rutar

Summary:   Since the first “White Paper on Education” was published in independent Slovenia in 1995, its guidelines provided the basis for an education and participation in the processes of democratization. Theorists and professionals have reflected on the need for interpretation of children’s participation in preschools. In this paper, we focus on the “Convention of the Rights of the Child” as a starting point for thinking about children’s participation. We consider the position of the convention in relation to children’s participation and the different levels of participation. In this context, we also discuss issues that frequently arise, such as whether children’s participation is possible at all or whether participation is, in reality, a chimera. We argue that to achieve children’s participation, we have to reassess our understanding of educational goals, our image of the child and the child’s role, the role of professionals in the education process, and the principles that determine the course content and teaching process. To achieve this, we need to reflect on the values that underpin the educational process.

* Full text article is only available in Slovenian language.
Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies is
published with support of Slovenian Research Agency.