Learning to attend to children’s voices: determining more responsive learning environments

The study is concerned primarily with the perceptions that children hold towards their school experience. This is an interdisciplinary endeavour, drawing on pedagogical, political and psychological perspectives. The study took place within a state funded primary school in Chelmsford, a city in south-east England. Data was collected from twelve five-six year old year 1 children using three qualitatively different methods: (a) children’s drawings, which considered the choices that children made in terms of two themes: their ‘actual school experience’ and their ‘ideal school experience’. (b) Children were interviewed in pairs and their response was analysed by using phenomenographic techniques and finally; photographic/video evidence of different areas of the class/setting, taken/videoed by children themselves. Categories of description were made using these photographs and videos and children were asked to discuss their views about these classroom areas with the researcher. Findings revealed that children liked coming to school and enjoyed doing a range of activities with their teacher(s) and friends. They however, wanted to spend more time outside. These voices were then discussed to see whether young people's participation in such research can contribute to a joint exploration of understanding of their perspectives by both, teachers and children themselves and so contribute towards a more sustainable/meaningful pedagogy. On reflection, the school believes that a learning environment developed in collaboration with children is more sympathetic and responsive to their needs and aspirations. Further, that the process will encourage self-determination and participation, and hence will act to empower children.