https://www.participation-coach.com/partizipationblog daily 0.75 2024-03-09 https://www.participation-coach.com/partizipationblog/adultismus monthly 0.5 2024-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/c4779087-bb13-4e5f-81c8-a0c15e80a50e/pexels-daniel-reche-1556707.+dyskriminacja.jpg Partizipation Blog - Adultismus. - Die Sprache, die wir verwenden, kann ein Instrument der Diskriminierung sein, und aufgrund der verinnerlichten Art und Weise, wie wir sie manchmal verwenden, geschieht dies oft unfreiwillig und unbewusst. Nur um das kurz zu verdeutlichen, Diskriminierung ist eine Art und Weise, gegen Menschen einer bestimmten sozialen Gruppe zu handeln und zu sprechen, die respektlos und verletzend ist. Diese soziale Gruppe wird durch ein unveränderliches Merkmal mit Vorurteilen und Zuschreibungen belegt. Die Diskriminierung ist dann eine Folge der Vorurteile (Holmer und Scherr, 2010). Es gibt viele Arten von Diskriminierung, aber eine Gruppe von Menschen, die davon besonders betroffen ist, sind Kinder. Foto Daniel Reche: Quelle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/ec5ed7e9-26de-45e5-a64a-fb5ef9512169/pexels-anete-lusina-5240498_rozmowa+z+dzieckiem.jpg Partizipation Blog - Adultismus. - Tipps zum Umgang mit Adultismus Es stellt sich also die Frage, wie man mit Adultismus umgehen kann. Wie kann man ihn verhindern? Die erste allgemeine Antwort, die einem in den Sinn kommt, ist eine transparente und respektvolle Kommunikation auf Augenhöhe, die auf den Grundsätzen der gewaltfreien Kommunikation (basierend auf der Theorie von Marshall Rosenberger) beruht. Foto Anete Lusina: Quelle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/03acc16e-ced1-47c2-b878-864ce3d24858/pexels-mica-asato-1198171.team.jpg Partizipation Blog - Adultismus. In Teams von Pädagogen ist die regelmäßige Selbstreflexion der Schlüssel zum Umgang mit Adultismus. Das Team sollte Zeit haben, allein und im Team über Situationen zu reflektieren, in denen Adultismus zu erkennen ist, um sich davon zu lösen. Eine kurze Rückmeldung während einer Team Sitzung? Oder ein besonderes, regelmäßiges Treffen nur zu diesem Thema? Was auch immer am besten passt! Es ist wichtig, deutlich zu machen, dass eine solche Reaktion keine Schande ist, sondern ein Lernprozess. Foto Mica Asato: Quelle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/bf736cbe-ce51-4190-b53d-3fa89ad88d58/pexels-cottonbro-studio-3662630_dzieci+art.jpg Partizipation Blog - Adultismus. Adultismus anzusprechen bedeutet auch, mit den Kindern darüber zu sprechen, die Bedeutung des Begriffs zu erklären und darauf hinzuweisen, wann er in alltäglichen Situationen zwischen den Kindern am häufigsten auftritt. Das Thema kann im Morgenkreis oder bei einer anderen Versammlung besprochen werden, es kann aber auch individuell oder situationsabhängig besprochen werden. Es könnte sein, dass die Kinder Interesse daran haben, an einem Projekt zu diesem Thema teilzunehmen, gemeinsam ein Plakat zu gestalten oder eine Regel aufzustellen, an die sich alle halten müssen. Hier kannst du sogar ein Plakat herunterladen Foto Cottonbro Studio: Quelle https://www.participation-coach.com/partizipationblog/was-ist-keine-partizipation monthly 0.5 2023-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/9f5e8cd3-69b9-41bc-b3ab-0f98773af4e0/pexels-abby-chung-1106468.jpg Partizipation Blog - Was ist keine Partizipation? - Die Interpretation, die ich hier anbiete, basiert auf den Kindheitswissenschaften, zu denen die Kinderrechtskonvention in engem Zusammenhang steht. Sie fragen sich vielleicht, was sind Kindheitswissenschaften? Es handelt sich um einen "Zweig" wissenschaftlicher Studien, der aus der neuen Schule der Soziologie stammt und Kinder als fähige Menschen betrachtet, die aktiv mit der Welt und der Umwelt, in der sie aufwachsen, interagieren und in der Lage sind, informierte Entscheidungen zu treffen. Aus dieser Perspektive sind Kinder in der Lage, sich in den Entscheidungsprozess einzubringen, wenn es um Dinge geht, die sie betreffen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/971b686e-04fb-4bfa-9227-c3cd57481eb5/Ladder+of+Participation.png Partizipation Blog - Was ist keine Partizipation? - Mit Nicht-Partizipation oder Schein Partizipation meine ich Formen der "Partizipation", die nur so aussehen oder den Anschein erwecken, in Wirklichkeit aber den Kindern nicht wirklich die Möglichkeit geben, sich zu beteiligen. Sie sind leider die am häufigsten vorkommenden... Die ersten drei Schritte der Leiter definieren die Formen der Nichtbeteiligung, während der Rest zeigt, wie sich die Beteiligung bis zur höchsten Stufe der sozialen Teilhabe entwickeln kann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a4f0505f-a51a-44a9-9f32-8b3862dc448d/pexels-efdal-yildiz-917499.jpg Partizipation Blog - Was ist keine Partizipation? - Der Garten des Kindergartens muss umgestaltet werden. Das Kindergartenteam (Erzieher:innen und Leiter:in, wenn möglich) erklärt den Kindern in kleinen Gruppen (im Morgenkreis, im Garten, zu anderen geeigneten Zeiten), warum der Garten umgestaltet werden muss. Ein:e Landschaftsplaner:in wird in den Morgenkreis eingeladen, um einige Ideen zu zeigen, wie der Garten aussehen könnte (oder die Impulse werden von den Erzieher:innen weitergegeben). Die Erzieher:innen erklären, dass sie die Kinder nach ihrer Meinung fragen wollen, warum und wie die Meinungen in die endgültige Entscheidung einfließen werden (mit einem selbst gestalteten Plakat wird der Prozess visualisiert): Die Ideen der Kinder werden gesammelt, dokumentiert und ausgestellt. Die Kinder erhalten drei Sticker, die sie auf ihre Lieblingsidee oder die wichtigste Idee kleben. Die drei Ideen mit den meisten Aufklebern werden dann an die/den Landschaftsarchitekt:in geschickt, der sie in die Gartenplanung einbezieht. Die Erzieher:innen erklären den Kindern den Prozess von Anfang bis Ende (--> keine Manipulation). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/718eba5b-77f5-4ff2-a12c-0a09ff9625fe/pexels-anastasia-shuraeva-6966341.jpg Partizipation Blog - Was ist keine Partizipation? - Die Erzieher:innen sammeln die Kunstwerke ein, dokumentieren sie gemeinsam mit den Kindern und gestalten eine Ausstellung an den Wänden des Flurs. Es wird ein Zeitpunkt festgelegt, an dem die Kinder abstimmen können, und die Kinder wählen ihre Lieblingsideen aus. Bevor die Kinder abstimmen, wird mit den Kindern besprochen, ob alle Ideen umsetzbar sind. Die von den Kindern ausgewählten Optionen werden an eine:n Landschaftsplaner:in weitergeleitet. Die fertigen Pläne werden den Kindern vorgestellt, und sie erhalten Informationen darüber, warum die Pläne so aussehen, wann die Arbeiten im Garten beginnen und wann er fertig sein wird. An dem Tag, an dem das Gartenprojekt fertig ist und genutzt werden kann, gibt es eine Feier. https://www.participation-coach.com/partizipationblog/janusz-korczak-eine-sehr-kurze-geschichte-des-vaters-der-kinderrechte monthly 0.5 2023-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/33fdcc16-d898-4301-a3e5-cf7d039b1ed1/20230317_123545-01.jpeg Partizipation Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Ursprünge Janusz Korczak ist nur ein literarischer Name für Henryk Goldszmit, der neben seinem literarischen Talent auch in den Bereichen Medizin, Sozialarbeit, Management, Fundraising, Ehrenamt und Pädagogik tätig war. Sein Vater wurde in Hrubieszów, gleich hinter der Grenze zur Ukraine, in einer fortschrittlichen jüdischen Familie geboren. Damals hatten es Menschen mit dieser Herkunft, die unterdrückt und diskriminiert wurden, nicht leicht. Einerseits wurde den jüdischen Kreisen vorgeworfen, sich von der Außenwelt abzuschotten, andererseits wurde es ihnen schwer gemacht, in der Welt zu funktionieren. Nur die Herausragendsten konnten die Universität besuchen und Karriere machen. Der Großvater von Korczak begann sein Medizinstudium im Alter von 30 Jahren und führte Quellen zufolge eine chirurgische Praxis in Hrubieszów. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a6d92469-90f7-4a2d-8e6b-873a3f1cce59/20230322_100013.jpg Partizipation Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Aufwachsen Hatte er eine glückliche Kindheit? Er wuchs in einer wohlhabenden Familie auf, wurde aber von Einsamkeit geplagt. Er hing sehr an seiner Großmutter und beobachtete stillschweigend das Scheitern der Ehe seiner Eltern. Sein strenger, herrschsüchtiger Vater war selten zu Hause zu sehen, seine Mutter war unglücklich und versuchte, ihren Mann zu beschwichtigen. Janusz Korczak war ein vorbildlicher Schüler und begann bereits in der Mittelschule, seine Werke zu schreiben und in Zeitschriften zu veröffentlichen. Im Laufe der Zeit wurden sie immer populärer, Kolumnen, Artikel in populären Zeitschriften, aber auch Bücher oder Theaterstücke wurden veröffentlicht. Als seine Großmutter starb und sein Vater immer aggressiver wurde, begann Korczak Nachhilfe zu geben, um die Familie finanziell zu unterstützen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/bc967716-7cea-4610-9e69-f6de694a6fab/20230322_095744.jpg Partizipation Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Jugend Durch seine schriftstellerische und publizistische Tätigkeit wurde Korczak zum Medizinstudium zugelassen und entdeckte den Charme Warschaus. Auf Empfehlung eines befreundeten Arztes fuhr Korczak 1904 als Betreuer mit einer Gruppe von Kindern jüdischer Herkunft in die Ferien. Wahrscheinlich entdeckte er dort zum ersten Mal seine pädagogische Berufung. In dem Sommerkamp begleitete Korczak Kinder, die im Elend der Warschauer Gosse aufgewachsen waren und nun die Reize der Landschaft und der Natur erleben konnten. Im turbulenten Jahr 1905 gab es viele Arbeiterstreiks. Die Arbeiter forderten bessere Arbeitsbedingungen und Redefreiheit, während die Studenten die Rückkehr des Polnischen als Unterrichtssprache verlangten. Trotz des Boykotts der Universitäten und ihrer Schließung schaffte es Korczak, sein Examen zu bestehen und Arzt zu werden. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/20998964-03cb-43f3-9519-e66d6e45b844/20230219_143056.jpg Partizipation Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Das Waisenhaus Das Waisenhaus wurde am 27. Februar 1913 eröffnet. Korczak war zu diesem Zeitpunkt 35 Jahre alt. Das Heim konnte etwa 100 Schüler:innen bis zum Alter von 13 Jahren aufnehmen. Es ist schwer vorstellbar, aus welchen Verhältnissen die Kinder stammten. In den ärmsten Vierteln lebten ganze Großfamilien in Einzimmerwohnungen ohne Abwassersystem. Als Abwassersystem diente die Dachrinne auf der Straße. Bei einem Sturm oder Regenguss vermischte sich das Wasser mit dem Abfall und ergoss sich manchmal in die Wohnungen. Anstelle von Fußböden waren die Wohnungen nicht selten mit Sand bedeckt, in dem sich Ungeziefer ansiedelte. Auch Ratten waren eine normale Erscheinung. Es überrascht nicht, dass es eine lange Schlange von Bewerbern für jeden Platz im Waisenhaus gab. Das Waisenhaus war nicht nur eine Rettung aus der Armut, sondern auch eine Chance auf eine bessere Zukunft, trotz der Ressentiments vieler Polen gegenüber Juden. Das innovative Konzept der Selbstverwaltung und die liberalen Methoden in der Arbeit mit den Kindern erweckten großes Interesse. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/896348eb-3b40-4717-8f46-960949cc3458/20230322_100102.jpg Partizipation Blog - Janusz Korczak. Der bewusstlose Sohn wurde von seiner Mutter gepflegt, die sich leider ebenfalls ansteckte und starb. Noch im selben Jahr zog Korczak in das Waisenhaus ein und löste die Wohnung seiner Mutter auf. Im Jahr 1922 trat Korczak in das neu eröffnete Staatliche Institut für Sonderpädagogik ein. Er hörte nicht auf zu schreiben, zu kreieren und zu veröffentlichen und wurde auch Herausgeber einer Zeitschrift für Kinder und Jugendliche. Im Haus der Waisen wurde ein Internat eröffnet, in dem Schüler:innen, die bereits das 13. Lebensjahr erreicht hatten, aber auch Außenstehende, die Pädagogik studierten, das Korczak-System kennenlernen konnten. Die Hauptaufgabe der Praktikant:innen bestand darin, ihre Beobachtungen und ihre eigenen Überlegungen festzuhalten. Korczak verlangte von ihnen Gewissenhaftigkeit, Disziplin und ständige Selbstreflexion. Aufwachen war um 6 Uhr, Mahlzeiten mit den Kindern. Rückkehr ins Heim immer um 22 Uhr, Samstags um 23 Uhr. Trotz ihrer hervorragenden Ausbildung war es für die Schüler:innen schwierig, Arbeit zu finden. Selten wurden Juden in öffentlichen Berufen beschäftigt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/f38fdabf-23c6-4b9c-b51e-98630d24f195/20230219_143110.jpg Partizipation Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Ghetto Der Krieg begann am 1. September 1939. Einen ganzen Monat lang verteidigte sich Warschau, unterstützt von der Armee und der Zivilbevölkerung. Ständiges Bombardement, Beschuss, brennende Gebäude, Zehntausende von Verwundeten, Mangel an Lebensmitteln, medizinischer Versorgung und Kommunikation führten dazu, dass die Hauptstadt kapitulieren musste. Die polnische Armee verließ die Stadt und wurde durch die deutsche Armee ersetzt. Korczak ließ sich eine Offiziersuniform anfertigen, die er jeden Tag trug. Dem Befehl, eine Armbinde mit einem Davidstern zu tragen, kam er nicht nach. 1940 fangen die Nazis massenhaft Menschen auf der Straße auf, verhaften sie und deportieren sie. Es herrschte ein Mangel an Lebensmitteln, insbesondere an Fetten - Milch oder Butter waren nicht erhältlich. Die Lebensmittelrationen für die jüdische Bevölkerung wurden drastisch gekürzt. Man begann, Mauern zu errichten, um ein Ghetto zu schaffen. Trotz der Verbote und des Grauens gelang es dem Arzt, die letzten Sommerlager für Kinder aus dem Waisenhaus und anderen Waisenhäusern zu organisieren. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/2f7e7514-c0e5-42a6-89f5-5e48ff6c130e/20230219_143432.jpg Partizipation Blog - Janusz Korczak. Obwohl Korczaks Gesundheitszustand immer schlechter wurde, beschloss er, eine Stelle im Hauptauffanglager des Ghettos anzunehmen, in das verlassene Kinder, die auf der Straße gefunden wurden, gebracht wurden. Die Bedingungen waren schrecklich: Ungeheizte Räume. Kein Licht. Kein Brennstoff. Keine Kleidung. Ein Vorhang, der zu Windeln umfunktioniert wurde, Stoff von einem Konferenztisch zu zwei Decken, Nationalflaggen zu Blusen. Mangel an Medikamenten. Frostbeulen, Wunden. Diarrhöe. Kokken. Krätze. Und vor allem: Hunger (Olczak-Ronikier, 389, 2011). Die Patienten waren erschöpft und ausgehungert. Welches Kind soll gerettet werden? Welches zum Sterben zurückgelassen? Jeder Arzt im Ghetto musste jeden Tag solche Entscheidungen treffen. https://www.participation-coach.com/partizipationblog/blog-post-partizipation monthly 0.5 2023-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/06fc0f0d-a51a-4c73-b849-2e145ca60d65/Art+Blog.jpg Partizipation Blog - Was bedeutet das Recht auf Partizipation? - Kinder haben das Recht, ihre eigene Meinung vom frühesten Alter an in vielen verschiedenen Formen und Weisen zu artikulieren. Oft ist es für Kinder schwierig, ihre Gefühle klar auszudrücken (sehr junge Kinder können sie noch nicht einmal benennen). Deshalb können Kinder neben dem Sprechen auch Musik, Zeichnen, Malen und andere künstlerische Ausdrucksformen nutzen, um ihre Meinung zu äußern. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/8c6bedb6-2232-4107-a4f7-d2c9a5c7a799/Children+Play.jpg Partizipation Blog - Was bedeutet das Recht auf Partizipation? - Zunächst einmal sollten sie grundsätzlich die Möglichkeit haben, eine Meinung zu haben und Entscheidungen über ihren Körper und ihre individuellen Bedürfnisse zu treffen, insbesondere in Bezug auf Schlaf, Essen, Hygiene, Kleidung, Spiel, Tagesablauf und Regeln, die sie befolgen sollen. Kinder haben auch das Recht, sich zu beschweren. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/1a52781a-e9bd-476f-bae1-f5ee7e544570/Reflection.jpg Partizipation Blog - Was bedeutet das Recht auf Partizipation? - Reflektion Welchen Stellenwert hat das Recht der Kinder auf Beteiligung in Ihrer Gemeinschaft? Werden Kinder als Bürger angesehen? Was ist Ihre Meinung dazu? https://www.participation-coach.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-02-15 https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/growing-autonomy-how-educators-can-use-nature monthly 0.5 2025-11-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/3060d4ba-0bad-4cbb-83ed-10c9f92693b3/20240308_165852.jpg Blog - Growing Autonomy: How Educators Can Use Nature to nurture, foster and empower - Autonomy Autonomy has always played a central role in pedagogy. You can recognize it in most known theories and models, such as those of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, etc. It plays an important role in holistic development really: identity development, confidence, self-esteem, motivation, self-image, critical thinking, power of mind over body, etc. (Brightwheel, 2025). Promoting autonomy is an absolute must in child-rights oriented pedagogical approach as it empowers children and youth. Task: Think about your own practice: How are you fostering autonomy of children in your care? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/9a361c27-5bf2-4c96-b244-5c43f0cd3f00/IMG_64871761684402128.jpeg Blog - Growing Autonomy: How Educators Can Use Nature to nurture, foster and empower - How outdoor exploration embodies autonomy? Magda Gerber once said: “Let the child be the scriptwriter, the director and the actor in his own play.” Being outdoors, especially in unstructured play allows children to be their own directors of their actions and learning, which leads us to a forest school concept. The Forest School approach became highly popular in the UK over the recent years, whose aim is to allow children long term opportunities in a natural outdoor environment. Sessions should be child led and focused on hands-on, challenging activities that support children’s holistic development and the development of essential skills. The outdoor environment is less structured than indoor classrooms allowing children to determine their own learning goals and objectives. In Forest School a child should be able to choose what to create and how they would like to spend their designated forest school time. They could just watch a snail or climb a tree or create something of their choice from natural resources. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/69c8b96f-1261-4330-8ecf-b780c20d81fe/IMG_26861761684402100.jpeg Blog - Growing Autonomy: How Educators Can Use Nature to nurture, foster and empower - How nature models independence and interdependence? Nature environment offers free open ended materials like sticks, stones, leaves, acorns, pine cones, conkers, water, mud etc which are ideal for child led play. If there are no directions on how to use them, children often automatically know what to do with them. A stick often becomes a sword or a magic wand; a rock can become a food or treasure etc. Children choose what to do with these resources all based on their own curiosity and interests. This freedom of choice is the core of autonomy. A natural environment allows children to manage their risks and at the same time support children in building self confidence and competence. There are many opportunities that are provided by nature like climbing trees, using sticks, lifting logs, etc. https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/think-youre-supporting-childrens-voices monthly 0.5 2025-11-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/e83ec94d-b094-498d-b8f5-594a3c76899c/pexels-naomi-shi-374023-1001914.jpg Blog - Think You’re Supporting Children’s Voices? - Agency As it happens, making decisions about our own body, own needs is a basic human need. Making choices about the food we eat or our personal hygiene are basic human needs, we all strive to meet. Going beyond that, we all, every single person, no matter what age, are influencing the social environment we are in. The actions we take, the conversations we have, influences the world around us. This phenomenon is agency. Every single person has an agency. And it depends on our autonomy or on our experiences on how we will exercise the agency. Photo by Naomi Shi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/f52baaa4-72bf-46eb-9a5e-b1a731cde560/pexels-kseniachernaya-3965506.jpg Blog - Think You’re Supporting Children’s Voices? - What it means for educators I am often told: “I do not have time to discuss things all day long”. Or: “I cannot fulfill every wish”. Of course it is not possible. And children need to learn that sometimes things do not go the way we would like them to be, it is how life sometimes is. These experiences are also important in developing resilience. However, there are many areas of daily life, which we can open to more autonomy and agency of each child. I recommend to every educator to reflect at least once a year on their own practice, to recognise their own strengths and areas for improvement. Photo by Ksenia Chernaya https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/from-educator-to-advocate-your-role-in-defending-childrens-rights monthly 0.5 2025-04-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/5f7cc665-6c33-443b-88f2-9021ddebd917/pexels-kseniachernaya-8535183.jpg Blog - From Educator to Advocate: Your Role in Defending Children’s Rights - 1,2,3…Take off! Children’s right advocacy can be very diverse. It can start a grassroot level in a local playschool and build towards systemic change. And you, an educator, play a crucial role in this movement—not only by modelling rights-based pedagogy, fostering awareness in their communities but also by influencing policies that protect and empower children. Photo by Ksenia Chernaya https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/22de1d59-9412-4cbd-ba55-48e516f39af8/pexels-anastasia-shuraeva-8466774.jpg Blog - From Educator to Advocate: Your Role in Defending Children’s Rights - Early Years Practice In your daily practice, shift from care and education to also empowerment. Listen to children's voices and if possible establish a flexible structure for children to be involved in the decision-making process, such as a participation forum or a (more structured) parliament. Facilitate storytelling or art projects, where children can share their experiences and opinions. Ensure children's participation in decisions that affect them, fostering agency, autonomy and community oriented environment. Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/3ef74d61-9895-41ad-bb25-6522d0f59964/pexels-yankrukov-8613366.jpg Blog - From Educator to Advocate: Your Role in Defending Children’s Rights I would advise against creating set lesson plans about the rights for children, knowing theory is important, but living the rights in daily life even more. Instead, celebrate international days like Universal Children's Day (November 20) to amplify your message and use the opportunity to talk about the topic. If you offer parent afternoons or evenings, include the topic of children’s rights in the agenda, maybe even show a movie relating to the topic. Here is my suggestion about a great video introducing Adultism. Photo by Yan Krukau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/670d8e91-9c15-4302-b3e1-e94d7f92a230/pexels-fauxels-3184418.jpg Blog - From Educator to Advocate: Your Role in Defending Children’s Rights - Collaboration The great side of activism is that you do not have to do it alone. There are plenty of people and organisations already advocating for children’s rights. You can partner with one of them and collaborate. I believe a great place would be in networks of fellow educators, where already a common goal is pushing for high quality pedagogy. One can also cooperate with local businesses to support children’s initiatives (e.g., funding school projects or mentorship programs). Photo by fauxels https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/how-social-participation-builds-confidence-in-children-and-helps-you-grow-as-an-educator monthly 0.5 2025-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/cee78b3b-151f-4899-b75e-7c2e68d495d5/pexels-thirdman-8926638.jpg Blog - How Social Participation Builds Confidence in Children and Helps You Grow As An Educator - Make it stand out Photo by Thirdman https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/c4be791a-b30d-4635-bf44-f62c67c59db3/pexels-aadil-2598024.jpg Blog - How Social Participation Builds Confidence in Children and Helps You Grow As An Educator - How Social Participation Builds Confidence in Children I also strongly believe that participation is not only about collective change and growth, it is about own, individual development. Having the space to develop one’s own opinions, make one’s own decisions and see their outcomes and consequences means learning from taking action. It means acquiring skills and by using them, gaining confidence and resilience. Participation also enables children to feel valued and capable of making a difference. And it is reciprocal- individuals who feel like they can influence change, participate more, are more engaged in the life of their community (Behrens, 2023, 200). Greta Thunberg, a famous young climate change activist, thinks exercising her agency improved her own well-being (Mason, Fattore, Mogensen, Falloon, Drake, 2023, 301). Photo by Aa Dil https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/bbe468e7-e0c7-4be4-95f6-446e77b59a01/pexels-ian-panelo-8805578.jpg Blog - How Social Participation Builds Confidence in Children and Helps You Grow As An Educator Cuevas-Parra (2023) describes a child-led research project based in Brazil and clearly illustrates how powerful and emancipating exercising one's own agency can be for young people. Beyond that, participation strengthens the feeling of belonging for young people, especially if they work towards a common cause, such as anti-discrimination (Cuevas-Parra, 2023). The young people participating in the study were marginalised due to ethnicity or poverty. They are said to be dealing with challenges such as racism, patriarchy and inequalities. They stated they were able to overcome those struggles by engaging in an organisation that was child-led. “They said that being from these oppressed groups and having shared experiences gave them a sense of unity and belonging, along with an emerging space for contestation” (Cuevas-Parra, 2023, 210). Photo by Nothing Ahead https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/7746a85c-1099-490f-891b-f059edf5da05/pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-5427870.jpg Blog - How Social Participation Builds Confidence in Children and Helps You Grow As An Educator - How Social Participation Helps Educators Grow I can most certainly admit, enabling participation helped me grow as an educator. I strongly believe through these processes we develop empathy, better leadership and adaptability. I would argue, we even heal by breaking the generational cycle we ourselves grew up in, in which children were supposed to be seen and not heard. Participation can be inspiring and provoke a deep reflection on teaching practices and assumptions. I think that participation can help educators see societal issues from different perspectives. And in a more practical way, it can reduce stress and make everyday life easier. Photo my Tima Miroshnichenko https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/early-childhood-educators-as-key-advocates-for-childrens-rights monthly 0.5 2026-02-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/95b88d53-64d4-41dd-836e-c6cf865993da/pexels-pixabay-144252.jpg Blog - Early Childhood Educators as Key Advocates for Children’s Rights - The many roles of educators “One of the many roles I have to play, everyday.” I heard you say. Yes, you are a nappy changer, cook, cleaner, hugger, facility manager, negotiator, event planner, researcher, advisor and so many other roles you find yourself in. And to top it all up, you are (hopefully) an advocate for children’s rights, as you are the duty bearer. In the light of the UNCRC children are the right holders, and governments, institutions (incl. educators) are duty bearers: people ensuring children know their rights and that their rights are respected. It is, in short, our responsibility. Photo by Pixabay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/96552c09-b266-4106-b243-24182e05f1b7/pexels-george-pak-7972512.jpg Blog - Early Childhood Educators as Key Advocates for Children’s Rights Educators have the enormous potential to act as gatekeepers of children’s rights. What do I mean by gatekeeping? Educators hold the key to the door: they have the power to facilitate children’s rights education, actively construct rights-based approach within their practice, encourage children’s agency and social participation and promote rights to parents (Jerome and Starkey, 2021). Photo by George Pak https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/d3e18aec-ace0-4ecb-8caf-8a0dfd8044a6/pexels-didsss-2675061.jpg Blog - Early Childhood Educators as Key Advocates for Children’s Rights The danger of educators having no CR training is creating pseudo-democratic/ pseudo-participatory environment. There might be structures in place or space for children to express their opinions, but it will have no impact if educators do not believe in the capabilities and agency of children (Jerome and Starkey, 2021). Educators need systematic training on CR (best as part of their own training) and ongoing training with a generous space for their own reflection and discussions with others. I argue, it cannot simply be that there is a lack of human and CR strong focus, as the future of democracy depends on it. Photo by Diana https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/0730f782-10f3-43d6-b084-e4b7d0df833e/pexels-yankrukov-8612967.jpg Blog - Early Childhood Educators as Key Advocates for Children’s Rights - Conclusion To sum it up, early childhood educators are at the forefront of advocating for children’s rights. Through CR training and a commitment to rights-respecting education, educators have the potential to create powerful spaces where children thrive as active participants and learners. By recognizing their agency as advocates, educators can drive transformative change within classrooms, schools, and society. This potential cannot be ignored, for the future of democracy and human rights values depends on it. Photo by Jan Krukau Interested in CR Training/Workshops/Framework? Click here to book a free 30 min. consultation with me. For free CR Workshop in February, sign up here to my newsletter to be the first to receive the infos! https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/childrens-rights-in-healthcare monthly 0.5 2024-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/5c110ae4-54df-447d-97b5-0d9cf215acac/pexels-busranur-aydin-3800407-9709575.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare 18 out of 54 Articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are linked to children’s health. In a nutshell: Children have rights to accessing health services without discrimination and to be hospitalised when necessary. Hospitalised children have the right to play and to benefit from recreation and education. They have the right to their privacy being respected. Children and their families have the right to be informed and to not be separated without agreement. Children also have the right to participate in decision making regarding their treatment. (UNCRC, 1989, Georgousopoulou, Voutetakis, Galanis, Kourti, Zartaloudi, Koutelekos, Dousis, Kosmidis, Koutsouki, Pappa, 2023) Photo by Büşranur Aydın https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a41ae392-09e5-4faa-9e7b-f7ed11707c19/pexels-shvetsa-3844581.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 1 Children shall be admitted to hospital only if the care they require cannot be equally well provided at home or on a day basis. Before admitting a sick child to the hospital, all possible care options should be considered, such as care at home, in a day clinic, or in another healthcare setting. If the child needs to go to a hospital, it should be as close to home as possible, while still providing the necessary level of care. The family's situation should also be taken into account, and care must follow the standards of the EACH Charter. Children’s rights must be respected no matter where they receive care. Once admitted, the child’s condition should be regularly reviewed, and the family's needs and the care level reassessed to avoid unnecessary stays. Parents should always receive the information, support, and assistance they need, wherever their child is being treated (EACH, 2024). Photo by Anna Shvets https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/6c535718-1860-4caf-8276-fc17e8a9266a/pexels-ojan-incredible-691089003-18197018.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 2 Children in hospital shall have the right to have their parents or parent substitute with them at all times. Children have the right to stay with their parents when they are sick, and this is an important part of their care. The child’s best interests should always come first. If parents cannot stay, the child should be accompanied by someone they know and trust for support. Children have the right to have their parents with them 24/7 in any situation where they need support, including during treatment, anesthesia, recovery, unconsciousness, or after birth. This applies to all healthcare settings, such as intensive care, emergency rooms, and isolation units (EACH, 2024). Photo by Ojan incredible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/6fcf0a58-3250-4d60-a274-11befd74f492/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4386467.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 3 (3.1) Accommodation should be offered to all parents and they should be helped and encouraged to stay. (3.2) Parents should not need to incur additional costs or suffer loss of income. (3.3) In order to share in the care of their child, parents should be kept informed about ward routine and their active participation encouraged. Staff should encourage and support all parents to stay with their child in the hospital, without imposing any criteria. Hospitals should provide facilities for parents, such as a bed, food, and bathroom access, at no extra cost. Parents shouldn’t lose income or face extra expenses for staying with their child or arranging care for siblings. Parents should be informed and involved in their child’s daily care and treatment, and staff should respect their choices. By participating in their child’s care, parents gain confidence, which can help shorten the hospital stay. Staff should provide training, guidance, and emotional support to help parents care for their child (EACH, 2024). Photo by Karolina Grabowska https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/9edea084-bc94-4b97-abaa-53ebf292bc16/pexels-shkrabaanthony-5215017.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 4 (4.1) Children and parents shall have the right to be informed in a manner appropriate to age and understanding. (4.2) Steps should be taken to mitigate physical and emotional stress. Children and their parents have the right to know what will happen before any medical procedure. Information should be clear, simple, and appropriate for the child's age and understanding. It should help children feel in control, and parents should be fully informed to support their child. Staff should encourage questions, provide support, and ensure both the child and parents understand. Information should be given continuously and in a calm, private setting, ideally in the family’s language. Children are entitled to adequate pain relief and should be protected from stress and discomfort. Emotional support should be offered to both the child and parents, especially during difficult situations. Families should have access to social services, psychological support, and self-help groups (EACH, 2024). Photo by Anthony Shkraba https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/5988c653-d18e-4d81-bc43-4839cea3ba8e/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4047184.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 5 (5.1) Children and parents have the right to informed participation in all decisions involving their health care. (5.2) Every child shall be protected from unnecessary medical treatment and investigation. Children have the right to participate in decisions about their healthcare, and staff should provide clear, timely information and respect their views. Trust and good communication are essential, and children can express their opinions through words, play, or body language. Parents' observations are also important. Informed consent from both children and parents is required for any treatment or research. Children must be protected from unnecessary medical procedures, and participation in research requires careful oversight to ensure their safety. Families can withdraw consent at any time without affecting the child’s care (EACH, 2024). Photo by Karolina Grabowska https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/501f6059-7f33-426b-9ade-b4eaf460289f/pexels-pixabay-42230.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 6 (6.1) Children shall be cared for together with children who have the same developmental needs and shall not be admitted to adult wards. (6.2) There should be no age restrictions for visitors to children in hospital. All children in hospitals need an age-appropriate environment that provides mental, emotional, and physical stimulation to help reduce anxiety during their stay. This includes access to rest, entertainment, and activities with other children who have similar needs. Children should not be placed in the same areas as adults, and separate facilities must be available for children and adults to ensure comfort and respect. Special accommodations should be made for adolescents, and any form of discrimination must be avoided. There should be no age restrictions for visitors; siblings and friends can visit as long as it is safe for the child and the visiting children (EACH, 2024). Photo by Pixabay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/e8c65238-d918-46fc-9044-345acc5bbf87/pexels-kseniachernaya-3980609.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 7 Children shall have full opportunity for play, recreation and education suited to their age and condition and shall be in an environment designed, furnished, staffed and equipped to meet their needs. Children have the right to an environment that meets their needs, no matter their age or situation, whether in hospitals, daycare, or other healthcare facilities. The design of these places should include features suitable for all ages and health conditions. There should be enough qualified staff to support children's needs for play, recreation, and education. All staff should understand the importance of play for children. Facilities must offer plenty of opportunities for play and creative activities, even for those in isolation, and ensure that children receive education at their appropriate level (EACH, 2024). Photo by Ksenia Chernaya https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/73bed7df-fbc2-4942-a7c0-e23533381b34/pexels-rethaferguson-3825586.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 8 Children shall be cared for by staff whose training and skills enable them to respond to the physical, emotional and developmental needs of children and families. Staff caring for children need specialized training and sensitivity to meet the unique needs of children and their parents. Hospitals must ensure that children are treated by qualified pediatric staff. If non-pediatric staff need to treat a child, they must do so under the supervision of trained pediatric professionals. All staff should receive ongoing training and be equipped to recognize signs of abuse and neglect. Children should have access to confidential health advice and counseling, even without parental consent, especially in cases of abuse or reproductive health needs. Parents should receive emotional support during critical situations, particularly when a child is facing life-threatening issues. Palliative care should begin upon diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, focusing on reducing distress and involving the family and a specialized team. When a child dies, families should receive compassionate support, and staff should have training to handle bereavement sensitively (EACH, 2024). Photo by RF._.studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/afe4ee16-a074-4d9c-9b0d-56486f8c1f28/pexels-laura-james-6098057.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 9 Continuity of care should be ensured by the team caring for children. Continuity of care means ensuring that a child receives consistent treatment from the same team of staff, both in the hospital and when transitioning home or to daycare. This involves teamwork among family and healthcare providers, with timely sharing of information and necessary resources. Teamwork should consist of a small group of knowledgeable individuals working together to support the child's physical, emotional, and social well-being. For children with long-term health issues, preparation for a smooth transition to adult services should begin when the adolescent feels ready and continue until they are confident in the new care situation (EACH, 2024). Photo by Laura James https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/8a163b09-1cc1-48e0-ab55-9fd1ea54526c/pexels-shvetsa-4586989.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare - Article 10 Children shall be treated with tact and understanding and their privacy shall be respected at all times. Caring for children with sensitivity means respecting their rights to enjoy being children while considering their dignity, individual needs, and developmental stage. It involves recognizing any disabilities or special needs and ensuring staff are friendly and approachable. A supportive atmosphere should also respect the child's cultural and religious background, as well as their wishes regarding privacy, which can change as they grow. Children's privacy must always be protected, including during exams and personal care activities. They should not be exposed to situations that diminish their self-respect, have the right to be alone, communicate privately with staff, and spend time with close family and friends without interruption. Photo by Anna Shvets https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/b517b221-ec76-4a99-8e41-9d31744a8efc/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4021801.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare And there are other challenges that have been demonstrated in a number of studies, such as: lack of possibility for parents to be present in certain hospital areas, admitting children who could actually be cared for at home, limited possibilities for children to complain or being involved in decision making Respect for age, gender and privacy (Georgousopoulou et al., 2023). Photo by Karolina Grabowska https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/356c1084-b45f-4359-b57f-50853bfd5939/pexels-polesietoys-4491759.jpg Blog - Children’s Rights in Healthcare One particular challenge I want to point your attention to, is the difficulty of children to engage in recreational activities and also having no access to education during the hospital stay. Some other studies also show that oftentimes there are no facilities for children to allow for play and learning, but also there are no trained staff to support those needs and rights (Georgousopoulou et al.,2023, Albert-Lőrincz C., 2018, Piira, et al., 2005, Migone, Mc Nicholas, Lennon, 2008). I believe it is an alarming state, considering play is such a fundamental children’s right. Play provides many benefits in relation to a holistic development of a child, but also has healing properties. Through play children have the opportunity to get prepared for treatments and examinations, but can also process these and heal from traumatic moments. Photo by Polesie Toys https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/the-challenges-of-and-right-to-play-part-2 monthly 0.5 2024-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/5dcf350a-c611-4476-96bf-1e72157f9a22/pexels-itfeelslikefilm-590493.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. Barriers to Play: Media, Busy Schedules, Urbanisation, Inequalities Challenges to incorporate play in schools: The seriousness of play, Play just in early childhood? Lack of assessment, Play deprivation in early childhood education Recognition of Play as Children’s Right Tips Photo by Janko Ferlic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a648f281-3bc9-485d-a975-750e1140fb4a/pexels-amina-filkins-5561153.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Media Children, just like adults, are a part of the virtual/digital reality, becoming of more importance with every day. They see us adults using media every day and in many contexts (work and well, play). And of course they 1) model this behaviour, 2) are really drawn to it due to the dopamine shot it delivers, 3) are naturally curious about media. The more time spent in front of the screen limits the other types of play (Ho, Yu, Brown, 2024). Haidt (2024) calls digital media “experience blockers”. I personally believe it cannot be said that the media are good or bad. The world is changing, because of it children have the right to this part of the reality, only if for the reason of being up to date with tools for their future employment possibilities. However, media and especially digital devices are changing the ways children spend their free time. And when they do play with digital devices, their social interactions with others tend to lessen (Ho, Yu, Brown, 2024). There are other concerns and a lot of research about this quite fascinating phenomenon of growing up with digital media. I will focus on this topic in more detail in some other article. Photo by Amina Filkins https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/b144c0ee-7dec-4965-bf87-d0cad2754ded/pexels-olia-danilevich-5088188.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Busy Schedules Children seem to have little time these days. Some stay in school till late afternoon, they have many extra activities they attend: from sport to additional language or science classes. Not to mention homework that surely needs to be prepared in the afternoons or on the weekends. Children are under pressure to do well academically, that in turn means less time to play. Photo by olia danilevich https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/05b4e759-522f-4130-bf7d-089e439dd48b/pexels-allan-mas-5623686.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Urbanisation Our world's population keeps on increasing. There is a tendency of people moving to the cities rather than moving out of them. Living in a big city means less opportunities for outdoor, nature play. Children cannot freely go out and play without having an adult accompany them. Not all cities are designed adequately to address the needs of children, having too little playgrounds and children-friendly spaces. Photo by Allan Mas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/1e42d686-2c21-4cf3-a354-73c263e91247/pexels-ricanaypa-2775536.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Inequalities Huge cities could also mean that the distribution of children-friendly spaces is not equal for all areas and all children. Poorer districts might struggle with enough good quality spaces for children and youth. For children and their families it could mean a longer commute time to reach good quality play spaces. Some of them, such as zoos and special parks might also be unaffordable for many families. Photo by Rica Naypa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/53a9cd05-d9f1-4b7b-8ba6-b6a8b01e8b53/pexels-julie-kozlova-1470182463-27083666.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - The “seriousness” of play First off, play is difficult to define, which seems to be problematic in the structured universe of formal education. Play is understood as a form of leisure, an activity that brings joy, which in turn means it is not serious. Therefore, play is something that children do when taking breaks from learning, rather than being a part of it. Where in fact it is often not recognised, that children learn through play ( Parker, Thomsen and Berry, 2022). Photo by Julie Kozlova https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/429f484d-51b7-4655-b5ba-81f4f5f704f7/pexels-ivan-samkov-8104208.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Play just in early childhood? The second major obstacle to implementing learning through play is the perception that this method is suitable only for early childhood education settings and not compatible with school. To tackle this, some researchers have used terms like "active learning" to gain acceptance in schools (Martlew, Stephen, Ellis, 2011, Smith, 2015). Learning through play is linked to high-quality early childhood education practices and research (Wall, Litjens, Taguman, 2015, Nilsson, Ferholt, Lecusay, 2018). International policy standards consider early childhood to be from birth to age eight (Irwin, Siddiqi, Hertzman, 2007). However, there is limited research on the application of learning through play for children older than five (Howard, 2010, Jay and Knaus, 2018). Good idea for a Master/PhD Thesis! Photo by Ivan Samkov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a91453e2-da16-4f7f-9763-2378fc996d42/pexels-thepaintedsquare-4022326.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Lack of assessment Another challenge in including play in educational settings is the reduced ability to assess play, and a perceived lack of accountability. There is such a focus on evidence-based learning. And there are no methods to measure the achievements coming from play as argued by Parker, Thomsen and Berry (2022). Although I believe these methods could be found in early childhood education, if one was willing to look deeper into it: assessment and documentation methods based on holistic development of the child (for instance from Te Whariki, New Zealand). Photo by Jessica Lewis https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a662b96d-be5c-43f1-b68b-114bbc58b44c/pexels-yankrukov-8613086.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Play deprivation in early childhood education Parker, Thomsen and Berry (2022) argue that also in some childcare settings unstructured play is being pushed aside to make space for more directed play, in which children formally learn and prepare for school. They argue that one can recognise a hierarchy, in which unstructured play stands lower than structured play, at least in the perspective of learning. This practice of reducing time of unstructured play for, as a matter of fact structured learning, deprives children of play and therefore the right to play. I think it is an interesting point of view, looking at play from a hierarchy perspective. Photo by Yan Krukau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/dc8a7680-ebfe-40f1-8055-b8f444b3b82f/pexels-mikhail-nilov-8922793.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. - Tips But let’s say you are a childcare practitioner in a setting, where children sit at prepared stations aimed at developing literacy and mathematical skills and have to finish their tasks to move on, whether they like it or not. And despite your genuine interest, you do not know how to proceed, how to change things around. Well, you do not have to revolutionise your setting over one night. My advice is to start small, step by step. To give everyone, including yourself, time to re-adjust. First, give children time in the day for unstructured play and observe intently. Record your observations about what children play, what are their current topics, what they like to play with. Display those observations, show them to children, talk about them. And next when you plan the time for children to stay and play at fixed places, prepare their play stations according to their interests. Prepare the whole space according to their interests! Photo by Mikhail Nilov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/d74caf0f-df23-4baf-8f04-cb2c9b6a5a07/pexels-yankrukov-8613082.jpg Blog - The Challenges and Right to Play. Part 2. Ask children to prepare and reflect together with you: to respect their agency, to empower them. Decide about your day, your activities, your outings, about your space together with children, rather than alone with other educators. Do you worry about ticking all the boxes in their developmental milestones? But they will! Trust the natural process, just like we trust newborns to know how to nurse. Observe and document to see which learning occurs naturally and support it in the natural play process by providing the space, materials or impulses as according to scaffolding theory. Photo by Yan Krukau https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/the-right-and-power-of-play-part-1 monthly 0.5 2024-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/446ddd91-f217-4cd5-8c9e-c3dd6360e41f/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4473892.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. 1. Introduction 2. Historical and Legal Context of Play 3. Play in the Early Years (and Play and Child’s Development) 4. Types of Play 5. Adult Involvement in Play 6. Characteristics of Quality Play 7. Conclusion 8. Literature Photo by Ketut Subiyanto https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/438d0ece-f3e0-46db-be31-a466ed667a52/pexels-cottonbro-3662824.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. The significance of play in children's daily lives and healthy development has been increasingly acknowledged in recent years. There has been much discussion about the exact role of play in children's development. It has often been proposed that play allows children to practise skills necessary for adult life. An expanding body of evidence supports the idea that play is not only a natural behaviour throughout childhood but also enhances children's quality of life, well-being, and their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth. From early brain development and bonding with parents to the independence of teenage years, play plays a vital role. As children grow, play provides opportunities to develop and refine various physical, emotional, and social skills, helping them understand and interact with an increasingly complex world (Play Scotland, 2024). That is, if the children have the opportunity to lead the play. Of course, directed play will have some good outcomes, too, but not as many as a child-led or guided play. Photo by cottonbro studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a99d35e1-1148-43aa-890d-7dd3578e573b/pexels-tatianasyrikova-3933229.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. The right to play is guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989), emphasising the importance of providing children with opportunities and spaces to play freely, where they feel safe, they can rest and can enjoy themselves without adult interference (UNCRC, 1989, Play Scotland, 2024). Important facts here: “UNICEF estimates that 160 million children around the world are working instead of playing or learning. Yet, even in their darkest moments, children can find their way back to hope, health and happiness through play. Because play is never just play. Play is powerful. The power of play unlocks potential, instils confidence, saves lives, heals, and creates a world of possibilities.” (Learning through Play, 2024, UNICEF 2021). It is why recognizing the importance of play and promoting it is of such great importance. Not only all educators, but all adults should be feeling responsible to give children various and varied opportunities to play. Photo by Tatiana Syrikova https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/fc15a102-9938-4da6-b044-b394fbc5e17b/pexels-yankrukov-8613318.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Play in the Early Years I already mentioned the multiple benefits in overall, holistic development of children. Especially in the early years, play is highly significant as it influences brain development. The neural and chemical reactions triggered by play support the development of coordinated physical and mental abilities. Play helps build strong bones, muscle strength, and lung capacity. Through play, children spontaneously use their physical skills, which helps them develop advanced physical abilities and coordinated movements. To top it up, some research shows that active children are more likely to develop healthy lifestyles (Play Scotland, 2024). Photo by Yan Krukau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/3c1bcda3-2b41-463e-8a8b-a7124ff4ea2a/pexels-yankrukov-8612914.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Play and Cognitive Development Play aids in children's cognitive development, including the enhancement of language skills, problem-solving abilities, mathematical skills, perspective-taking, representational skills, memory, and creativity. While to many adults, children's play activities may seem insignificant, they are crucial for the child, fostering the development of concentration and attention,providing for the deeper learning experience (Play Scotland, 2024, Zosh, Hopkins, Jensen, Liu, Neale, Hirsh-Pasek, Solis and Whitebread, 2017). Photo by Yan Krukau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/82606ec5-2763-40ef-8f0d-834cf5691d2b/pexels-ron-lach-10601877.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Play and Emotional Development Playing children are emotionally engaged in their activities, often expressing and processing the emotional aspects of their lived experiences. This helps them understand their own feelings and those of others. Play helps children build resilience. The satisfaction children experience while playing encourages them to expand their interests and creativity. The excitement and anxiety associated with trying new things help children learn how to respond to other unfamiliar situations. That also means play supports children’s mental health. While playing children can express their feelings in a safe environment, even when those feelings are confusing or painful. Through play, children develop a sense of self, which can influence their ability to manage stress. On top of that, research suggests that spending time in natural environments can help children regularly exposed to stress to become less anxious and develop a stronger sense of self-worth (Play Scotland, 2024). Photo by Ron Lach https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/f90aaf1e-fafd-45d8-a5e2-272b620c200f/pexels-cottonbro-3662839.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Play and Social Development Play, especially for older children, is often a social experience shared with others. Through play, they form and strengthen friendships. Their sense of belonging to a group is closely tied to their opportunities to play with peers. Engaging in unstructured play with others helps children learn to see things from different perspectives. Children apply and learn important skills, such as cooperation, sharing, helping, and problem-solving. The social skills acquired through play can be as crucial as those learned in school, a fact often overlooked in formal education and educational institutions. Friendships, both at school and outside, are important for protection and companionship, providing children with some independence from family life (Play Scotland, 2024). Disabled children attending special needs schools, who have local opportunities to make friends through play, can especially benefit from such. The relationships children develop through play are influenced by the type of environment and the social backgrounds of the children involved (Play Scotland, 2024). Photo by cottonbro studio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/71404a48-bd39-4122-a651-751c720cf6d5/pexels-julia-m-cameron-4145356.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. There is also a variety of types of play that children engage in: Competitive Play (board and sports games), Physical Play (based on movement), Exploration Play (discovering materials by using all senses), Sensory Play (exploring texture, colour and shape: senses exploration), Practice Play (learning how things work by repeating same action in play), Mastery Play (practising a new skill), Dramatic Play (fantasy or pretend play using imagination), Symbolic Play (using objects to represent another, often within dramatic play), Role Play (similar to dramatic play, linked to reacting everyday chores), Language Play (very young children experimenting with sounds), Expressive Play (using creativity: music, art,etc.), Recapitulative Play (exploring traditional stories and rituals), Constructive Play (building and assembling) and Digital Play (technology play) (Gowrie, 2024). Photo by Julia M Cameron https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/013571e7-fab0-4c66-a6a2-7004d4d01d61/pexels-yankrukov-8613059.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. Play can also be categorised based on the level of involvement that adults have in it. In Free Play, also called child-led play, children play without the guidance or even presence of adults. In Guided Play children receive the support of an adult in a scaffold/ Vygotski style. This means the adult only guides children when it is absolutely needed or gives children the impulses to develop the play and the learning, to bring it to a higher level. Then there are Games, with set rules and constraints, also often guided by an adult. And lastly the Directed Play, in which the adults design and control the activity (Zosh et al, 2017). According to Zosh et al (2017) the first three types of play fall under the Playful Learning Category and have in fact the most positive influence and outcomes when it comes to children’s learning. When looking at it with a children’s rights lens, the three types of play allow for participation: giving children the opportunity to decide what and how they play, which means their voices are respected and taken seriously. Participation is one of the most important children’s right and should always be taken into account when offering any type of activities to children of any age. Photo by Yan Krukau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/33fcc45c-ba7b-4ff5-980c-9888ed0d7ea3/pexels-mart-production-8471859.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Characteristics of Quality Play Zosh et al (2017) identify certain and very helpful characteristics that shall ensure play becomes a valuable and learning experience., based on recent research. They argue that it is not essential that all of those occur at the same time, however they must be present throughout the play. Those characteristics are: socially interactive, joyful, iterative, actively engaging and meaningful. Let me elaborate further on those: Photo by mart prodution https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/9b8bdd9a-8415-421b-a071-98f91a892863/pexels-polesietoys-4491661.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Joyful Joy here means broadly experiencing pleasure, enjoyment, motivation, thrill, and positive emotions—in a moment or throughout an entire play time. A lot of research from multiple disciplines demonstrates the power of joy in play and learning. Positive experiences tend to enhance our brains’ learning abilities and are more likely to be remembered (Zosh et al, 2017, p.19). Photo by Polesie Toys https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/ab11d437-d02c-4fc3-af29-961d1f243ab0/pexels-pavel-danilyuk-8422173.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Meaningful It is about making sense of experiences and connecting it to something that is already internalised, building on a schema. Through play, children explore familiar actions and observations to deepen their comprehension. For instance, a child may recite numbers but struggle to count objects, highlighting a gap between rote learning and real understanding. Effective learning requires connecting facts to real-life contexts. Studies by Fisher, Hirsh-Pasek, Newcombe & Golinkoff (2013) demonstrate that children who explore concepts meaningfully, such as discovering the properties of shapes, retain knowledge better. Dialogic reading, where adults encourage children to predict and relate story elements to their own lives, fosters greater vocabulary and understanding. This approach leverages brain functions related to analogy, memory, and motivation, facilitating deeper learning.(Zosh et al, 2017, p.21). Photo by Pavel Danilyuk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/b92a4c2e-e40a-459b-b0be-abf8a7eaf3db/pexels-yankrukov-8612967.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Actively Engaging Learning through play requires children to be mentally engaged and persistently focused on tasks. Studies indicate that active involvement in learning promotes better problem-solving abilities and understanding. Rather than passive instruction, children benefit most from actively exploring and solving problems. Adult influence can either limit or enhance children's curiosity; structured teaching can restrict exploration, while less structured environments encourage self-discovery and deeper comprehension. Active engagement in activities stimulates brain functions related to decision-making, memory, and executive control, facilitating both short-term and lifelong learning (Zosh et al, 2017, p.23). Photo by Yan Krukau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a5a6d6d2-f95c-4c35-8120-5973267d89f7/pexels-pavel-danilyuk-8422207.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Iterative Learning through play involves an iterative process, where children experiment, revise their ideas, and explore new questions. Play offers a safe space for children to take risks and try out different approaches. They use play to test hypotheses, explore uncertainties, and engage in imaginative thinking, which develops their critical thinking and scientific reasoning skills. Iterative play stimulates brain functions related to creativity, flexibility, perseverance, reward, and memory, supporting learning (Zosh et al, 2017, p.25). Photo by Pavel Danilyuk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/f41862d5-4324-4cd7-93ae-b10cac09cae4/pexels-sergeymakashin-5368726.jpg Blog - The Right to and Power of Play. Part 1. - Socially Interactive Social interaction is crucial for both play and learning, facilitating deeper understanding and stronger relationships. From infancy, interacting with others aids learning, with evidence suggesting that it is fundamental to the learning process. Vygotsky's theory underscores the significance of social interaction in learning. While some play may be solitary, most involves others and supports various learning skills. Research shows that positive caregiver-child interactions early in life lay the foundation for lifelong learning and development, promoting socio-emotional regulation and coping skills. Additionally, social interaction activates brain networks essential for understanding others' mental states, crucial for teaching and learning interactions (Zosh et al, 2017, p.27) Photo by Sergey Makashin https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/childrens-right-to-learn-to-move-and-move-to-learn monthly 0.5 2024-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/ebbe0c20-697b-4b19-ac3c-38423fd52324/1.jpg Blog - Children’s right to “learn to move and move to learn” - “Children learn to move and move to learn” (Early Education, 2024)). Nowadays research focuses on proving and demonstrating the benefits of movement, as researching on children the lack of movement would be considered highly unethical. The importance of enabling children to move around in a variety of ways has been proven over and over again and it cannot be stressed enough. Movement is a crucial element of health, therefore it is also children´s right. Children have a right to be growing up healthy, in healthy environments. We, adults, are obligated to provide it for them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/4bd0bb6d-f6a6-4148-b465-44ed3560920b/20230824_173000.jpg Blog - Children’s right to “learn to move and move to learn” - Cross- lateral movement This type of movement engages both sides of the body simultaneously and involves crossing the midline. Activities such as creeping, crawling, clambering, running, walking, and pedaling facilitate cross-lateral movement and aid in the development of coordination between hands, arms, legs, feet, and eyes. Regular exposure to these fundamental movements during early childhood enhances the establishment of robust connections between the brain's hemispheres, As this occurs, the potential for advanced sensory processing expands, allowing children to improve their ability to organize thoughts and articulate words, thereby enhancing coordination and speech sequencing, which are crucial for effective communication and early writing skills. Over time, this development also aids in children's capacity to visually follow and read printed materials in their surroundings, such as billboards, packaging, notices, and books. Regular engagement in cross-lateral movements offers significant benefits for children's physical and psychological growth (Early Childhood, 2024). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/d1e0784e-9530-4ab3-aeb7-0c660213ef8d/2.jpg Blog - Children’s right to “learn to move and move to learn” - Balance and Coordination The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, plays a crucial role in supporting balance and coordination by providing sensory information. This system is activated when fluid within the inner ear moves in response to head movements. To develop a robust sense of balance and coordination, children should engage in various movements such as rocking, rolling, spinning, tipping, tilting, and jumping. Providing ample opportunities for these kinds of movements enables children to better regulate their bodies and sustain attention over extended periods. If a child struggles to sit still during storytelling, it may indicate an underdeveloped vestibular system, signaling the need for additional movement opportunities. Recognizing this, many early childhood educators now emphasize the importance of incorporating rhythmic movement activities before transitioning children to more sedentary tasks like story time, as this primes them for improved focus and attention. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/36165f00-5fe5-41ab-87a4-9d00a4d37a0f/pexels-tatianasyrikova-3850017.jpg Blog - Children’s right to “learn to move and move to learn” - Deep Sensory Awareness Proprioception involves the ability to sense the position of our bodies in space and locate body parts and extremities without visual cues. This skill is crucial for effective body coordination and spatial awareness. Additionally, it encompasses understanding the appropriate amount of force needed for tasks like lifting objects or using writing tools. Children benefit from activities involving lifting, carrying, holding, pushing, and pulling bulky, heavy, and unwieldy objects. These experiences help them develop a sense of pressure regulation and spatial reasoning, essential skills with lifelong implications, including mathematical proficiency. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/1a52781a-e9bd-476f-bae1-f5ee7e544570/Reflection.jpg Blog - Children’s right to “learn to move and move to learn” Now, think and answer this question for yourself: Are all the types of movements addressed in your service? Do you make sure that children in your care have a possibility to exercise all types of movements? The answer should be yes by the way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/f5be5c69-1a07-4260-bd4e-a043e922d84d/b.jpg Blog - Children’s right to “learn to move and move to learn” - Indoor Environment The best scenario would be having a designated sports room. The other option is setting up small movement corners: Providing blankets, cushions, mats, sheets and boxes with which children can build will make play more active. Pedestals, different levels and niches for retreat could be a great alternate with seating. This also makes it possible to “enlarge” rooms. Vehicles and skateboards can be used in hallways and corridors. In Reggio Education Concept, for example, there is a children's restaurant so that the group rooms can remain free of tables and chairs. A very col piece of equipment for the very young children are the pieces designed by Emmi Pikler, which allow for variety of movements indoors (Kuhlenkamp, Schlesinger, 2023). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/920e2e48-745a-4810-a2ad-c13ca6ab59b2/g.jpg Blog - Children’s right to “learn to move and move to learn” - Outdoor Environment Outdoor environment should also present a number of movement possibilities for children. The outside area of the facility and its design should be viewed as equivalent to the inside, because it is considered an important learning and experience space for children. It should be designed in a varied manner and taking into account the different needs of the age groups. A slide and sandpit gives children exercise, but does not necessarily encourage exploratory play. Rather- different types of ground surfaces, vegetated and unvegetated, sandy and with pits, hills, etc. the opportunity to build, redesign and to garden. Older children can be provided with boards, pieces of wood and beams to create a building site (Kuhlenkamp, Schlesinger, 2023). Another option is of course taking children out on a regular basis to different parks and forest if possible. Connected to the movement is the opportunity for risky play, a play that challenges children to experiment and test themselves. https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/adultismus-jhkt4 monthly 0.5 2024-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/c4779087-bb13-4e5f-81c8-a0c15e80a50e/pexels-daniel-reche-1556707.+dyskriminacja.jpg Blog - Breaking the Chains of Adultism: Empowering Tips for Educators - The language we use can be an instrument of discrimination, and because of the internalised way we sometimes use it, this often happens involuntarily and unconsciously. Just to clarify briefly, discrimination is a way of acting and speaking against people of a certain social group that is disrespectful and hurtful. This social group is labelled with prejudices and attributions due to an unchangeable characteristic. Discrimination is then a consequence of prejudice (Holmer and Scherr, 2010). There are many types of discrimination, but one group of people that is particularly affected by it is children. Photo Daniel Reche: Source https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/ec5ed7e9-26de-45e5-a64a-fb5ef9512169/pexels-anete-lusina-5240498_rozmowa+z+dzieckiem.jpg Blog - Breaking the Chains of Adultism: Empowering Tips for Educators - Tips for dealing with adultism So the question is how to deal with adultism. How can it be prevented? The first general answer that comes to mind is transparent and respectful communication at eye level, based on the principles of non-violent communication (based on Marshall Rosenberger's theory). Photo Anete Lusina: Source https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/03acc16e-ced1-47c2-b878-864ce3d24858/pexels-mica-asato-1198171.team.jpg Blog - Breaking the Chains of Adultism: Empowering Tips for Educators In teams of educators, regular self-reflection is the key to dealing with adultism. The team should have time to reflect individually and as a team on situations in which adultism is recognisable in order to move away from it. A short feedback session during a team meeting? Or a special, regular meeting just on this topic? Whatever works best! It is important to make it clear that such a reaction is not a shame, but a learning process. Photo Mica Asato: Source https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/bf736cbe-ce51-4190-b53d-3fa89ad88d58/pexels-cottonbro-studio-3662630_dzieci+art.jpg Blog - Breaking the Chains of Adultism: Empowering Tips for Educators Addressing adultism also means talking about it with the children, explaining the meaning of the term and pointing out when it occurs most frequently in everyday situations between the children. The topic can be discussed in the morning circle or at another meeting, but it can also be discussed individually or depending on the situation. It could be that the children are interested in working on a project on this topic, designing a poster together or setting up a rule that everyone shall adhere to. Foto Cottonbro Studio: Source https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/janusz-korczak-eine-sehr-kurze-geschichte-des-vaters-der-kinderrechte-6whf7 monthly 0.5 2024-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/33fdcc16-d898-4301-a3e5-cf7d039b1ed1/20230317_123545-01.jpeg Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Origins Janusz Korczak is just a literary name for Henryk Goldszmit, who, in addition to his literary talent, was also involved in medicine, social work, management, fundraising, volunteering and pedagogy. His father was born in Hrubieszów, just across the border from Ukraine, to a progressive Jewish family. In those days it was not easy for people of that religion, repressed and discriminated against. On the one hand, Jewish circles were accused of closing themselves off from the outside world; on the other hand, it was made difficult for them to function in it. Only the most outstanding were able to get into university and make a career. Korczak's grandfather began his medical studies at the age of 30 and, according to sources, ran a surgical practice in Hrubieszów. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/a6d92469-90f7-4a2d-8e6b-873a3f1cce59/20230322_100013.jpg Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Growing up Did he have a happy childhood? He grew up in a well-off family, but was troubled by loneliness. Very attached to his grandmother, he quietly watched his parents' failed marriage. His strict, domineering father was rarely seen at home, his mother was unhappy and tried to appease her husband. Janusz Korczak was an exemplary student and began writing and publishing his works in magazines as early as middle school. As time passed, they became more and more popular, columns, articles published in popular magazines, but also books or plays. When his grandmother died and his father was getting more and more aggressive attacks, Korczak started tutoring to help the family financially. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/bc967716-7cea-4610-9e69-f6de694a6fab/20230322_095744.jpg Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Youth Korczak's writing and publishing got him into medical school and he discovered the charms of Warsaw. On the recommendation of a doctor he was acquainted with, in 1904 Korczak went as a guardian on holiday with a group of children of Jewish origin. It was probably then that he first encountered his pedagogical vocation. At the summer camp, Korczak was already frequently accompanying children who, growing up in the squalor of the Warsaw gutter, were able to experience the charms of the countryside and nature. In the tumultuous year of 1905, the Workers were often on strike. They demanded better working conditions and freedom of speech, while students demanded the return of Polish as the language of instruction. Despite the boycott of the universities and their closure, Korczak managed to pass his exams and became a doctor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/20998964-03cb-43f3-9519-e66d6e45b844/20230219_143056.jpg Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Orphans' Home The Orphans' Home was opened on 27 February 1913. Korczak was 35 years old at the time. The home could accommodate around 100 pupils up to the age of 13. It is hard to imagine the extent of the poverty the children came from. In the poorest districts, whole, large families lived in one-room flats without sewage systems. The guttering in the street served as the sewerage system. During a storm or downpour, water would mix with the waste and sometimes pour into the flats. Instead of flooring, it was not uncommon for flats to be covered with sand, in which vermin would breed. Rats were also a normal occurrence. Not surprisingly there was a long queue of applicants for each place in the Orphanage. The House of Orphans was not only a rescue from poverty, but also a chance for a better future, despite the resentment of many Poles towards Jews. The House's innovative concept of self-management and liberal methods of working with children aroused great interest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/896348eb-3b40-4717-8f46-960949cc3458/20230322_100102.jpg Blog - Janusz Korczak. The unconscious son was cared for by his mother, who unfortunately also became infected and died. In the same year Korczak moved into the Orphans' Home, liquidating his mother's flat. In 1922 Korczak joined the newly opened State Institute of Special Pedagogy. He did not stop writing, creating and publishing and became the editor of a magazine for children and young people. A dormitory/boarding school was opened at the House of Orphans, where pupils who had already reached the age of 13, but also outsiders studying pedagogy, could learn about the Korczakian system. The main task of the trainees was to record their observations and their own thoughts. Korczak required them to be conscientious, disciplined and constantly reflecting on themselves. Waking up hour was at 6am, followed by meals with the children. Return to the Home was always set at 10 p.m., on Saturdays at 11 p.m. Despite their excellent training, it was difficult for the pupils to find work. Rarely Jews were employed in public jobs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/f38fdabf-23c6-4b9c-b51e-98630d24f195/20230219_143110.jpg Blog - Janusz Korczak. - Ghetto The war began on 1 September 1939. For a whole month Warsaw defended itself, supported by the army and the civilian population. Constant bombardment, shelling, burning buildings, tens of thousands of wounded, lack of food, medical supplies, communication meant that the capital had to surrender. The Polish army left the city, replaced by the German army. Korczak made himself an officer's uniform, which he wore every day. He did not comply with the order to wear an armband with a Star of David. In 1940, the Nazis were catching people in the streets en masse, arresting them and deporting them. There was a shortage of food, especially fats-milk or butter was unavailable. Food rations for the Jewish population were drastically reduced. They began to build walls to create a ghetto. Despite the bans and the horror, the Doctor managed to organise the last summer camps for children from the Orphanage and other orphanages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/2f7e7514-c0e5-42a6-89f5-5e48ff6c130e/20230219_143432.jpg Blog - Janusz Korczak. Despite the fact that Korczak's health was declining more and more, he decided to take up a job at the Main Shelter House in the Ghetto, to which abandoned children found on the street were taken. The conditions were terrible: Unheated rooms. No light. No fuel. No clothing. A curtain converted into nappies, cloth from a conference table into two blankets, national flags into blouses. Lack of medicines. Frostbite, sores. Diarrhoea. Coccus. Scabies. Above all, hunger (Olczak-Ronikier, 389, 2011). Patients exhausted, starving to death. Which child to save? Which one to leave to die? Every doctor in the ghetto had to make such decisions every day. https://www.participation-coach.com/blog/blog-post-participation monthly 0.5 2023-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f24afd9d49dc120c0281de/06fc0f0d-a51a-4c73-b849-2e145ca60d65/Art+Blog.jpg Blog - What does Right to Participation mean? - Children have the right to articulate their own opinions from the earliest age in many, different forms and ways. 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