children and young people report to the UN on their rights - Nova

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eflection <strong>the</strong>y moderated <strong>the</strong>ir views <strong>and</strong> said it depended on what decisionswere at issue.In Skedsmo <strong>and</strong> Trondheim more than 90 per cent of <strong>the</strong> pupils said<strong>the</strong>y agreed ‘completely/<strong>to</strong> some extent’ with <strong>the</strong> statement that "pupilinvolvement is important." This attitude was confirmed in <strong>the</strong> interviews. Allpupils said it was very important <strong>to</strong> get involved. One pupil stated: "If we can'tbe bo<strong>the</strong>red <strong>to</strong> get involved, <strong>the</strong>n we can't make complaints." Ano<strong>the</strong>r said: "It'svery important <strong>to</strong> get involved, so that you care about things going on around you."Moreover, pupils who had said <strong>the</strong>re was no point in making suggestions inclass committees or pupils’ councils considered it was important <strong>to</strong> getinvolved. These pupils did not relate involvement <strong>to</strong> any formal co-determinationbody, but more <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir personal interests, such as football.In S<strong>and</strong>nes more pupils wished <strong>to</strong> provide input on how <strong>the</strong> teachercould organise <strong>the</strong> teaching. They felt <strong>the</strong>re was <strong>to</strong>o much traditionallecturing <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> pupils <strong>and</strong> that more use should be made of <strong>the</strong> outdoorenvironment in teaching. The pupils also wished <strong>to</strong> give more weight <strong>to</strong>social aspects <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> discuss rules governing <strong>the</strong> classroom situation. Severalwanted a greater say in P.E. classes, timetables <strong>and</strong> homework.Looking at <strong>the</strong> results as a whole, <strong>the</strong> impression is that <strong>the</strong> pupilswanted a greater say in deciding <strong>the</strong> content of <strong>the</strong>ir school day. Theywanted more influence, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> schools only met this wish part way. In <strong>the</strong>irview <strong>the</strong>y exerted little influence, <strong>and</strong> about half of <strong>the</strong>m did not feel that <strong>the</strong>pupils' wishes were taken in<strong>to</strong> account.Schools’ tuition in co-determinationNow follows a closer look at pupils' answers <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> question of what tuition<strong>the</strong>y received in co-determination <strong>and</strong> influence.Table 6. Tuition <strong>and</strong> influence. Percentage answering ‘agree completely/<strong>to</strong> some extent’with <strong>the</strong> following statements.We receive good tuitionin co-determination <strong>and</strong>influence at schoolThe teacher encourages<strong>the</strong> pupils <strong>to</strong> participatein <strong>the</strong> work of <strong>the</strong> pupils'councilAlta Bjugn Kau<strong>to</strong>keino Lilles<strong>and</strong> Skedsmo Trondheim-- -- --69.9(n=53)67.3(n=352)61.1(n=59)43.1(n=51)64.0(n=50)83.3(n=354)75.6(n=349)57.0(n=237)63.4(n=238)– Children <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UN</strong> on <strong>the</strong>ir rights – 29
As <strong>the</strong> table shows, <strong>the</strong>re was much variation in pupils’ perceptions as <strong>to</strong>whe<strong>the</strong>r or not <strong>the</strong>y received good tuition in co-determination <strong>and</strong> participation,ranging from about 43 <strong>to</strong> 83 per cent. This may be because <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>mecomes across as somewhat diffuse <strong>and</strong> largely up <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> individual teacher.There was greater agreement <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> effect that teachers encouraged pupils <strong>to</strong>participate in <strong>the</strong> work of <strong>the</strong> pupils' council: between 63 per cent <strong>and</strong> 76per cent agreed ‘completely/<strong>to</strong> some extent’ with this statement. Someconsidered that teachers facilitated pupil involvement, <strong>and</strong> made it anexciting prospect. O<strong>the</strong>rs believed that teachers did little more than organiseelections <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> pupils’ council. The qualitative interviews showed that <strong>the</strong>pupils felt it was down <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> individual teacher. The pupils cited a numberof examples of good groundwork by teachers:At lower secondary schools <strong>the</strong> pupils’ council had a greater say; <strong>the</strong> teacherwho assisted <strong>the</strong>m was very good. She listened <strong>to</strong> what we had <strong>to</strong> say <strong>and</strong><strong>to</strong>ok <strong>the</strong> matter up with <strong>the</strong> school board. We exerted a lot of influencecompared with pupils at upper secondary school.At lower secondary school <strong>the</strong> teacher left <strong>the</strong> classroom for maybe half anhour, so we could discuss in class any problems we had concerning <strong>the</strong>teacher, or with anything else. It wasn’t always easy <strong>to</strong> talk about <strong>the</strong>sethings with <strong>the</strong> teacher present.In <strong>the</strong> <strong>report</strong> from Trondheim <strong>the</strong> project staff considered that <strong>the</strong> resultsconfirmed earlier input <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> effect that ‘democracy training’ is rarely put ona broad, organised basis, unless one takes part in <strong>the</strong> pupils' council.Unfortunately, according <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> pupils <strong>the</strong>mselves, <strong>the</strong>re are also instanceswhere <strong>the</strong> pupils' council does not receive <strong>the</strong> tuition it is entitled <strong>to</strong>.Table 7. The pupils' council has a lot of influence at our school. Percentage agreeing‘completely/<strong>to</strong> some extent’.AgreecompletelyAgree <strong>to</strong>some extentDisagree <strong>to</strong>some extentDisagreecompletelySum og N 100.0(n=52)Alta Bjugn Kau<strong>to</strong>keino Lilles<strong>and</strong> Skedsmo Trondheim7.7 15.6 13.6 13.5 71.8 36.348.1 45.6 32.2 51.9 22.4 48.325.0 24.4 39.0 23.1 4.1 10.419.2 14.4 15.3 11.5 1.7 5.0100.0(n=360)100.1(n=59)100.0(n=52)100.0(n=361)100.0(n=240)Skedsmo worded <strong>the</strong> statement as follows: ‘The pupils' council is heard in matters it takes up’, whileTrondheim asked if <strong>the</strong> pupils' council is given a large say in deciding matters at school.30– NOVA Report 2b/08 –
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