Teaching Children the Power of Their Voice in a Preschool Classroom

This study documents the experiences of teachers and children in a classroom using the Project Approach, a framework that highlights the importance of listening to children, following their lead, seeing children as capable researchers, and providing real-life experiences for young children to question and explore. Using qualitative research methods that included analysis of conversations, photographs, and artifacts, this case study examines how one group of teachers leveraged the project approach to help children learn about their rights and how the children in their classroom made their voices heard and enacted change, specifically with regard to the children’s concerns about toys that were “only for girls.” Key teaching practices included exploration of literature and primary sources, “provocating” the environment, creating opportunities for meaningful voting, and helping children stage a protest. In addition to our observation that, throughout the project, children became more willing and interested in using their voices to make change, we also observed that some adults viewed children as not capable and looked at them through a deficit lens. This study indicates that teachers can teach citizenship and democracy to young children in a way that children not only understand but enthusiastically embrace.