Attention, child perspective!Opportunities and challenges for the development of an enquiring habitus when implementing the child perspective approach for educators in elementary education practice

Abstract

The bachelor thesis presented in this article (Wölflingseder, 2021) examined the child perspective approach (Nentwig-Gesemann et al., 2021) and its potential to promote an enquiring attitude in early childhood educators. The theoretical part highlights the relevance of the child's perspective in the quality development of early childhood education and care centres. Empirically, guided interviews were conducted and evaluated with professionals (n = 4) who already apply the concept in practice. The results show that the child-perspective approach has the potential to change pedagogical practice. The approach enables a more profound reflection of pedagogical action. When practitioners take children's voices seriously, not only does a more valuable relationship with the children develop, but also a dynamic, continuously evolving learning environment. This strengthens both the professionalism of the educators and the quality of the entire institution.