THE CHILD FRIENDLY SCHOOL: AN IDEA VERSUS REALITY

The purpose of this research was to question the concept of a ‘child friendly' school, which sounds democratic, but is an unclear term. The problem is that with 45-minute lessons and 30 pupils in the classroom (as is often the case in Estonian schools), it is not possible to focus on each child. In 2005, a new basic school was opened in the countryside in the middle of Estonia – for only 24 students (some of them were children with learning and/or behavioural difficulties). The method of research was educational ethnography. Result: the strict rules sometimes seem bad, but life is safer with them. It was interesting to recognize the importance of routines from ordinary (‘old fashion') schools. Children with learning and/or behavioural difficulties need even more discipline than others, because this can be one part of the therapy. Education for sustainable development must not always be ‘child friendly'.