Abstract

This qualitative research is supported by the new social studies on children. The main question it addresses is: how do childhoods become the protagonists of their organization and decision-making practices in the school context? Fourteen students between the ages of 10 and 12 and four teachers from a Chilean school participated in this study. Interviews and participatory dialogic techniques were used, such as talking drawings, social theater, and discussion groups. The findings show that, for children, protagonism is a collective, inclusive, and non-discriminatory exercise, which is mainly restricted by adult-centered dynamics from a traditional education model. The conclusions propose the implementation of collective and protagonist strategies in schools, based on transformative and ethical relationships between teachers and students from a rights perspective, as well as the incorporation of families in the discussion about children's autonomy and well-being.