A “Participatory School” in Iran: A Bottom-Up Learning Approach in a Top-Down Education System

Abstract

This article discusses how a bottom-up approach to learning can be positioned within a top-down educational structure. For the first time, Iran’s educational system has witnessed a shift from a one-dimensional teacher-centered approach to the triangular student-facilitator-parent approach. While the majority of children’s participative activities in Iran have pedagogical functions, the participatory type of school was established to prioritize the voice of students. Through an analysis of interviews in a study of participatory schooling in Iran, this research identified several similarities and contradictions in terms of children’s inclusion between the theoretical framework and philosophy of democratic and child-centered school with the conventional Iranian one. The contribution of this article is to highlight how the socio-political features of the context can influence the structure and approach to education and effectiveness of inclusion. This approach to learning can be significant in societies where child integration has not yet found its meaningful position in schools.