Child-centred education in the Maltese primary classrooms through the Let Me Learn Process

Abstract

The educational process has developed over time from the traditional paradigm of a teacher-centred approach to pedagogies that place the child at the centre of the learning process – that are commonly referred to as child-centred education. Yet, studies reveal that the infrastructure of the schooling system itself may be hindering such pedagogies. This empirical study aims to provide an insightful understanding of child-centred practices from a perspective of Maltese primary classrooms. Furthermore, it aims to explore the benefits of the Let Me Learn (LML) Process in supporting teachers to engage in such practices. The primary aim of this study is to gain a deeper insight on the teachers’ experience in the classroom. A small sample size of five primary school educators provided data gathered through intensive, semi-structured interviews, clinical observations, as well the analysis of the participants’ reflective diaries. Research findings reveal that child-centredness is not overtly practised in Maltese primary classrooms, together with a tendency for educators to yield under professional strain and thus revert to a traditional, teacher-centred approach. The findings also portray that the LML Process is an effective tool to mitigate this regressive inclination of educators and thus support the latter in upholding child-centred education.