Children were asked to write down the activities they engaged in on a daily basis in school and at
home. They were also asked to list their interests and hobbies. All the activities were listed in a
sheet of green coloured paper. They included the following:
School: extra-curricular activities: oratory competitions, school clubs, Girl Guides,
Boy Scouts, Little Mermaids, singing, inter-school competitions, Qur’an
competitions, dancing,
Home: watching television, hobbies (see below), eating, sewing, ironing and other
chores,
Hobbies: singing, reading, drawing, crossword puzzles, painting, watching movies,
Music: composing, singing, school band,
Internet: Facebook, chatting, computer games, graphics and web design
Sports: football, volleyball, netball, athletics, swimming
Leisure: picnics with families, travel abroad, drives with family,
Participation activities: leadership posts in schools—prefects, school board, organising
school assemblies, meetings, sharing information, wield influence, attend functions,
planning, having a say in school activities, run school clubs.
The Kaleidoscope was designed such that children would reflect on a wide range of activities rather
than simply listing ‘participation activities’. The rationale behind the invitation to include as many
activities as possible was to prevent them from forgetting other activities, which ‘would have
prevented them from seeing the main outcome in the next stage (relations) in which they discover a
direct relationship between participation and proximity.’35
Relations
People with whom children interact regularly in their activities
Children were next asked to list the people with whom they were in contact with during these
activities. This was done on a sheet of yellow paper. They were also asked to underline the people
they felt did not listen to them or did not take their views into account.
School: teachers, coaches, physical education instructors, school nurses, classmates,
friends, academic coordinators, other staff
Home: parents, siblings, extended family, friends, neighbours, tutors
Hobbies and interests: teachers, coaches, family, other amateurs, friends, staff
Internet: social network friends, computer gamers, friends
Health: family, doctors, nurses
35
Ibid., 33
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