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Children’s experiences are the cornerstone of all that matters in elementary schools. It is therefore the purpose of this study to shed further light into what those experiences might be, particularly as they are present in arts-infused education. Over a period of almost two school years I followed a group of primary grade students in and out of their classrooms at Central Arts Elementary School in an urban mid-Western Canadian school district. Through conversation, recordings, artwork, scripts, and visual images, as teacher-researcher-artist, I collected a series of moments that I believe best describes the nature of these students’ experiences in arts-infused education. Concepts of identity, place, imagination, and self were explored. I considered the lived curriculum of the classroom, and also the ways in which the children’s experiences with the arts resonated alongside my own artistic endeavours. The study is a multi-method inquiry informed by arts-based, narrative, and ethnographical research practices. There are elements of ethnodrama, in the ways in which some events are portrayed through scripted descriptions in a concluding chapter of the work. Children’s art, and the art of classroom life are revealed through both image and text. Puppets, masks, and a variety of other artistic media are brought forward for the purposes of consideration and discussion. In all, the work is unique in its attention to the words of children, and extended researcher engagement. Implications of the study include the importance of listening to children when they speak, continuing to offer the arts as pathways to greater awareness in schools, and considering children’s relationships as powerful mentoring experiences for one another.

Begreppen delaktighet och inflytande används flitigt i skolans verksamhet, men hur görs barn och elever delaktiga i undervisningen och när tillåts de egentligen ha inflytande? Studiens syfte är att belysa elevernas delaktighet och inflytande utifrån deras perspektiv. Den teori som används är Shiers delaktighetsmodell och som metod har intervjuer använts i form av barnsamtal. I en kvalitativ studie med öppna intervjufrågor har samtal genomförts med elever på två olika skolor. Resultatet visar att det finns begränsningar när det gäller elevernas medbestämmande och möjligheten till att påverka sin undervisning. Majoriteten av eleverna upplever att lärarna endast lyssnar ibland, men att de inte tar hänsyn till det som eleverna säger. En minioritet av eleverna upplever att de blir lyssnade till när de kommer med tankar och idéer. Elevernas möjlighet till delaktighet och medbestämmande blir större när de går in i en roll som till exempel vid morgonsamlingen då eleverna får möjlighet att vara dagens värd. I de olika ämnen som är i förskoleklass är det i den fria leken som eleverna känner att de har störst inflytande medan i matematik och svenska har eleverna inget att bestämma om. Studien visar utifrån elevers upplevelser hur en begränsning av delaktighet och inflytande är för eleverna. Studien kan inspirera lärare i förskoleklass till att våga tänka utanför ramarna och utifrån ett elevperspektiv. Det kan bidra till att låta eleverna få mer delaktighet och inflytande i sin undervisning. / The concepts of participation and influence are widely used in school activities, but how are children and students involved in teaching and when are they actually allowed to have influence? The purpose of the study is to shed light on students' participation and influence from their perspective. The theory used is Shier's participation model and as a method interviews have been used in the form of child interviews. In a qualitative study with open interview questions, interviews were conducted with students at two different schools. The results show that there are limitations when it comes to students' participation and the opportunity to influence their teaching. The majority of students experience that the teachers only listen occasionally, but that they do not take into account what the students say. A minority of students experience that they are listened to when they come up with thoughts and ideas. The students' opportunity for participation and co-determination becomes greater when they enter a role such as at the morning assembly when the students are given the opportunity to be the host of the day. In the various subjects that are in the preschool class, it is in the free play that the students feel that they have the greatest influence, while in mathematics and Swedish the students have nothing to decide on. The study shows, based on students' experiences, how a limitation of participation and influence is for the students. The study can inspire preschool teachers to dare to think outside the box and from a student perspective. It can help to give students more participation and influence in their teaching.