This plenary session, titled Creating an Enduring Movement for Democratic Early Childhood Education: The Legacy of the Step by Step Program, showcased the newly published book, "Early Childhood Education in Social and Political Transitions", which chronicles the history of the Step by Step Program. Co-authored by Tatjana Vonta, Jan Peeters, and Sarah Klaus, the book serves as a comprehensive reflection on the program’s 30-year journey. It highlights the program’s transformative role in reshaping education systems and fostering inclusive, democratic classrooms, particularly for marginalized groups such as Roma children and those with disabilities.
The second part of the session featured an eight-member panel of practitioners who have been involved in the program since its inception. The panelists shared their experiences with the Step by Step approach and the ongoing efforts to maintain inclusive, child-centered learning environments despite various challenges faced in different regions. Their discussion reinforced the resilience of democratic and participatory approaches in education, reflecting on how these principles have endured and adapted over the years.
The session served as a powerful reminder that the values instilled by the Step by Step Program—democratic education, inclusion, and community collaboration—remain as essential today as they were at the program's start, continuing to inspire change in early childhood education globally.
Speakers: Sarah Klaus, Jan Peeters, Tatjana Vonta, Deák Éva, Gerda Sula, Cornelia Cincilei, Suzana Kirandziska, and Liana Ghent.