School integration in the eyes of migrant children. Based on the Polish migration to Norway
School integration in the eyes of migrant children. Based on the Polish migration to Norway

Summary/Abstract: In the context of the contemporary wave of migration from Poland to Norway and the growing interest in research on child migrants, this article focuses on children’s experiences, their opinions, and the practices by which Polish migrant children growing up in Norway engage in school life in their receiving country. School integration is examined through 32 semi-structured interviews with the children aged 6 to 13, born in Poland and living permanently in Norway. In this article, migrant children are treated as experts on their school integration. Such an approach will help us to better understand their needs, and thus to develop an appropriate educational policy in Norway based on migrant children’s experiences and their opinions about their school life. The aim of this article’s is to fill the knowledge gap pertaining to the integration of Polish children in Norway, seen from the missing perspective of the children themselves. The argumentation is based on the assumption that Polish children in Norway are “temporarily visible”. When a migrant child does not manage to adapt to the school environment, regardless of the support he or she receives from school, family and peers, then the costs of inclusion and integration increase and the difficulties multiply.

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