What are interests of our children and why is it not the school

Abstract

The expressing and creating of interests in the period of childhood and adolescence indicates an area in which an individual can show gifted potential and later make creative contributions. The paper presents the results of research conducted in order to better understand the role that adolescents attach to their interests in the image they construct about themselves, in the process of personal development and stabilization as an important aspect of their identity development. The survey included students in the final grade of primary school who answered the open question "Who am I". Interests were obtained as a result of a thematic analysis conducted without a pre-defined code system. The research findings confirm that interests were significantly present in the adolescent's self-image, but that they were little related to their school learning. Sports, artistic and scientific interests were mostly fulfilled and maintained through various forms of out-of-school activities. Conditions that would support the stimulation of adolescents' interests by connecting their school and out-of-school activities are discussed.