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The overarching ambition of this paper is to explore how teachers’ actions shape children’s growth as rights-subjects. This is done by addressing the question: which rights-subjects are privileged for children by teachers’ different rights-teaching mentalities? The paper draws on observation and interview data from fieldwork in three Year 1 classes in Swedish primary schools. Theoretically framed by a Foucauldian governmentality perspective, rights-learning situations were analysed through the lens of teachers’ rights-teaching mentalities and governing techniques. The findings show how teachers’ different actions privilege different rights-subjects for the children, and demonstrate how the teachers’ actions in everyday interaction in the classroom play a significant role in this process. It is argued that rights-learning, and growing as a rights-subject, does not primarily happen in designated children’s human rights events at school, but rather occurs continuously, day after day, in ordinary school practice.

Framed by a Foucauldian governmentality perspective, this article shows teachers' different rights-teaching mentalities active in human rights education for children. The article draws on observation and interview data from fieldwork in three Year 1 classes in Swedish primary schools. In the holistic approach adopted, rights-learning is understood as learning about human rights as well as developing rights-conscious values and behaviours for human rights. This is enacted through human rights. Six rights-teaching mentalities were identified: Competent children learn rights from each other; Equal value in focus; Participation is a right; Respect is essential; Adult voices and interpretations are superior; and Competence and maturity determine access to rights. The analysis shows how the different rights-teaching mentalities support different forms of rights-learning.

This article furthers pedagogical knowledge on educating children about their human rights, specifically in school contexts, with the aim of elucidating the features and the collateral learning of educative situations through which children are supported to grow as rights-holders. The data, obtained from fieldwork in three Year 1 classes in Swedish schools, were analysed drawing on John Dewey´s theory of experience, growth and collateral learning. The findings show that, in everyday classroom interactions, teachers' actions have implications for human rights learning. Four categories of collateral content were identified: a) Experience and respect equal value; b) Form, express and respect opinions; c) Take part and participate in individual and collective matters; d) Demonstrate understanding, and tolerance. It is argued that teachers' pedagogical actions support children's human rights learning in various everyday situations in the classroom, often in unintended and unplanned ways.