nada babić - contemporary childhood-ideas and reality

8/13/2019 Nada Babi - Contemporary childhood-ideas and reality

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Nada Babi

J.J. Strossmayer University

Osijek

Contemporary childhood: ideals and reality

Why exactly the topic Contemporary Childhood: Ideals and Reality, within another,

Facing the Future Together: Teachers and Students in the Educational System? Manifold are the

reasons for such a choice. First and foremost, the reason might found in the inconsistencies

between the contemporary global educational and contemporary childhood reality, as well as in

the critical research into child pedagogy.

The beginning of the 21st century was characterized by some political decision on

acquiring economic prestige and social cohesion for the European Union, l field of education, it

means refocusing attention onto its human potential a main factor of economic and social

prosperity. Capital movement, labor force and knowledge, as the basis for a global vision of

economic prosperity, demand changes in education. Development of excellence, innovation,

competitiveness: social cohesion is of primary concern when it comes to educational aims v the

context of the European Union long-term development. Teachers are regarded as the key solution

to successful education. Teaching is thus considered to t important profession in the "production"of the assumed political and educational goals

1.

We assume that the scientific and professional discussion on the contemporary global

changes and access to education might contribute to deeper understanding of childhood reality in

the institutionalized contexts (nurseries, kindergartens, schools), as well as to making and

choosing the approaches based on a more coherent theoretical background. Apart from that, they

can be useful in raising awareness the reality of the pragmatic approach to childhood and

education, in both c and national educational policies.

1N. Babi,Kompetencije i obrazovanje uitelja(u:) N. Babi (ur.),Kompetencije i kompetentnost uitelja, Kherson

2007, s. 23-43.


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Globalization and contemporary childhood

Global and national educational policies appear in the time of global trends such as:

poverty growth, demographic changes, cultural diversity, and regulation. Their reading2leads to

understanding childhood diversities and framing a general childhood concept. By pointing to the

existing duality between childhood perception and childhood research - adults vs. children,

structure vs. "agency", individual vs. social, existence vs. creation Alanen3offers some new

ideas which suggest that social life is not possible to be reduced to a mere "social" or

"technological" aspect. Adults and children have specific positions and mutual relations, defined

by social structures. In political and academic fields, the dominant ideas are those of generational

boundaries between adults and children, as well as the idea of the protective social roles of the

adults, that is, of the society or a country. In the current political discussions on childhood

welfare and children's education, among the countries of the European Union, the prevailing

opinion is that of social investment strategy. The future of the European countries and global

economy is seen in investment as the best solution4. A more specific interpretation of the social

investment strategy, according to Alanen5 , is clarified as the expected social investment profit.

Behind ali this is an instrumental approach to children, who are perceived only as a supplement

to a discourse for their own benefit. "Being a child" means being in a preparation phase of

adulthood and citizenry. Modern western societies (as well as the ones which are yet to becomesuch) are unthinkable without institutionalized childhood. In "the new sociologies of childhood",

childhood is seen as a social construct. Mierendorff6

claims that different social groups (parents,

professionals, children, executive institutions, etc.) are involved in a permanent reproduction of

2L. Alanen,Explorations in generational analysis, (in: ) J. Alanen, B. Mayall (eds.), Conceptualizing child-adult

relations, London 2001, p. 11-22

3Ibidem.

4J. Mierendorff, Western childhood and the welfare state. Some theoretical reflections about an old

interrelationship, 2007;http://www.euro.centre.org/data 1180014089_84824.pdf

5L. Alanen, Theorizing childrens welfare, 2004; http://www.cimu.org/webs/wellchi/reports/work-

shop_1/w1_alanen.pdf

6J. Mierendorff, Western childhood and the welfare state...
http://www.euro.centre.org/data%201180014089_84824.pdfhttp://www.euro.centre.org/data%201180014089_84824.pdfhttp://www.euro.centre.org/data%201180014089_84824.pdfhttp://www.euro.centre.org/data%201180014089_84824.pdf


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childhood as an institution. From the relational point of view7, childhood is a culturally

institutionalized relation bervveen children and adults, defined by the generation hierarchy.

Generation hierarchy, as a kind of social order crucial to modern societies, is a part of a social

structure. Childhood on its own is a part of social changes. Generation organization comprises a

process throughout which individuals are construed "as children" or "as adults", which

immediately affects their identities and mutual relationships. The process of generation

structuring exists in all walks of social life8. If childhood is perceived as an element of generation

hierarchy, then it is important to protect it. Generation hierarchy permanently reproduces the

maintenance of such a social and contemporary phenomenon, bearing in mind that "social countries"

play a important role in the reproductive process. If the main function of a "social country, lies in

preserving an economic and social order, and if a generation hierarchy is or of the basic economic

and democratic assumptions, then the key motivation for "the social country" is in reproduction of

such a system. Specifically, it means to regulate childhood within different walks of life: providing,

health, education ... Mierendorff9associates this specified regulation with a child status and social

expectations. O one hand, maintenance of the generation hierarchy is based on a neglected

childhood/child status. On the other, childhood regulation is purposefully focused o the future.

Country welfare comes before child welfare. Instead of perceiving childhood i a lived life,

the dominant perception of children is as future citizens and labor force thus in accordance with

global and national policies.

In the time of globalisation, which is perceived as the process of world uniting and

awareness raising of the same as a whole, the global system of education as one of the components

of the world culture, seems to be spreading (Anderson-Levitt10

). Despite the differences on the

global and national levels, schooling a global phenomenon, a mechanism of "social reproduction", in

7L. Alanen,Exploration in generational analysis...

8L. Alanen, Childhood as a generational condition. Towards a relational theory of childhood, (in: ) J. Olesen, N. De

Coninck-Smith, F. Mouritsen, J. Qvortrup (eds.),Research in childhood. Sociology culture and history. A collection

of papers, Odense 2000, p. 1-19; L. Alanen, Theorizing childrens welfare...

9J. Mierendorff, Western childhood and the welfare state...

10K. M. Anderson-Levitt, Schoolyard gate: Schooling and childhood in globale perspective, Journal of Social

History 2005, 34 (5), p. 987-1006.


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other vvords, "social mobility"11

. Considering global education, schooling and childhood, Anderson-

Levitt12

starts with two major guestions: What effect does a global schooling hav on children's lives,

and how does it affect a cultural organization of childhood? He sees the answer in reaching the status

of adulthood. Experiences are shaped by the same or similar kinds of schooling within structured

contexts in which groups of children learn and develop. Anderson-Levitt13

concludes that schools

and schoolin are constantly pushing back other forms of socialization, such as peer groups, sex

segregation, or informal kinds of learning, which results in children grouping according to their age,

developmental stage, as well as new concepts of intelligence an maturity. Extended schooling

postpones adulthood.

Schooling affects the cultural organization of childhood. Age, intelligence, academic

experiences, are all terms underlying both teachers' and children's academic success and failure.

Western style of child upbringing and schooling, which embraces enthusiasm14, is credited with

uniformity in socializing experience. "Enthusiasm" is credited for "voluntary" acceptance of foreign

pedagogical ideals which, according to cultural ideology, belong to the global culture of

"contemporary" schooling15

. Does it necessarily refer to a "voluntary" choice of modernity as self-

determination, or is it a result of the economic pressure by the dominant countries and international

centres of economic power?

Tomas, Sarmento, and Soares16

consider promoting modem childhood as an important

aspect of contemporary globalization. School and schooling, as essential components of

contemporary globalization, are characterized by similarity, increased age grouping among children,

11Ibidem; P. N. Stearns, Globalization and childhood, Journal of Social History 2005, 38 (4), p. 845-848.

12K. M. Anderson-Levitt, Schoolyard gate...

13Ibidem

14P. N. Stearns, Globalization and childhood...

15K. M. Anderson-Levitt, N. Alimasi,Are pedagogical ideals embraced or imposed? The case of reading instruction

in Republic Guinea, (in: ) M. Sutton, B. Lewinson (eds.), Policy as practice: Toward a comparative sociocultural

analysis of educational policy, Westport 2001, p. 25-58.

16F. A. Tomas, M. J. Sarmento, N. F. Soares, Globalization, education and (re)institutionalization of contemporary

childhood, Lifelong Education and Libraries 2006, 6, p. 57-66.


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emphasized individuality, and mass educational institutionalization. Contemporary educational

policies are associated with homogeneity and globalization.

With regard to childhood images, Tomas, Sarmento, and Soares17

have noticed some

changes directed tovvards deconstruction of childhood's abstract image and towards rejection of

ideas related to children's grouping based on homogeneity. They also stress the importance of more

precise childhood definition, with respect to "diversity among children's social and cultural

worlds"18

. Observed conflicting processes, as a part of globalization of the contemporary childhood

institutionalization, are noticeable in different forms of social exclusion, especially of the lower class

children from undeveloped countries. Children's taking part in decision making, relevant for them as

individuals, and relevant as a form of democracy practice, is in opposition with adults' increased

discipline and control. Once again, the "old" guestion of socialization as an ideological viewpoint,

characterized by adultocentricity and paternalism, becomes relevant19. Perceiving children as

unsociable beings, along with a large interest in social expectations, contributes to

children/childhood marginalization.

It is the fact that children nowadays live and grow up in the society in which institutions,

professionals and experts in the field of education have a profound influence on their lives.

In pedagogy and its related social sciences, childhood has still the symbolic meaning.

Traditional interpretation of children as "passive products" of socialization, development, and

education is still prevailing. Models of children education are based on childhood stereotypes in

adult culture. The most important role of the educational institutions, according to Canella's words20

,

is regulation of children's lives. Educational programmes, teaching methods and evaluation are

legitimate ways of controlling children's unexpected behaviour.

17Ibidem.

18Ibidem, p. 61.

19L. Alanen, Theorizing childrens welfare...

20G.S Canella, The scientific discourse of education: predetermining the lives of othersFoucault, education, and

children, Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 1999, 1 (1), p. 36-44.


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Approaches to childhood research

20th century, known as "the century of the child", was marked by observing childhood as a

specific part of one's life. Childhood is believed to represent the age of immaturity, which is a

synonym for insertion and dependence. Mason and Steadman21

point out that most research in the

field of sociology considers childhood to be just a phase on the way to adulthood, which in turn has

a normative status. Ideological viewpoint of children as immature, irrational, incompetent and

asocial, seems to be a basis for the adults' "instinctive right" to control children. According to

Rautianen's opinion22

, child protection deprives them of povver, while marginalization, coming from

social policies, excludes them from taking part in decision making on issues that directly concern

them. Children become mature, "complete" people by cultural assimilation via institutions23

.

Canella24warns about hidden methods of social control and regulation. Baker, Graham, Prescott,

and Williams25

see the key of the social construction of childhood in the needs of the society,

primarily in retaining the social stability. We are talking about a dissonance between the real child

experience and adult expectations26

. Living a complex and conflicting contemporary life, children

are often the object of adults' attention, without a "real life purpose" and with "changed identity".

21J. Mason & B. Steadman, The significance of the conceptualisation of childhood for child protection policy,

Family Matters 1997, 46, p. 31-36;http://www.aifs.org.au/institute/arfcrapers/mason.html

22S. Rautianien, Crossing boundaries between childhood and adulthood, nConference paper. European Sociological

A ssociation Conference, Colchester 1997, UK, 27-30 August 1997;

http://www.jyu.fi/kastdk/lapsuus/rautianien/cst.htm

23J. Mason & B. Steadman, The significance of the conceptualisation of childhood...

24G. S. Canella,Deconstructing early childhood education. social justice and revolution, Peter Lang, New York

1997.

25C. Baker, J. Graham, I. Prescott, P. Williams, The social construct of Childhood1996;http://www.chester.ac.uk/ -

djons/HCS/conf96/baker.htm

26J. M. Hawes, R. N. Hiner,Looking for Waldo: Reflections on the History of Children and Childhood in the

Postmodern Era. Paper presented to the History of Childhood in America Conference, D.C., August 5-6,

Washington, 2000;http://www.2.h-net.msu.edu/child/conference/hinner.htm
http://www.aifs.org.au/institute/arfcrapers/mason.htmlhttp://www.aifs.org.au/institute/arfcrapers/mason.htmlhttp://www.aifs.org.au/institute/arfcrapers/mason.htmlhttp://www.jyu.fi/kastdk/lapsuus/rautianien/cst.htmhttp://www.jyu.fi/kastdk/lapsuus/rautianien/cst.htmhttp://www.chester.ac.uk/http://www.chester.ac.uk/http://www.chester.ac.uk/http://www.2.h-net.msu.edu/child/conference/hinner.htmhttp://www.2.h-net.msu.edu/child/conference/hinner.htmhttp://www.2.h-net.msu.edu/child/conference/hinner.htmhttp://www.2.h-net.msu.edu/child/conference/hinner.htmhttp://www.chester.ac.uk/http://www.jyu.fi/kastdk/lapsuus/rautianien/cst.htmhttp://www.aifs.org.au/institute/arfcrapers/mason.html


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An alternative paradigm to the ideological viewpoint on a child or childhood is in perceiving

childhood as a social construct27

. In the contemporary sociologv of childhood, children are

considered to be an active factor in the creation of their own culture and adult world production28

.

Children are "human beings", not "people of the future"; better yet, children are beings that exist and

are still growing. Child as a ''being" metaphor and child as a "project" metaphor29

both retlect adult

conceptualization of children based on social expectations and adult interpretations. On one hand,

we have acknowledgement of child competence and full respect of their viewpoints, while on the

other - constant emphasizing of child imperfection. Both viewpoints, incorporated into the dynamic

relationship adult - child, reveal much about the necessity to protect and provide conditions

beneficial to a child, to accept child's personalitv, and to establish a connection betvveen family and

social environment30

.

An important guestion, raised within multiple viewpoints on childhood, is the one of the

childhood institutionalization (nurseries, kindergartens, schools). Arguments speaking in favour of

inevitable inclusion of children in the institutionalized context are child's potentials and crucial

investing into learning for life and future. Only the insight into the adult practice (parent and

professional practice) and into a child's experience would allow us to understand the meaning of

institutionalized context and institutionalized childhood.

Psychological research of childhood at the beginning of the 20th century made a

considerable effect on understanding individual human development. Vasta, Haith, and Miller31

state

three essential fields of interest among developmental psychologists: natural development vs.

27L. Alanen, B. Mayall, Conceptualizing child...; W. A. Corsaro, The sociology of childhood, CA: Pine Forge Press

Thousand Oaks 1997; idem, The sociology of childhood. 2nd edition, CA: Pine Forge Press Thousand Oaks 2004; A.

Prout, A.A. James,New paradigm for the sociology of the childhood? Provenance, promise and problems, (in: ) A.

James, A. A. Prout, (eds.), Constructing and reconstruction childhood: Contemporary issues in the sociological

study of childhood, London 1997, p. 7-33. J. Qvortrup, Varieties in Childhood, (in: ) J. Qvortrup, Varieties of

childhood, (in: ) J. Qvortrup (ed.), Studies in modern childhood. Society, agency, culture, Basingstoke Palagrave

2005, p. 1-20.

28W. A. Corsaro, The sociology of childhood. 2nd edition...

29G. Hallden, The metaphors of childhood in a preschool context, 2005, p. 7;

http://www.aare.edu.au/05pap/hal05001.pdf

30Ibidem.

31R. Vasta, M. M. Haith, S. A. Miller, Djeja psihologija, Jastrebarsko 1998.


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education; developmental continuity vs. developmental discontinuity; normative vs. idiographic

development. Present-day researchers of child development to a varied extent accept the interactive

viewpoint, according to which both nature and educational factors contribute to development,

accounting for different proportions of biological and environmental factors in the specific fields of

behaviour.

In pedagogy, research topics such as child and childhood have varied in im-portance. The

recent 20th century, "the century of a child", was characterized by numerous pedagogical concepts

that were inclined towards the nature of the child, that vvere trying to humanize one's life and

optimize one's development. In the current pedagogy, two perspectives of child and childhood

observations can be identified. The first is the perspective of the adults, who are responsible for their

children's successful upbringing. It is primarily what adults want, wish or need to do, in order for

their children to develop in accordance with their conceptualizations32. The second is the perspective

of the child, grounded in the present knowledge of the human nature, its individual development and

its historical background. The preference is given to a child as an active being, who is maturing in

the process of dialogue exchange with his/her environment. One of the present-day readings of

childhood is the anti-pedagogic perspective. Flitner informs of anti-pedagogists, who consider both

education and a child an "educator's invention". Therefore, childhood is "a product of pedagogy,

created by an educational ideology"33

. Educational institutions, which have an influence on the

newly existing terms, like childhood and youth, are becoming the key issue of a radical anti-

pedagogic criticism. Critical thoughts toward anti-pedagogy refer to its "extreme individualism and

rejection of social responsibility".

The scientific, especially pedagogic "truths" about childhood, dependent upon social and

individual world view, are often ideologized and mythologized. Such a concept of childhood is also

reflected in education: children are expected to master different courses, while simultaneously being

prevented from participating in their creation.

The most important thing in pedagogic research, focused only on standardized, formal

measurements of programme intervention outcomes, is the affirmative judgement and educational

and social values of "educational inputs". Science is gradually becoming a stronger method of

32H. Giesecke, Uvod u pedagogiju, Zagreb 1991.

33A. Flitner,Konrade, tako je govorila gospoa mama: O odgoju i ne-odgoju, Zagreb 2005, s. 32.


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changing the world, only with less insight into the human life and its multiple meanings34

. Along

with perceiving a child as an immature, socially irresponsible being, there is a concept of "perfect"

childhood. Social and pedagogic meaning of "perfect" childhood is seen in reaching to the heart of

it. Juodaityte35

points out the basic characteristics of "perfect" childhood: conceptualizing a child as

an individual person in the growing process, whose natural social mission is accepting general

human experiences. Focusing on the child's possibilities, adults create a positive image of the child

as a "future creator". Education, based on "perfect" childhood, speaks in favour of perceiving

childhood as a spontaneous educational value, vvhose substance is realized to the fullest only in a

close interrelation between the world of childhood and the socio-cultural world of the society (or the

world of adults). However, in reality, preference is given to the pedagogy of the adults, which is

losing, or has already lost, both child and childhood.

The main objection to the contemporary pedagogy of childhood lies in its cultural

uniformity, which reduces its objectivity and universality. This could equally apply to the child

development theories in psychology, which are estimated as objective and universal, only to neglect

their establishment on moral, social and political choices.

Phenomenological approach to childhood research; our experiences

What is the meaning of phenomenological approach to child and childhood research?As researchers and teachers, we are interested in the interpretative approach as a part of

qualitative methodology. Herewith, we assume that this is one of the possible ways to open a

dialogue between the world of childhood and the world of adulthood. Past experiences of research

into adult - child interaction, within a kindergarten context of play and a context of

learning/teaching36

have led us to realize how important the events in a child's real-life context really

34L. Barrit, T. Beekman,Human Science as Dialogue with Children. Phenomenology + Pedagogy, 1983, 1 (1), p.36-44;http://www.phenomenologyonline.com/articles/beekman.html

35A. Juodatyte, The metacontext pedagogical reconstruction of the child phenomenon, (u: ) N. Babi, S. Irovi (ur. ),

Dijete i djetinjstvo: teorija i praksa predkolskoga odgoja, Osijek 2003, p. 159-178.

36N. Babi, S. Irovi,Adult-child interaction and child autonomy, (in. ) E. Giedraitiene, A. Rauckiene (eds.),

Realising educational problems, Klaipeda 2001, p. 61-88; idem,Playmeeting point for child and adult (pre-school
http://www.phenomenologyonline.com/articles/beekman.htmlhttp://www.phenomenologyonline.com/articles/beekman.htmlhttp://www.phenomenologyonline.com/articles/beekman.htmlhttp://www.phenomenologyonline.com/articles/beekman.html


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are. To be more specific, it includes being aware of both adults' and children's roles in a play, and

mutual effort to solve some cognitive problems, based on the examples of their own Interactive

experience and behaviour pattern. The ability to understand the play from both adults' (teachers' and

educators') and children's perspective provides a useful starting point for assessing content-related

continuity in child - parent - preschool teacher interrelationship. The awareness of adult tendency

towards social conformity, while interacting with children in the above mentioned contexts, proved

to be useful in re-examining childhood "theories" - their importance for educational reconstruction.

The other crucial realization concerns child perspective of the adults in mutual activities (play and

non-play): adult as a real co-player/partner or adult as a power holder. Child perception of the adults,

especially in conflicting situations, influences a child's choice: to persist on his/her own, to negotiate

or to yield to adult's opinion. Recorded behaviour sequences of children with different levels of

autonomy confirm that more autonomous children show tendencies for resistance against adults' re-

gulatory measures, while less autonomous children - tendency for withdrawal from their primary

intentions and giving in to adults' demands. Above-mentioned tendencies of child behaviour pattern

would be interpretable in the context of child-adults interactive experience. The question here should

be whether parents and preschool teachers (as well as other professionals working in preschool

education) are aware of the importance of children's perception of them, along with the practical

application of the same to their personal theories and educational practices.

Pedagogic reconstruction of childhood phenomenon in educational situations, as researched

by Juodatyte37

, was based on meta-analyses of children and "pedagogists" in education. It shows that

children master their social experience not only by interpreting it and reconstructing it in their own

unique way, but also individually conceptualizing and evaluating it. Social life of adults is

interpreted by children on the grounds of vvhich important situation seems appealing to them. If we

accept this interpretation of basic preschoolers' socialization, then we can at least partially

understand the behaviour of children with a different level of autonomy. Both autonomous and

dependent children conceptualize their positive and negative experiences with adults by sharing

teacher).Play and education: 23rd ICCP world play conference, Krakow 2004; Igra u implicitnim teorijama i

edukacijskoj praksi predkolskih odgajatelja, Napredak 2005, 146 (2), 183-192.

37A. Juodatyte, The metacontext pedagogical reconstruction...


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common "affairs" with adults, especially with parents. In relation with educators, children question,

check and further develop their world view on adults.

To be able to understand childhood or child reality, it is essential to pose a question of a

possible shift in formal and personal theories and practice in preschool education. In this matter, we

think of the changes in perceiving childhood as a com-plete period of mon's life. As such, it implies

a wealth of social, cultural and educational values. The chosen gualitative methodology within the

phenomenological approach has helped us find the right way in understanding "the rational" and

"the experienced" in examining adult - child relation in play and instructional dialogue. It has guided

us to reconsider our personal theories on childhood and early preschool education, but also to re-

examine our scientific points of view.

Focusing on integrating children into a social life, via institutions and social services in

contemporary educational policies, means focusing on the effects of large-scale social

transformations, for the benefit of the whole society, the entire country. It intensifies childhood

marginalization.

The entire discussion on contemporary childhood sheds light on a hypothetical claim that the

world of adults is focused more on children as "projects" (on what children should become), than on

children autonomy and individuality (on who children really are, on what children really care about

and need). Cultures that appreciate and "celebrate" children, for who they really are, are beneficial to

child and childhood, because they see children's future in their actual reality.

nada babić - contemporary childhood-ideas and reality

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