Early Childhood Forum
From time to time International School Brunei organises occasional gatherings of early childhood professionals in order to exchange and share good practice. Sometimes ISB acts as the host school; sometimes other schools in Brunei, with a similar early childhood ethos, act as host school.The most recent Early Childhood Forum took place in May at ISB, with the theme of 'Learning from children'. Led by ISB Lower Primary Manager John Holmes, the school welcomed colleagues from Jerudong International School, Panaga School, Hornbill and Sinaran Mas. Visitors were given a tour of the Foundation Stage classes, followed by a short presentation and then discussion groups.
The presentation focused on the ten images of the child as formulated by Sorin and Galloway (2006): 'Construct of childhood: Constructs of self'. Questions were posed such as 'What is childhood?', 'What is your view of the child?'. Understanding these different constructs of childhood may help us to understand and plan more appropriately for young children.
Sorin, R. G. Galloway (2006). "Construct of childhood: Constructs of Self."
Children Australia 31(2): 12-21
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Image of child
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Image of adult
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Power of child
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Power of adult
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Child as innocent
Carefree, good, incompetent, vulnerable, ignorant, naïve, a blank slate.
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The adult as protector
Loving and caring nurturers of children who act in the 'child's best interest'.
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Little power
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A lot of power from their (assumed) capacity to guide and protect children and limit the child's environment
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Child as evil
Original sin; innate evil 'an untamed threat' (Corsaro 1997), Destructive; threat to the social order; driven by their own needs, desires and pleasures.
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The adult as good/moral
Controllers of children. Adults have gone from an evil stage to a more mature stage - they are 'good; and keepers of moral order.
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Children have little power since they are 'driven'.
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Adults have power to control the child (as opposed to the environment, above)
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The snowballing child
Seems to be in charge of the adults around them. Makes inflexible demands of adults for their own short term gratification
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The deferring adult
Does not set limits therefore opportunity to negotiate power and autonomy is denied
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The child has illegitimate power - they get a little power and it snowballs.
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Could have power, but they hand their power, authority and influence over to the child
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The cut-of-control child
Uses power in a negative way, for example by being violent, to get the parent to do what they want them to do. Eventually they feel out of control as if no-one is there to help them regain their control.
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The ineffectual adult
Feels defeated by the child. Feels as if they have little power and influence and/or do not know how to regain influence with the child
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Power is used in a negative way by the child. When the child is not sanctioned, they eventually feel out of control.
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Their power is ineffectual. They feel defeated by the child
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The noble/saviour child
Beautiful and beloved, can save people, look after others, e.g. Jesus, Harry Potter.
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The dependent adult
The adult depends on the child to get their needs/wants met.
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Power is assumed through circumstances. The child is neither agentic nor innocent.
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Adults absolve themselves of responsibility or literally cannot undertake that which is expected of them (by the child, by society, by themselves)
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The miniature adult
Children are the same as adults
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The adult
The mature being
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Power of the child lies in their capacity to learn and participate in a world constructed for them by adults. The child is less knowing
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Power lies in their capacity to harness the abilities of the child to suit adult imperatives. Adults can be tyrannical or loving guides. Adults are knowledgeable.
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The adult-in-training
Human 'becomings' rather that human 'beings' (Hutchison & Charlesworth 2000). Have future potential
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The teacher
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The commodified child
Child is an object to be used and consumed by adults.
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The self-interested adult
Adult exploits the child for economic gain
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The child is powerless although they may have illusionary power as their image is manipulated by adults
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Hold the majority of power
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The child as victim
Children of famine, pandemic diseases, war and poverty.
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The absent adult
The child's significant adults lack power. Adults who do have power turn a blind eye to what is happening to children
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Powerless
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Powerless
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The agentic child
Capable and competent. An optimistic construct. Rather than 'becoming', the child is a social actor (James, Jenks & Prout 1998)
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Co-constructor of being
Helps the child on their life journey, as the child helps the adult on their journey
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Power is negotiated and shared
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Power is negotiated and shared. The adult lends their power, strength and resources with the child rather than imposing on the child
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