Different Approaches that Result in Constructing the Childhood | Essay
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Added on 2020-02-05
Different Approaches that Result in Constructing the Childhood | Essay
Added on 2020-02-05
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Rethinking Childhood 1
INTRODUCTIONChild and childhood both are the different terms and convey different meaning that ischild can be defined as individual beneath the age of eighteen while the childhood is beingtermed as event or phase of the children (Bärnighausen and et.al., 2011). Rethinking childhood,generally analyse the belief, attitude and experiences of the childhood so that adults may havepositive behaviour toward living with children. The present essay focuses on differentapproaches that result in constructing the childhood. Therefore, it also result in shaping theproductive attitude and experience of the child. The essay will also critically evaluate thestatement that is 'the child' or ’childhood’ that are socially constructed discourses. In addition tothis, it also focuses on prominent modern theory of the childhood that support in shaping theattitude and experience of them.What do critics mean when they say that accounts of 'the child' or 'childhood' are sociallyconstructed discourses? Childhood of children that is lived and experienced is different from one place to another.The term ‘childhood’ is considered as a state or phase of being a child (Hatch, 2010). In thecontemporary scenario, the significance of childhood is increasing within the life course as itresults in affecting adulthood of the children. Therefore, it is necessary for the adults and parentsto focus on providing proper education and values to their children so that it may not affect theirfuture. Herman and et.al (2009) has asserted that education in the childhood positively shapes theattitude and perception of the children and it support them in increasing their knowledge(Herman and et.al., 2009). However, with the help of primary and secondary education childrenenhance their knowledge and experience that further support them in their adulthood and lives.On the contrary basis, Taguchi (2010) stated that childhood get disappear when the parents aresupportive in providing them education and schooling (Taguchi, 2010). Education plays a vitalrole in the life of children as with the help of education, children acquire knowledge andinformation regarding each and every aspect. With the help of proper education and schooling,children may also come to know about the diverse aspects and characteristics of the children.In the present scenario, child development plays an important role that amends theirknowledge and learning so that they may survive in the environment. Basically, there aredifferent aspects that need to be considered while focusing on the theories of childhood. There2
are variant and diverse childhoods; different perspective on the childhood,. Children play activeparticipation in the family and society that directly contribute in enhancing their lives etc (Jutteand et.al, 2010). On the other hand, the social constructionism is the approach that mainlyfocuses on share assumptions and anticipation about the reality. The main rationale behind socialconstructionism is to determine the ways and methods under which the individual or certaingroups within society participate collaboratively to construct the idea on the childhood throughmeasuring the sensed social reality. The social reality focuses that there are multiple and diversechildhood that provide different experience and knowledge to the children. Diverse childhoodsituation varies from place to place for instance; the childhood of developed western countries isdiffering from the poverty-stricken region. Childhood of western developed countries mainlyconcentrates on providing or rendering the education and learning so that they may enhance thechildren’s mental state and their perspective regarding the other children and their state (Blaiseand Taylor, 2012). On the other hand, in the time period of poverty-stricken region, earlierchildren were expected to work as the labourer so that their family could easily survive in theworld. With the changing scenario that is with the increase in western society andimplementation of the different policies, it tends to focus on the development of the children andproviding them childhood so that they may live as children. According to Shonkoff and Fisher(2013) with the socially constructed discourses, child and childhood, both the terms play asignificant role in the society (Shonkoff and Fisher, 2013). Key vision of historical childhoodwas to use children as the key resource for performing the activities and services within theindustries and it replaces them with the education. But the modern theory of childhood generallyfocuses on the development of children and childhood so that they may acquire immenseknowledge. As per the view of () the contemporary view of the child generally acknowledges theagency that is from the birth child demonstrate that it possess the competencies to understandand act. It also concentrates that children inherently possess extraordinary competence andabilities from the birth that support them in growth. However, agency and participation areconsidered as two essential characteristics that constitute the sociology of the childhood. Theforemost characteristic include agency that perceive child, as an active agent construct their ownand individual culture and features their own activities and practices (Share, 2009). Another new3
sociology of childhood focuses on participation. Within the UK, government actively enforceand participate in conserving the lives of child and their childhood through focusing on differentacts such as the children act 1989 or agenda like every child matters etc. all the agenda andlegislation framed by the UK government generally focuses on protecting the right of child andits childhood. According to the critics, the concept of social construction of childhood is differentfrom societies to societies. Sociologist stated that children are biologically distinct from theadults. For instance, James (2010) has stated that in 19th Century in Britain before the occurrenceof industrialization minor or children were seems as mini adults that perform activities as thechild labourer and so same work as their parents used to do (James, 2010). However, after theindustrialization Burt (2009) has also asserted that children has become dependent on theirparents as the significance of education has been increased that overall develop their knowledge(Burt, 2009 ). As per the view of Strandell (2010) in the contemporary environment children have noeconomical use as they have to engage in the studies and education to acquire the new skills andknowledge usually till the age of 16 as they are mainly dependent on their family members andparents (Strandell, 2010). However, in some societies children are consider as main source ofincome and possess economic use as in the early age they started to work. In these societies thereis no conception of childhood for the child and so childhood is consider to be a societalconstruction. Impact and outcome of early childhood educationThe sociologist generally have different perspective over the modern psychologist thatproposes the theory of childhood as well as child development. In the contemporary environmentthe early childhood education plays a vital role in the lives of child as it result in raising theirknowledge as well as mindset so that they may easily enjoy their childhood. According toSchoorman (2011) in the ancient time period there were no government that frame or devise thepolicy or act that protect the right of child and childhood (Schoorman, 2011). Thus, the gradualextension of the mandatory schooling has decline the rate of child labour and have also changedthe attitude and perception of children from an economic assets to the most important or valuablepart that is necessary for family for their survival. In the past scenario, children are mainlyconsider as responsibility that intervenes their educations, health and diet. However, to improve4
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