Image of the Child

Samantha Blum
4-19-16
 Society views children, for the most part, as lazy and incompetent

because children have access to things with the push of a button. Society

believes that children no longer have to work hard because they have

everything handed to them. Technology plays a huge role in the way that

children are viewed. Due to the recent rise in technology children are using

technology more than ever before. IPads, cell phones, and computers are

readily available for most students. Most parents and teachers still feel as

though technology can be a hindrance rather than a help. 64% of teachers

agree that cell phones have no place in school (Druin, 2009. p.32). Not only

that, children also have access to cell phones at an early age. They have the

internet in their pockets and it takes them seconds to find an answer to a

question that, in the past, had to be researched extensively. As society itself

changes the way children are viewed will also change.

Society has changed a lot over the past decade. People used to treat

children like they could handle anything. If a child fell and hurt themselves

the child would be told to brush it off. Now a child can fall on the ground and

everyone is worried. Much like in the past in a forest kindergarten children

are taught how to use real tools such as knives and children climb huge trees

without someone hovering or telling the children to be careful. In an average

classroom today, walking out with a group of children, teachers will be

constantly saying be careful and helping the children with minor tasks. This

change has effected how children grow up and in turn how they are viewed

in young adult and adult hood.

 But perhaps the biggest change has been the rise of technology. As

technology rose in popularity children have received technology younger and

younger. This technology has made society view younger generations as less

competent. As it becomes easier and easier to access information using

technology children are viewed differently. The use of television has also

increased in the last decade. Since the advent of television and its

widespread domestic adoption there have been adult anxieties about what

children might see and know through this medium (Hutchby & Moran-Ellis.

2001. p.1). Just as children are overprotected on the playground children are

overprotected in the home. Changes in what parents allow children to see

and do have changed the way children act and learn.

Children learn in many ways, however the most important way that a

child learns is through exploration and play. Play promotes all areas of a

childs development and learning. Gestwicki (2014) reported:

Piaget pointed out that children need three basic kinds of knowledge;

physical, logical- mathematical, and social. Children obtain physical

knowledge from activities that allow them to draw conclusions about

the physical properties of an object. Children develop mathematical

knowledge as they discover relationships between objects. Other

people teach social knowledge directly as children learn about cultural

and societal customs. (pp. 38-39)

Children gain all of these skills and many more through play. Play gives them

an opportunity to use their imagination and be creative. A child may get a

chance to practice using tools that they will use as an adult, like pots and

pans, when they are playing. This gives them an opportunity to get out and

explore the world in a safe environment. It is also important to engage

students in cooperative play. It allows them to get a broader knowledge base

and gain social skills. Playing with open-ended materials alongside and in

collaboration with others is not only inspiring but socializing as well (Nell,

Drew, & Bush. 2013. p.6). Allowing children to play with others broadens

their imagination and benefits their learning.

Two things to be aware of while developing curriculum are what the

children are interested in and how the room is set up. If the room is not set

up properly the children will have a difficult time engaging in learning and

play. For example some things to set up are child sized chairs and tables so

the children can easily sit down and draw or eat. Making the room more

accessible for children will help with learning and community in the

classroom. This also helps with guidance in the classroom. Indirect guidance

is the behind the scenes work and planning that influences the behavior of

the child. It is the management of the environment--the space, equipment,

materials, and people (Gloege, L. personal communication. Feb. 9th 2016).

By managing the classroom, setting up different areas and giving the

children objects that are the appropriate size children will be able to explore
and learn. It can also help guide children to the different areas of the

classroom and will allow for a more holistic experience in the classroom.

My image of a child is a light bulb with all kinds of little knick-knacks

inside such as; clips, the word explore and more. It centered on the

uniqueness of every child and their imagination. It helps me in the classroom

because it helps me to remember that children are all different, they like

different things and they learn in different ways. The teachers role is to ask

good, open ended questions that stimulate childrens thinking and provoke

discussion (Caldwell. 1997. p.62). When I start a relationship with a child I

look for what is unique to them and what they find to be interesting and I

build off of that. This is how I try to start all of my relationships with children

and it was the inspiration for my image of the child.

Inside the lightbulb I used clips to represent how children grasp

concepts and ideas. This has helped me in the classroom very much because

not every child grasps things right away. This helps me to remember that

they can grasp it but it might take a new way of teaching, or a new medium

for them to figure it out. Media differ in the amount of feedback they

provide to children. Thus some media can serve to test and idea, and others

can serve to design an idea (Forman. 1994. p. 41). Different media allows

children to express themselves in new ways. By switching to a new form of

media a child may see the concept differently and finally grasp it.
 I also had the word explore inside the lightbulb and I used this word to

show how children love to explore and find out new things but I never

realized how much exploration is used in the classroom. Specifically with

inquiry and inquiry groups. Inquiry is something that I have learned a lot

about a lot this semester. Shaffer, Hall, & Lynch (2009) reported:

Science is what young children do. More than just watch they engage.

They are exhilarated by small observations. They experiment and

discover. To teach science effectively, early childhood educators must

acknowledge and support in extending their curiosity through the

scientific process of inquiry. (p.19)

Inquiry and exploration are a vital piece of a childs learning. Because I have

learned more about inquiry and the importance of exploration this piece of

my image of the child means so much more to me now, and it a much larger

part in education than I had ever thought.

My image has grown to be even more important to me as I learn more

about education. As I explore how children are viewed in other peoples eyes

I see how much my artifact really explains a child and teaching to me. The

information has strengthened my view of a child because I have tied the little

knickknacks inside of the light bulb to a concept that I have learned about

children and their learning. The clips can stand for grasping new concepts

through different media and the word explore can stand for a childs inquiry.
The information has allowed me to look past what a child is and relate my

image to how a child learns.

In a world where children are viewed as lazy and attached to

technology it is important to remember how children learn and who children

really are. My image of the child stands as a reminder to me that children are

all very unique and they can all exceed expectations when given the proper

guidance and tools. As society changes children change with it and as

technology enters our schools children get attached to it. With technology

taking over our world it is important to remember that children are always

going to want to know more and they can create amazing things. While

technology may help children learn, if we put down the IPad and simply

explore, amazing things can be found.

 References

Cadwell, L. (1997). Bringing reggio emilia home. New York: Teacher College

Press.

Druin, A. (2009) Mobile Technology for Children, Designing for interaction and

learning. New York: Elsevier.

Forman, G. (1994). Different media, different languages. Reflections on the

Reggio Emilia Approach, ERIC Monograph Series. ERIC/EECE: IL.

Gestwicki, C. (2014) Developmentally appropriate Practice, curriculum and

development in early education. California: Wadsworth, Cengage

Learning.

Hutchby & Moran-Ellis. (2001) Children, technology and culture: The impacts

of technologies in children's everyday lives. New York: Routledge.

Nell, M., Drew, W. & Bush, D. (2013). From Play to Practice: Connecting

Teachers Play to Childrens Learning. Washington DC: NAEYC.

Shaffer, L., Hall, E., & Lynch, M. (2009). Toddlers scientific explorations:

Encounters with insects. Young Children, 64(6).