1. With due respect: 'making sure' for childhoods in the 21st century
by Dr Cathy Nutbrown
My inclusion of children's rights in my own research agenda was born, not only of my conviction that children's rights raised important issues in their own right, but also because I believed that the early years of education in England presented a yet to be developed arena for work on children's rights. Remarkably few early childhood educators know of, and fewer still are conversant with, the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child. There is a number of reasons for this but the chief difficulties lie first in the culture — in England — of 'rights' as contestable and second — but related — in the lack of professional development experiences for educators in England to learn of and think about international issues in early childhood in general and early education in particular. My own work is driven by the commitment that children, from birth, must be enabled to experience their rights and we must bear some additional responsibility for children so that they can experience their rights. Gradually adults can teach children about the responsibilities that must attach to rights and help them to learn how to assume and shoulder the responsibilities of citizenship. Some still argue that young children must not be endowed with rights because they cannot shoulder the attached responsibility; but this is a position only of those who seek continually to deny children the citizenship that is rightfully theirs.
I want to encourage adults who live and work with children to address some difficult and penetrating questions which require us to reflect on our own thinking and practice, our politics and personal policies, our own beliefs and values.
Views of Childhood
The famous and talented sculptor Barbara Hepworth wrote:
Perhaps what one wants to say is formed in childhood and the rest of one's life is spent in trying to say it.
Her words affirm, for me, the importance of childhood as a time of thinking, formation, foundation and crucial beginnings. Childhood is a time when the path of one's life is influenced and perhaps the course set. It can be a time of active decision making, engaging relentlessly with minute-to-minute experiences, and making one's mark upon the world, a vital time in the life of every human being. It is a time, as Christian Schiller might have said for Educaré a time to... cherish the growth of the young.
Another view of children and childhood is still held by some individuals, indeed by some societies Such a view holds children as passive recipients of knowledge, as necessary burdens, as 'adults in waiting', 'adults in the making', 'unfinished', 'not quite there yet'. Indeed I once heard an academic speak of children as 'emergent human beings'. Hazareesingh, et al (1989) — considered this when they wrote:
This concept of the child as an 'unfinished' adult shifts the focus away from the child's own intentions, attachments, and strivings — which might in fact open up many learning horizons for the adult, on to an end-product notion of adulthood which is unwisely equated with 'achieved knowledge'. It might be said that this represents a specifically western, 'rationalist' approach to both childhood and learning which by separating the mind from the heart, effectively denies the essential unity of the child.
(Hazareesingh, et al 1989, p.18)
The 'adults in waiting' construction of childhood devalues children as capable learners. It underpins the creation of narrow curricula and systems of educating which are built on the transmission of pre-ordained, pre-packed nuggets of knowledge. Such perspectives on childhood omit children who can use their powers as thinkers from the learning equation and, too often, denies their humanity. Kakar (1981) described a view of childhood in some Indian Chinese and African cultures as a fully meaningful world-in-itself with its own way of being, seeing, and feeling, and further argued that
Indian philosophies, for instance, stress that the child should not simply be 'brought up': there is an accompanying responsibility for the adult to enter into the child's mode of experiencing the world.
(Kakar, 1981 p.18)
Such is the case in some European Countries too, in Denmark for instance the Children's Welfare Commission set four goals for a policy on children:
• to respect the child as an individual in the family and in society;
• to give the child a central position in the life of grown-ups;
• to promote — in a wider sense — the physical conditions in which children grow up;
• to promote equal opportunities, in the conditions of life of children, both in a material and in a cultural sense.
(Villen, 1993)
When I visited two kindergartens in Copenhagen as part of an OMEP (Organisation Mondiale pour 1'éducation Préscholaire) seminar in the mid 1990s I saw children who were valued as young citizens and adults who were respected for the work they did with those children. This was evident in beautiful and exciting gardens with ropes hanging from trees, huge sandy areas with planks of wood, crates and tyres for make believe play on a large scale. Garden sheds which were child size so that children could get a bike, a pram or whatever, when they wanted it, and be responsible for replacing it after use. Adults were valued to the extent that their staff space, (kitchen and rest room) were beautiful too — matching cups and plates, thought out colour schemes, comfortable and matching chairs, space to relax with colleagues, to discuss and to work. I was told that to be a Pedagogue in Denmark (Kindergarten Worker) was a much sought after and valued job for men and women. Similar attention to the importance of the environment is visible in the preschools of Reggio Emilia (Abbott and Nutbrown forthcoming), where the environment is central to the values of those who work in communities of learning with young children, articulated by Malaguzzi — the founder of the Reggio Approach who said:
It is indisputable that schools should have the right to their own environment, their architecture, their own conceptualisation and utilization of spaces, forms, and functions.
(Malaguzzi 1996:40)
Taking a glance, internationally, of views of childhood and adults' visions for them provides us with perspectives which can challenge our own (often uninterrogated) culturally and socially constructed views of childhood. In China, for example, the 'one child per family' policy makes for a very different attitude towards childhood. Such a policy, it could be argued, can — en masse — deny children the experience of siblings, overwhelm 'only children' with adult attention from grandparents, parents and other close family members, and elevate a single child in a family to a position of reverence. In Trinidad and Tobago there is still a culture within many families of physical punishment of young children, though the pioneering work of SERVOL is enabling early childhood educators in preschools to develop alternative strategies to support children in managing their behaviour without resorting to violence. In Sweden the 'My Rights' project began with work in 1985 and now involves some 50 NGOs combining to produce information for children to inform them of their rights (Backstrom 1997). Societies world wide place many demands upon children (Durkheim 1994), and there is a range of perspectives on children's lives and children's rights in different social contexts (Mayall 1994), but the UN convention provides for us the opportunity of speaking a common language, working towards internationally articulated goals, for children within their own distinctive cultures and communities.
So society's and individual's views of children influence the ways in which they are cared for, provided for and educated in their early years. It is important to question the seriousness with which the UK considers its children, and more than that, how does the European Community view its children and what visions for their future does the Europe of the 21st Century hold for its youngest citizens? Does a country, a community, respect children as people, citizens, able learners, powerful thinkers, feeling human beings?
Equally important are the questions to be asked of educators. Do educators watch children's actions and listen to their voices with Wide Eyes and Open Minds? (Nutbrown 1996) or are children seen as 'adults-in-waiting' with no real rights, not yet real people, not yet able to think for themselves, no rightful place in the world? Do educators decide for children, working with their eyes closed and minds narrow to the view that they are working with powerful and able people, however small and however young they may be? How do adults 'make sure' of childhoods in the 21st Century?
We must recognise the motivations which drive us to work with and for children and ensure that children's interests are served first and not, as Oldman (1995) argues to be the case, allow this work to become dominated by the interests of adults.
In England and Wales, much has been written about what children should be able to do when they are five years old. The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority issued for consultation in September 1995 a document describing the Desirable Outcomes of preschool education (SCAA 1995). This indicated, and was shaped by, particular positions and assumptions on what childhood is and what, at a certain stage in childhood, should be accomplished. This importance of this document was acknowledged both by the chief executive of SCAA who in the accompanying letter wrote: 'This is an important consultation. There is a lot at stake for all children...' and by Sir Ron Dearing, who, in the foreword to the document said:
In this consultation we are taking the first step on a matter of much importance to children themselves and for the future of education. The quality of children's early education influences their development and achievement.
(SCAA 1995)
Views of childhood are important when policy decisions affecting children's childhoods and futures are being taken and it is interesting, (perhaps disturbing), to note that when adults try to make plans for children and the future they sometimes cast blame in the wrong place. An article 'What a mess to clear up!, reporting the launch of the SCAA Preschool Education consultation document began like this:
The hordes of four year olds piling into nurseries and playgroups this week are far too busy with the paint and glue and sand and water to worry about the mess they are causing. But Gillian Shepherd has a lot of clearing up to do.
(Guardian 12.9.95)
They, the children, had caused no mess at all, but this characterisation of children as the problem is an important one to note. That same article forecast a fierce debate between progressives and traditionalists. Well, perhaps this is one situation where we can confidently say that traditional nursery education is progressive. The traditions of learning through play and observation of children inherited from the work of those such as Froebel, Montessori and developed in the UK by the Macmillans and Isaacs are the very strands of nursery education which are now being cast as child centred and progressive.
The book Respectful Educators — Capable Learners (Nutbrown 1996) represented a hope for further progression in the development of educational provision for young children. The contributors highlighted what was good in current practices. They discussed the place of, and progress in, children's rights through topics including: inspection; equality; curriculum, observation and assessment; special educational needs; training early childhood workers; work with parents; and play. The final chapter discussed argued that children's best interests would be served if provision for the youngest children were examined to see how well it respected the rights of children and enabled them to experience the quality of education and care which is enshrined in Article 29, and other articles in the Convention.
Drawing on Article 29 it posed a series of questions for educators to debate in relation to their own work with children. I pose more questions for educators and policy makers to ponder on how they will make sure of childhood, with due respect for children of the 21st Century:
20 questions for childhoods of the 21st Century
• How does the provision foster the development of individuals, their personality, their talents, their thinking and their actions to the fullest?
• Do educators observe and discuss the personalities and preferences of the children they work with — babies, toddlers, and older children?
• Do the children work on challenging problems?
• Do children confront issues which puzzle and bother them?
• How can a service for children foster healthy hearts and minds?
• Do educators challenge children to think or do they train children to conform?
• What does a respectful service for children look like and feel like?
• To what extent do educators foster respect for human rights, freedom of choice and principles of dignity, individualism and mutual respect enshrined in the charter?
• Is difference and diversity recognised and celebrated?
• Does the nursery teach children about their rights and enable them to discuss what having 'rights' means to them?
• What does a respectful early childhood curriculum look like, feel like?
• Are children helped to understand that they have the right to make choices?
• Are children encouraged to assert their right to express themselves, their love, their likes, their fears, their dislikes, their wants, their hates, their feelings?
• How is respect shown to parents?
• How are children encouraged to be proud of who they are, what they look like, how they speak and to respect the differences of others?
• Is diversity of language, culture and identity valued, or does one culture and one language dominate?
• Is there a climate of co-operation and equality?
• Do staff value children's rights to challenge, question and assert them?
• Are children taught how they might assert themselves without aggression?
• Do children's outdoor experiences foster an appreciation, understanding and respect for the natural environment?
These difficult and searching questions might support those who want to develop their provision for young children in ways which more fully support and realise their rights.
There are obligations on Governments, yes, but there are responsibilities for every adult citizen too, making sure that childhood is the responsibility of every adult. In 1996 Respectful educators — capable learners (Nutbrown 1996) looked forward to how things might be if, as individuals and as a nation, we took further account of the need to respect children, their capabilities and their rights and help them to reach their potential. Some five years later though, it remains the case that out of a conference audience of 200 early childhood educators, ten might raise their hands when asked if they have heard of the UN convention on the rights of the child. Fewer admit to being conversant with the contents of the Convention. There is still much to do to inform early childhood educators about the rights of the child and even more to do to ensure that they know enough about children's rights and the UN Convention to work within it.
Respect must be nurtured in children for they are capable and quick learners, they will learn the messages and values adults transmit to them. Respectful educators will ensure that diversity and difference is celebrated and that children are empowered to 'BE' themselves as well as learn BEside others.
Early education worldwide needs to focus on development for living which — in the words of the UN Convention — help children to 'foster respect, human rights, freedom of choice, and principles of dignity, individualism and mutual respect'. There remains the challenge — to work with due respect with young children and their families into the 21st Century and to make sure of childhoods.
Cathy Nutbrown began her career as a teacher of young children and has since worked in a range of settings and roles with parents, teachers, and early childhood educators. Her research interests include children's early learning and development, their literacy, assessment, children's rights and work with parents. She is currently Lecturer in Education at The Department of Educational Studies at The University of Sheffield, where she directs the distance learning MA in Early Childhood Education. Cathy has written many articles on early education, literacy and assessment. Her books include Respectful Educators — Capable Learners: children's rights in early education (PCP 1996), and recently Recognising Early Literacy Development — Assessing Children's Achievements (PCP 1997), and Threads of Thinking — (1999) which examines children's learning in the context of current policies. Cathy is committed to finding ways of working 'with respect' with young children, and sees the concept of quality in the context of what it means to develop curriculum and pedagogy in the early years with the ambition of working in a climate of 'respectful education'.
Contact:
Dr. Cathy Nutbrown,
The University of Sheffield, Department of Educational Studies,
The Education Building, 388 Glossop Road,
Sheffield, S10 2JA
Tel: 0114 222 8139
E-mail: c.e.nutbrown(at)sheffield.ac.uk
References
Backstrom, K. (1997) 'The significance of the UN Convention on the rights of the child to children in preschool and school' Paper given at the 22nd International Montessori Congress 'The Child and Communication' July 22-27 1997
www.ilu.uu.se/ilu/montessori/index/htm
Durkheim, E. (1994) Education and society, in A. Giddens (1996) Emile Durkheim: Selected Writings Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Hazareesingh, S., Simms, K. and Anderson, P. (1989) Educating the whole child — A holistic Approach to Education in the Early Years, Building Blocks Early Years Project/Save the Children, Equality Learning Centre, 357 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA
Kakar, S. (1981) The Inner World. A Psycho-analytic Study of Childhood and Society in India Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Malaguzzi, L. (1996) The right to environment. In Filippini, T, and Vecchi, V. (1996) The Hundred Languages of Children: the exhibit Reggio Emilia: Reggio Children
Mayall, B (ed) (1994) Children's Childhoods Observed and Experienced Falmer Press, London
Oldman, D. (1994) Childhood as a mode of production, in B. Mayall (ed) (1994) Children's Childhoods Observed and Experienced Falmer Press, London
School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) (1996) Nursery Education — desirable outcomes for children's learning on entering compulsory education SCAA and DfEE, London
UN (1989) Convention on the Rights of the Child New York, United Nations
Villen, K. (1993) Pre-school education in Denmark, in T. David (ed) Educational Provision for our Youngest Children: European Perspectives Paul Chapman, London