Page 51 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 3-4: Convention on the Rights of the Child: Educational Opportunities and Social Justice, eds. Zdenko Kodelja and Urška Štremfel
P. 51
j. vranješevič ■ convention on the rights of the child and adultism ...
the surrounding world and is intrinsically motivated to learn (Piaget,
1952/1965). Instead of an isolated child who spontaneously and natural-
ly learns new strategies and skills, the child is perceived as an ‘apprentice’
in learning: they actively learn by observing more experienced and more
skilful peers/adults and develop new skills, which help them in resolving
culturally defined problems. Found within the basis for development is
the process of social interaction, i.e. the process in which the child works
together with a more experienced person and resolves problems within
the zone of proximal development, where participating in this way means
their independent actions are surpassed (Vigotski, 1983). Guided partici-
pation includes the cooperation of the adults and children and the crea-
tion of common understanding during problem solution where the child
participates as an active and the adult as a more skilful and more experi-
enced partner (Rogoff, 1990).
The psycho-social approach among sociologists of childhood also
adds significantly to the reconsideration of a biological, nativist approach
to the development and the nature of the child. This approach accepts
the immaturity of the child as given, but how this fact is interpreted de-
pends on the historical epoch and variety among societies/cultures. The
basis of the approach is the idea of social constructivism, whereby child-
hood is a matter of social convention and as such, changeable, depending
on time and space. Sociologists of childhood observe the child as part of
a culture, not only as something that precedes that culture. They assume
that children should be seen as present social actors and not as somebody
who will become a social actor. Children and childhood should be stud-
ied ‘in their own right’, independently of the adults’ perspective and inter-
ests. Sociologists of childhood advocate the perception of the child that
is not a project for the future, but a person who has capacities here and
now; they advocate the study of children as individuals, not as an institu-
tion they form part of. If we define the child by comparing him/her with
the adult, then we necessarily perceive the child as someone who has yet to
become, not as somebody who is present here and now, with all competen-
cies (those already developed as well as those that have yet to develop).
Children should be viewed as active participants in the construction and
definition of their own social life, the life of people surrounding them and
the society in which they live (Praut and Džejms, 2004).
The idea of children as agents active in the process of their own de-
velopment is advocated in the Convention on Child Rights through the
idea of participation, conceived in three ways: a) as one of the four prin-
ciples on which the CRC is based, together with non/discrimination, the
best interest of a child and life, survival and development; b) as a group
49
the surrounding world and is intrinsically motivated to learn (Piaget,
1952/1965). Instead of an isolated child who spontaneously and natural-
ly learns new strategies and skills, the child is perceived as an ‘apprentice’
in learning: they actively learn by observing more experienced and more
skilful peers/adults and develop new skills, which help them in resolving
culturally defined problems. Found within the basis for development is
the process of social interaction, i.e. the process in which the child works
together with a more experienced person and resolves problems within
the zone of proximal development, where participating in this way means
their independent actions are surpassed (Vigotski, 1983). Guided partici-
pation includes the cooperation of the adults and children and the crea-
tion of common understanding during problem solution where the child
participates as an active and the adult as a more skilful and more experi-
enced partner (Rogoff, 1990).
The psycho-social approach among sociologists of childhood also
adds significantly to the reconsideration of a biological, nativist approach
to the development and the nature of the child. This approach accepts
the immaturity of the child as given, but how this fact is interpreted de-
pends on the historical epoch and variety among societies/cultures. The
basis of the approach is the idea of social constructivism, whereby child-
hood is a matter of social convention and as such, changeable, depending
on time and space. Sociologists of childhood observe the child as part of
a culture, not only as something that precedes that culture. They assume
that children should be seen as present social actors and not as somebody
who will become a social actor. Children and childhood should be stud-
ied ‘in their own right’, independently of the adults’ perspective and inter-
ests. Sociologists of childhood advocate the perception of the child that
is not a project for the future, but a person who has capacities here and
now; they advocate the study of children as individuals, not as an institu-
tion they form part of. If we define the child by comparing him/her with
the adult, then we necessarily perceive the child as someone who has yet to
become, not as somebody who is present here and now, with all competen-
cies (those already developed as well as those that have yet to develop).
Children should be viewed as active participants in the construction and
definition of their own social life, the life of people surrounding them and
the society in which they live (Praut and Džejms, 2004).
The idea of children as agents active in the process of their own de-
velopment is advocated in the Convention on Child Rights through the
idea of participation, conceived in three ways: a) as one of the four prin-
ciples on which the CRC is based, together with non/discrimination, the
best interest of a child and life, survival and development; b) as a group
49
