This book has already proved itself as a course adoption leader in Childhood Studies. All of the strengths of the First Edition have been retained. The book is comprehensive and judged with the needs of
students in mind. It is a model of clarity and precision and has been acknowledged as such in reviews and course feedback. The new edition thoroughly revises old entries and adds new ones. The book is the most accessible, relevant student introduction to this expanding, interdisciplinary field. It is an indispensable teaching text and an ideal prompt for researchers. Social ActorSocial actor A concept that recognises the active part that children can play in everyday social life. The idea that children should be regarded as social actors received its first strong statement in social science writing during the 1970s. In an anthropological study of children in English playgrounds, Hardman argued that ‘children should be seen as people to be studied in their own right and not just as receptacles of adult teaching’ and that through doing so, researchers would gain rather different perspectives – child perspectives – on the social world (1973: 85). In Hardman's view, earlier research, mainly from within developmental psychology, had failed to acknowledge children as people who might be studied as social actors because the overarching concern was to document children's ... locked icon Sign in to access this contentSign in Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL
sign up today! KnowThe factors that go into developing who we become are endless. Our family traditions, cultural beliefs, customs, environment, location, and economic status are some of the major factors that play a role in how we develop as individuals. It is important to remember that all children are individuals with varied backgrounds, family beliefs, and life experiences. Children in your family child care program need daily opportunities in a safe and supportive environment to participate in experiences and activities that allow them to explore and celebrate the person they are growing to be. As you meaningfully engage children in this process of self-discovery and identity, you should provide them with ongoing, multiple opportunities to explore their interests, interact with exciting materials, try out new things, and learn. You may already have an “All About Me” or “My Family” corner in your family child care, and you may make time in your program to explore diversity, children’s interests, or unique talents. You should embed such opportunities for promoting a healthy sense of self and identity throughout every day in your program. Experiences and Activities that Promote Children’s Sense of SelfConsider the following as ways to continue to help the children in your care feel important, understood, confident and successful. Also, take time to review the article, Supportive Care for Infants and Toddlers with Special Health Needs at http://www.spiritlakeconsulting.com/SLC/sharedfiles/library/books/NAEYC_health.pdf.
Embracing DiversityTo understand anti-bias education, it may be helpful to reflect on how an anti-bias program or environment helps children and others learn to see themselves. In the words of Louise Derman-Sparks (2010), “In the anti-bias classroom, children learn to be proud of themselves and their families, to respect human differences, to recognize bias, and to speak up for what is right.” These are outcomes that most educators would agree are important, but it takes a great deal of intentionality to make them a reality. Anti-bias educators are thoughtful every day of the subtle ways bias is embedded into systems and experiences. They are mindful of the impact that media messages, choices of program materials, and responses to questions have on children’s development of self. They plan experiences around four main goals of anti-bias education (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010):
We encourage you to explore the readings in the References & Resources section for practical ideas and reflection on anti-bias education. Embracing Multiple Social IdentitiesChildren are beginning to develop a complex sense of self and learn that they can have multiple social identities. Each child in your program is much more than their gender, age, race, or physical features. While some children may be encouraged to strongly identify with these parts of their identities, it’s important to remind all children that they have many different identities. For example, you may have a child in your family child care program who thinks of herself as a daughter, sister, friend, helper, and dog-lover. Others may think of themselves as painters, singers, and future firefighters. You can influence and expand how children see themselves by pointing out, in a positive and encouraging way, that they have many traits and interests. Encouraging children to embrace their multiple social identities develops their sense of self and helps them become more flexible when thinking about others’ identities. For example, flexible thinking about others’ could be observing a group of boys playing with trains and thinking of them as children who like to play with trains rather than thinking that only boys like to play with trains. Flexible thinking about others allows children to be more open and accepting of others’ interests and attributes. Children who recognize their multiple identities may develop better problem-solving skills and a better ability to collaborate with others. This helps them come up with more and creative solutions to everyday problems. You likely have pretend play home living items such as dishes and food in your program environment, and it is likely that pieces go missing from time to time. A child who is a flexible and creative problem-solver may recognize that there are no more aprons in the kitchen and instead may fashion an “apron” out of a baby blanket. Embracing CharacterAs highlighted in Lesson One, our sense of self includes the roles, attributes, behaviors, and associations that we consider most important about ourselves (Ylvisaker, 2006). Character and personality traits are examples of elements that help us develop who we are as individuals; these are cultivated and nurtured through our interactions with others and shape our current and future lives. Your program may use a formal character education curriculum. One example is the Character Counts curriculum by the Josephson Institute. This curriculum proposes six pillars of character. Whether you use this or any other character education curriculum, consider how these six pillars may influence the sense of self, positive relationships, and pride in one’s identity and culture: Trustworthiness
Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
Caring
Citizenship
You can learn more about the six pillars at https://charactercounts.org/program-overview/six-pillars/ How do these pillars guide or shape your work? How do they guide or shape your personal life? Take a few minutes to think about how embracing these six pillars can shape the work you do with children around promoting a sense of self. Developing Children’s InterestsBiographies of athletes, musicians, or actors often indicate that they began their crafts as children. The activities and experiences that you plan for children are very important to the development of a sense of self. As older children develop a sense of self, they are trying out new activities and experiences to understand their personal interests, skills, and talents. According to the Council on Accreditation Standards for After School and Youth Development Programs, providers should:
It is important to always include the needs and interests of children based upon your observations and documentation when creating activity plans. Children will enjoy helping you create plans, brainstorm activity ideas, and share their own ideas for activities and experiences. You can help support children’s interests in a variety of ways:
Long-Term ProjectsProject-based learning helps to support children on their journeys of developing a positive sense of self. Projects encourage investigation, cooperation, focus, determination, discovery, and creativity. Projects can be used in the learning environment in a variety of ways. They can be child-led, where the children decide on the project and work to create the steps or phases needed to complete the goal. For this type of project, they may be completing a long-term art project, planning a talent show, or conducting experiments to test a scientific theory. Projects can also be created and directed by family or community members. These types of projects might be creating and maintaining a garden or working together to solve problems that affect all the children in your care. All projects have a goal that is being worked toward and typically have some sort of documentation that is completed along the way to show progress. Projects help support independence because they encourage:
Role Models and RelationshipsMost life experiences involve other people. We cannot get far into our daily routine without encountering others. Think about the relationships you have with others. You have strong bonds with family and friends. You have professional relationships. You also have informal relationships with people you consider acquaintances. Children are learning how to establish and maintain healthy relationships. They have friendships that are being based on more than proximity or convenience and more on common interests and goals. They are becoming independent and experiencing other adults outside of the home, such as providers, teachers, tutors, coaches, etc. As a family child care provider, you have the opportunity to help children learn how to establish and maintain healthy relationships. You will do this through modeling, encouragement and guidance. According to the Council on Accreditation Standards for After School and Youth Development Programs, providers should engage with children and interact with them in positive ways to:
Embracing Culturally Responsive ExperiencesCulturally responsive experiences are those that help children see themselves represented in your program. This may mean opportunities for self-reflection and expression. It may also mean broad exposure to people, ideas, and experiences from around the world. Exposure to the world around them sparks curiosity and creative thinking in children. You should provide experiences that help children define a sense of self and a sense of the world around them. This may include racial or ethnic identity, but it can also include identities related to family values, beliefs, or experiences. For example, children may explore the culture of living on a military installation, being an only child, or transitioning to kindergarten. Strengthening FamiliesFamilies are critical partners in your programs. You have a commitment to respect families and to help each family feel proud of its identity and culture. Recall these family-centered practices that were introduced in the Family Engagement course:
These practices help families feel respected and valued. They also help families gain confidence and a sense of their role in your program. Families everywhere go through times in their lives when they need help accessing information to help them navigate the circumstances they are dealing with. And you may be just the person they come to for help. A family member may have a question or concern, and you may be asked to provide information, suggestions, or recommendations about a variety of topics, such as child development, challenging behavior, literacy, in- and out-of-school activities, community connections, health-care providers, and so forth. Sometimes you may have answers, and sometimes you may have to look for answers. Above all, if a family member shares a need or concern with you, respect their privacy. Communicating with Families about Their Child’s Development of a Sense of SelfCultural practices deeply influence how adults support children’s development of self. All children develop in the context of their cultural background and their family’s values. It is important that you demonstrate respect for each family and child enrolled in your program. Collaborating with family members is a significant aspect of your work in family child care. You will need to build relationships with each family to understand their values and beliefs. Having written policies and program rules posted can assist family members in understanding the caregiving practices their children will encounter in your family child care program. Demonstrating mutually respectful and trusting relationships for all children and families must always be your goal. Your role is critical to maintaining a warm, responsive environment where children feel safe to develop their sense of self. Reducing Stress: Taking Care of Yourself while Taking Care of OthersAs highlighted in Lesson Three, taking care of yourself and thinking about your own wellness is as significant as taking care and providing for those around you. It is important to be able to acknowledge signs of stress in yourself and others. The table below identifies signs of stress in adults. Common Signs of Stress in AdultsPhysical
Emotional
Behavioral
When you see signs of stress in yourself, take action. You will find “stress busting” resources in the Apply section. As you develop your skill at managing your own stress, you should also observe the children in your program for signs of stress. The first steps in responding to stress are to recognize when there is a problem and to help access resources. Look for these signs of stress in children:
Common Stress IndicatorsSocial
Emotional
Behavioral
Other
SeeWatch as these providers describe what they do for self-care and the importance of it in their work. Family Child Care Provider’s Sense of Self: Self-Care PracticesVideo not availableLearn how these family child care providers practice self-care.DoYoung children experience stress as a normal part of development and learning. Stress can result from different experiences, positive and negative. While you cannot shield all children from stressful experiences, your caring, safe, and predictable relationship with a young child can help protect them from the effects of stress. Consider the following strategies as you support children experiencing stress:
References & Resources Bisson, J. (1997). Celebrate! An Anti-Bias Guide to Enjoying Holidays in Early Childhood Programs. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, Division of Resources for Child Caring. Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Derman-Sparks, L., & Ramsey, P. G. (2011). What if All the Kids are White?: Anti-bias multicultural education with young children and families. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House. Egertson, H. A. (2006). In Praise of Butterflies: Linking Self-Esteem and Learning. Young Children on the Web. Fox, L., & Lentini, R. H. (2006) “You got it!" Teaching social and emotional skills. Young Children, 61(6), 36-42. Gaither, S.E., Fan, S.P., Kinzler, K.D. (2019). Thinking about multiple identities boosts children’s flexible thinking. Developmental Science. doi: 10.1111/desc.12871 Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106-116. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0022487102053002003. Johnson, J. (2007). Finding Your Smile Again: A child care professional's guide to reducing stress and avoiding burnout. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Johnson, J. (2010). Keeping Your Smile: Caring for children with joy, love, and intention. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Jones, V. L., Higgins, K., Brandon, R. R., Cote, D. L., & Dobbins, N. (2013). A Focus on Resiliency: Young Children with Disabilities. Young Exceptional Children, 16, 3-16. Pawlina, S. (2011). Preschoolers Grow Their Brains: Shifting Mindsets for Greater Resiliency and Better Problem Solving. Young Children. Ramsey, P. G. (2004). Teaching and Learning in a Diverse World: Multicultural education for young children (Vol. 93). New York, NY: Teachers College Press. Rath, T., & Clifton, D. (2011). How Full is Your Bucket? Washington, D.C.: Gallup Press. Skovholt, T. M., & Trotter-Mathison, M. J. (2014). The Resilient Practitioner: Burnout prevention and self-care strategies for counselors, therapists, teachers, and health professionals. New York, NY: Routledge. Ylvisaker, M. (2006). What is Sense of Self? Learnet. Retrieved from http://www.projectlearnet.org/tutorials/sense_of_self_personal_identity.html. Which of the following is the best description of a person's sense of self quizlet?Which of the following is the BEST description of a person's sense of self? It is "reflexive": People reflect on their own identities.
What is the best description of a persons sense of self?Your sense of self refers to your perception of the collection of characteristics that define you. Personality traits, abilities, likes and dislikes, your belief system or moral code, and the things that motivate you — these all contribute to self-image or your unique identity as a person.
What suggests that children are active learners who essentially socialize themselves?Gender schema theory argues that children are active learners who essentially socialize themselves and actively organize others' behavior, activities, and attributes into gender categories, which are known as schemas.
At what point in life does one begin to construct build a narrative identity?From late adolescence onward, individuals' behavior becomes aligned with the way they perceive themselves, as their (narrative) identity starts to play an important role in their behavior. At first, these self-views are largely build upon the way individuals typically behaved up to that point.
|