Contemporary Challenges for Education in Early Childhood

John Eric Wilkinson

doi:10.5772/intechopen.98903

Abstract

Over the past two centuries the Age of Modernity has dominated intellectual thought and related actions predominantly in the English-speaking world. It is now becoming increasingly recognized by academics and powerful organizations both nationally and internationally that the consequence of this mode of thinking has generated immense problems for the contemporary world. The level of social and economic inequalities that continue to increase has now become the concern of many, particularly those who identify with the thinking and ideas associated with the emerging Age of Post-Modernity. The challenge to Education is profound not least so in how young children’s awareness, knowledge and understanding about the society in which they live is transmitted, often unwittingly, initially in families and subsequently in kindergartens and schools. This paper first addresses the main social constructions of childhood that can be identified in democratic countries and then links these constructions to the three dominant ideologies that exert axiomatic influence on the education process in different countries. Emerging from this brief analysis the paper identifies three fundamental and important challenges to those with responsibility and influence on young children’s education be they in governments, educational institutions or families.

Highlights

It is a characteristic of our common human identity that young children are endowed with a high level of curiosity and are eager to learn
Whilst education and care sector (ECEC) in Sweden endorses many of the educational aims associated with Liberal ideology it gives much greater priority to children learning about democracy, social justice and the environment from an early age
The challenge for ECEC settings is to make a public declaration that the principles of social justice are pursued in the setting in which children are encouraged to become aware about fairness, to take up new and challenging opportunities and to respect the views of others [25]

Summary

Introduction

It is a characteristic of our common human identity that young children are endowed with a high level of curiosity and are eager to learn. History tells us that children have not always been treated positively at the hands of adults It was the philosopher JeanJacques Rousseau at the end of the eighteenth century in his iconic book ‘Emile’ who challenged the prevailing social attitude to children at that time as being born in sin, the consequence for the adult world being to make children good [2]. In the nineteenth century when the industrial revolution in the Education in Childhood western world was at its height children as young as five years of age were sent to work for long hours in factories There is widespread determination and resolve to provide children with experiences that will have positive proven long-term effects on the quality of their lives How these experiences are designed largely depends both on our understanding of childhood and the prevailing ideology in any given society

Constructions of childhood

Ideology and early childhood education

Contemporary challenges for early childhood education and care

The challenge to governments

The challenge to ECEC settings and ECEC professionals

The challenge to parents

Conclusion