IMAGE OF THE CHILD IN THE MINDS OF FUTURE TEACHERS

Abstract

Relevance. The article shows that the adequate holistic image of the child is a necessary condition for successful pedagogical activity. Purpose is to study the actual image of the child in the minds of students who are beginning to prepare for pedagogical activities. Research methods and sample. The study was conducted during the seminar by the method of content analysis of associations with the image of the child in students who chose a teacher career. Work on the concept of “Child” was based on the principle of actualization of students’ associations with the image of the child. Students developed their associations, presented them at the general plenum. The discussion was based on the principle of highlighting the main / general, unexpected / singular in the ideas about the child, the risks and resources of modern childhood Main results. The main characteristics of the child’s image obtained in the course of content analysis are: . a scarce approach to the child as a non-reliable, immature being; . the child’s dependence on others, adults with parents mentioned very rarely; . lack of interconnection of children, absence of the category of friendship and “horizontal” ties; . understanding the child as a contradictory and complex being; in this approach, the value judgments of “good-bad” are strong; .the child as a real developing subject, revealing potential. The main risks for the development of the child, according to students are: . risks associated with various types of violence against the child: physical, verbal, pedagogical; . fear, fearfulness, anxiety, uncertainty, helplessness; . external negative circumstances of life: instability, injustice, negative people and the development environment, helplessness; . risks coming from the child himself, his youth and inexperience: recklessness, unselfi shness, unwillingness of the child, irresponsibility, closeness. Conclusion. Some approaches to the formation of an adequate image of the child are described.