Children's Identity Research Articles

Relating to others: Three layers of knowing

During research on a Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) project entitled Key Learning Competencies across Place and Time: Kimihia te ara totika, hei oranga mo to ao, directed by Margaret Carr and Sally Peters at the University of Waikato, we researched evidence for, and developed theories about, relating to others. Relationships had always been a key concept for the teachers at our early childhood centre, and the TLRI project gave us an opportunity to contribute to discussions about the key competency relating to others (in the new school curriculum: Ministry of Education, 2007) in our place. Aratupu Preschool and Nursery is a community-based early childhood centre situated in Papanui, Christchurch. The centre is one of several services offered by the city's Methodist Mission alongside social work services, budgeting and food bank services, advocacy and aged care. Aratupu provides education and care for children aged 0-6 years and aims to meet the needs of our local community. Our centre is open from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm Monday to Friday, which reflects our commitment to our community, who are predominantly young, single-women-led whanau, with a government benefit as their main, or only, source of income. It is our aim to provide an environment where whanau feel valued and welcomed and where they can be supported in all aspects of their life. We want it to be a fun, safe and stimulating place where children can strengthen and acquire new dispositions that will support them in everything they do. The roll at Aratupu comprises approximately 50-60 percent Maori children, with the remainder consisting of Asian, Samoan, Cook Island and Pakeha children. The centre employs qualified early childhood teachers who focus on providing high-quality care and education for the children. Employing an out-of-ratio supervisor and a family support worker (social worker) allows teaching staff to focus on the children, while the supervisor and family support worker can support whanau. Our view of the child A particular commitment of Aratupu is for each child to be recognised for who they are, where they have come from and what they bring with them. We want our children to be empowered, so we take a strengths-based approach that focuses on children's abilities and how they relate to one another and support each other in their early childhood journey. A favourite saying for us at the centre is: We want children to be able to leave this centre, knowing who they are and being confident in standing up for themselves in future education systems and letting others know when their needs are not being met. We feel that this is an important goal for our children, as many have parents who have had not-so-great experiences within the education system. Our centre aims to be a positive educational place for the whole whanau. Our philosophy is strongly based on having the child at the centre of everything we do and think about. Every decision we make is based first on the child, then on the impact for those around them--meaning the whanau, other adults, environment, extended community etc. Enhancing a sense of belonging is the wallpaper of everything we do. We passionately believe that without a strong sense of belonging, children will not achieve their full potential--nothing else can happen without belonging. Relationships is also a key concept in everything we do in the centre, and how we do it. It is through relationships that we believe the child's identity is confirmed. Our aspiration is that the children develop identities as empowered children. Looking more closely at relating It was because of our existing emphasis on relationships and relating at the centre that we decided to explore these aspects--and the teaching and learning associated with these--more deeply through our involvement in this project. Although originally we used the term relationships, we soon moved to using the term relating to capture the concept we were exploring. …

Influence of teacher–student interactions on kindergarten children's developing gender identity within the Pakistani urban classroom culture

In the current global push to explore the diverse and complex ways in which the school culture contributes to the shaping of young children's gender identity, early childhood teachers’ role in this process is an area of concern which has received limited attention. Furthermore, the schooling experiences of early years children in developing world contexts such as Pakistan remain largely absent. As such, this article discusses findings from a study investigating the role of women teachers’ practice in the construction of children's gender identities in the kindergarten classroom culture of one urban co‐education school in the highly gender‐segregated Pakistani context. Seven teachers and approximately 120 children were involved. Data collection included teacher interviews and observations of teaching practice. Data were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. The complex and dynamic nature of the gendered classroom culture reflected the teachers’ active perpetuation of the dominant patriarchal ideologies in their practice. However, their practice also presented possibilities for change in unconscious and, occasionally, conscious attempts to push gender boundaries towards more equitable gender relationships. The teachers’ gendered practice has significant implications for children's evolving gender identity construction.

Development and application of a gender equity education program through a home-kindergarten partnership focusing on young children's sex role identity

Development and application of a gender equity education program through a home-kindergarten partnership focusing on young children's sex role identity

Leisure activities preference of Israeli Jewish children from secular versus Orthodox families

Aims: To compare daily activity preferences of Israeli Jewish Orthodox and secular children in order to better understand the relationship between children's religious background and their participation patterns. Methods: Participants were 45 Orthodox and 45 secular Israeli Jewish children, aged 6–10.6 years. Major findings: In most PAC scales, the secular children showed a significantly lower preference than the Orthodox children to participate in activities. In both groups, activity preferences were impacted by age and gender. Among the secular group, mother's education level was correlated with a lower preference to participate in active physical activities. Principal conclusions: Family religiosity may impact on children's daily activity preferences. Occupational therapists should consider these socio-environmental factors in order to better integrate a child's religious and cultural identity into therapeutic interventions and assist the child in finding a meaningful occupational experience.

Children's social identities

AbstractThis paper provides a brief overview of recent developmental research on themes related to children's social identities. Initially, consideration is given to the capacity for social categorization, following which attention is given to children's developing conceptions of social identities, their identification with social groups, and the consequences of identification upon various phenomena such as ingroup favouritism and well‐being. Finally, some personal thoughts on the wider political implications of this research are offered. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

What does it mean to be a girl? Implications of girls' and boys' experiences of gender roles in rural Lesotho primary schools

Abstract A doctoral study on constructions of gender has found that meanings attached to children's identities play a role in their experiences of gender in schools. From the view of the sociological theory of social constructionism the data were analysed to search for everyday gendered experiences of female and male children in a primary school. Drawing from ethnographic data (conversations, observations and informal discussions), this article discusses girls' and boys' experiences of gender in three co-educational rural primary schools in Lesotho. Analysis denotes experiences of sexual violence and gender-motivated fights as predominant in girls' and boys' experiences of gender, and that these had inequitable effects that militated against girls more than boys. These painful experiences occurred against the backdrop of high female enrolment in Lesotho primary schools (Unicef 2008). The article cautions that statistics on increased girls' school attendance might create a false impression concerning gende...

Embracing Ambiguity in the Historiography of Children's Dress

This article examines the historiography of children's dress, arguing that it has been limited by an unreflexive, uncritical conceptualisation of children and childhood. Drawing on insights afforded by the emergent field of childhood studies, by socially inflected perspectives on fashion and dress and by theories of consumption and consumer culture, the discussion turns toward ways of reconfiguring the historical study of children. It is suggested that future work may do well by embracing the ambiguities of children's identities, rather than trying to attenuate them.

Exploring Identity Negotiations: An Analysis of Intercultural Japanese-U.S. American Families Living in the United States

This study examines identity negotiations of intercultural Japanese-U.S. American families particularly in terms of a) how dominant ideologies and societal structures relate to the formation and negotiation of intercultural married couples' identities, and b) how they negotiate the relational, family, and cultural identities in their relationship. Both interpretive and critical perspectives are utilized to uncover the complex nature of identity negotiations. Interviews with intercultural families reveal that their identity locations are negotiated from historical contexts and gender and racial ideologies. Ambivalence, contradictions, dialectical tensions, and the intersectionality of their identities are often mentioned in the interviews. Particularly in talking about their childrearing process, the parents negotiate multiple identities and manage dialectical tensions of their children's possible future identities. In general, the results show that intercultural families created a unique and secure space to navigate the social, economic, and political climates in the United States and Japan.

Ethnicity and gender in late childhood and early adolescence: Group identity and awareness of bias.

The current study examined awareness of gender and ethnic bias and gender and ethnic identity in 350 African American, White/European American, and Latino/Hispanic students (Mage = 11.21 years, SD = 1.59) from the 4th, 6th, and 8th grades of diverse middle and elementary schools. The study collected (a) qualitative data to best capture the types of bias that were most salient to children and (b) daily diaries and individual measures to examine the multiple components of children's gender and ethnic identities. Results revealed ethnic, gender, and grade-level differences in awareness of ethnic and gender bias. Overall, more children were aware of gender bias than ethnic bias. This effect was most pronounced among White/European American youths. Among those in 4th grade, African American and Latino youths were more likely to be aware of ethnic bias than were White/European American youths. Analyses also examined how awareness of bias was related to gender and ethnic identity. For example, children who had a salient and important gender identity, and a devalued ethnic identity, were less likely than other children to be aware of ethnic bias.

Transforming children's health spaces into learning places

PurposeChronic health conditions can cause children extended school absences, creating significant barriers for continued education. Out‐of‐school learning environments, such as hospitals, provide opportunities to maintain children's learning identities during school absences. This paper seeks to present an example of hospital‐based teaching and learning and to explore the challenges of providing child‐centred learning opportunities in this environment.Design/methodology/approachA case study narrative describes the underpinnings of child‐centred teaching and learning within a children's hospital. The “Around the World” learning activity is used to discuss the challenges and strategies when fostering learning environments for children with diverse needs.FindingsThe paper highlights how pedagogy is apparent in a children's health setting. Reflective teacher practice translated pedagogical principles into dynamic, situated learning activities that engaged children visiting a hospital Out‐patients area. The display of learning artefacts within Out‐patients helped raise awareness of the learning identities of children within the hospital.Research limitations/implicationsThis case study is one example of the learning opportunities that can be fostered within a hospital. The findings have implications for educators in both traditional and alternative learning environments regarding how spaces can be used to “seize the moment” with children in their care. The learning needs of adolescents spending time in hospital also need to be met in developmentally appropriate ways.Originality/valueThis paper illustrates how a hospital, as a traditionally held “health” space, can be reconceptualised as a learning space to accommodate the multiple identities of children and build a shared understanding between education and health professionals of the value of integrating learning into a holistic and child‐centred model of care.

The age old question, which comes first? A simultaneous test of children's savings and children's college-bound identity

This study has three goals: (1) to provide an extensive review of research on the assets/expectation relationship, (2) to provide a conceptual framework for how children's savings effects children's college-bound identity (children's college expectations are a proxy for children's college-bound identity), and (3) to conduct a simultaneous test of whether owning a savings account leads to college-bound identity or college-bound identity lead to owning a savings account using path analytic technique with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Our review reveals asset researchers theorize about college-bound identity in two distinct but compatible ways: college-bound identity as a “linking mechanism”, and college-bound identity as a mediator. However, there has been little theoretical development on the attitudinal effects of assets. In this study, we posit a conceptual framework for how children's savings affects children's college-bound identity. Findings from the simultaneous test of the assets/college-bound identity relationship suggest that savings has modest effect on college-bound identity and vice versa. A policy implication is that asset building policies that seek to build children's college-bound identity in addition to their savings may be more effective than policies that only seek to build children's savings.

The Measurement of Racial/Ethnic Identity in Children

Researchers have long been interested in racial attitudes and preferences of young children with a focus on the implications of societal racism on healthy development. The doll study paradigm popularized by Clark and Clark is the most commonly used measure for children; however, researchers also have adapted paper and pencil measures and projective techniques to capture children’s attitudes. This article reviews multiple measurement approaches, drawing on developmental frameworks, and argues that researchers should draw more on cognitive developmental theories in creating measures that can better capture the unique nature of ethnic minority children’s racial attitudes, how they form, and implications for adjustment.

Ethnic, Gender, and BMI Differences in Athletic Identity in Children and Adolescents

Little is known about differences in athletic self-concept that are related to ethnicity, gender, and overweight status, which may influence physical activity behavior. Children (N=936) and adolescents (N=1071) completed the Athletic Identity Questionnaire, measuring athletic appearance, competence, importance of activity, and encouragement from parents, teachers, and friends. Multivariate ANOVA assessed group differences and interactions on the 6 subscales. Interaction effects were found in children (Ethnic×Gender; Ethnic×BMI), and ethnic, gender, and BMI (body mass index) main effects in adolescents. In children, Hispanic girls had lower appearance and competence ratings. Within weight categories, normal-weight Hispanic children had lower appearance and importance ratings compared with whites, and obese black children had lower importance ratings than obese whites and Hispanics. In adolescents, there were lower appearance and competence ratings among Hispanics and obese students, lower importance ratings among girls and Hispanics, and less parental encouragement in Hispanics. No gender, ethnic, or BMI differences on encouragement from teachers were found in either children or adolescents. More negative athletic self-perceptions and less parental encouragement were seen in minorities. Consideration of these factors will be important in interventions to promote physical activity.

Something in the Air? Creativity, culture and community

This paper analyses the contribution to creativity, culture and community of disabled children provided by the work of the theatre company Oily Cart and their production Something in the Air? In the paper, we present a radical humanist conception of disability and creativity. In order to explore disability and creativity we focus on a case study of the performance Something in the Air? which positions to the work of Oily Cart, a theatre company, with disabled children. Using ethnographic data collected during the production of Something in the Air?, we analyse the extent to which this project promoted disabled children's well-being, participation, imagination and identity. We suggest that the potentiality of disabled children can be released through the engagement with performing artists who combine creativity with a commitment to challenging disablism in the lives of those children.

Imagining the Abject in Kingsley, MacDonald, and Carroll: Disrupting Dominant Values and Cultural Identity in Children's Literature

Imagining the Abject in Kingsley, MacDonald, and Carroll: Disrupting Dominant Values and Cultural Identity in Children's Literature

Međunarodno usvojenje i Srbija

The common environment in which a child is growing up is its family. International law recognises childhood as a separate concept, but also recognises that the family is in most cases, the best environment for a healthy childhood. International law treats the family as the basis social unit and as a natural environment for the child's well being. The Convention on the Rights of a Child affords primary significance to the family when it comes to securing the rights of the child. When a child does not have a family, the state is obliged to secure other solutions, among others foster homes, adoption or social welfare institutions. International law recognises different forms of solutions for children without parental care and specifically regulates the international adoption, affording primacy to domestic adoption, for reasons of preservation of the child's culture and identity. International adoption is a relatively new phenomenon. After the Second World War, it started to develop as a legal institute and since the 1970s the number of such adoptions gas risen dramatically. By the beginning of the 1980s it became obvious that international adoption is followed by a number of complex legal and human issues and that the lack of national and international legal instruments points towards the necessity of a multilateral approach. For these reasons, on May 29, 1993, the Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in the Field of International Adoption was adopted under the auspices of the Hague Conference of International Private Law. International adoption is not common in Serbia. Couples from Serbia who wish to adopt a child are usually not ready to adopt a Roma child, an older child or a child with a disability. International adoption could be a solution for these children. Besides that, children without parental care from other countries could find their family in Serbia. By ratifying the Hague Convention, Serbia joined the family of states which closely cooperate in the area of international adoption, by preventing abuse or grave omissions. In addition, Serbia would show that it respects international obligations and that it respects the constitutionally guaranteed protection of children who are not taken care of by their parents.

“I'm a Prius”: A Child Case of a Gender/Ethnic Hybrid

This article presents the treatment of a young gender nonconforming boy caught in the cross-fire of a gender and cultural warfare between his divorced parents. D.G., of mixed Mexican/American heritage, went through a course of therapy which is presented to illustrate the fluidity of a child's gender identity and expressions and the need to take a developmental approach that allows for the unfolding of a child's authentic gender self over time. The paper also emphasizes the importance of taking family effects into account as a child attempts to negotiate his or her authentic gender amidst parental responses and pressures.

Publishing, Media, and the Identity of Children's Books

Publishing, Media, and the Identity of Children's Books

Shaping minors with major shifts: Electronic child records in the Netherlands

At the end of 2009, the Electronic Child Record (ECR) must replace all paper records in Dutch youth healthcare, i.e. digital dossiers containing health and psycho-social data on children aged 0-19. At the same time, society demands a more effective youth-care system, due to several family tragedies that gave rise to high media attention as well as growing problems with high-risk youth. These developments form the impetus for fundamental changes in youth care in respect of the relationship between children and youth-care professionals, connectivity of information systems, transparency (or rather opacity) of organisations and information systems, and the construction and use of children's identities. The ECR seems to have acquired a dynamic of its own and is steadily moving forward to becoming embedded in an ever more sophisticated system of controlling the socio-psychological and physical development of youngsters-at-risk. Hence, the goals of the ECR may be gradually shifting from achieving more efficiency vis-a-vis social sorting and risk-management systems. This development has side effects that should be addressed by policy makers to truly promote the interests of children and citizens more generally.

Growing up in Two Languages: Korean Returnee Children's Identity Development

Growing up in Two Languages: Korean Returnee Children's Identity Development