It is upsetting that most students living with autism are unable to finish their studies due to the unwelcoming environment. The teachers should undergo training to efficiently serve underserved learners to prevent inequitable outcomes in education (Djonko-Moore, 2022). Afterward, the teachers should use a tailored education approach to foster empathy and understanding for the specially-abled learners. According toMenon (2021), inviting individuals with the praxis of equity is crucial since it enables the curriculum developers to welcome a discomfort pedagogy, thus improving learning outcomes. Andy’s case on autism disorder, suspension from school, and its implications illustrate the need for inclusivity to promote equality and diversity in schools. This article critically deconstructs the narrative of Andy for an in-depth exploration of the complexities in childhood experiences and their impact on societal perceptions and educational practices. All educators should use an education approach based on inclusivity, diversity and equality in the access to learning resources.
Understanding of Childhood Experience
Andy’s education tale portrays various childhood experiences influenced by educational frameworks and societal norms. Ethnocultural diversity is an emerging issue in the modern education curriculum that needs quick intervention (Magos & Kalopita, 2020). Drawing from Corsaro’s idea about children having their own groups/ peer cultures and Fine’s perspective portraying the children as capable agents, These narratives describe the young learners as individuals with the power to resolve complex social interactions and challenges using collaboration. Foucault reminds the teachers of the importance of maintaining power relations to stay highly productive in early childhood education (Moss et al., 2016). However, James and Prout’s model of hierarchal structures talks about adults having more power, which affects the children’s engagement in the school setting. The idea about children’s interaction and effective grouping can aid in understanding the children and deciding the best pedagogical approach for teaching them.
Deconstructing Main Ideas
Three major ideas emerge from the deconstruction of Andy’s narrative regarding children’s interaction in education settings. The three primary ideas areauthority’s role in shaping children’s experiences, childhood innocence, and children as active participants in their social worlds. This is a great way of understanding the learner’s social world. The children’s agency theory challenges the idea of children’s innocence and views them as active participants in their social world. The best viewpoint of children’s agencies is treating agency as an exposure to power to reduce vulnerability (Menon, 2021). This simply means taking the children as individuals with rational minds instead of passive recipients of adult influence. Djonko-Moore (2022) states that candidate teachers should undergo training to prepare them to handle learners from diverse ethnicities, cultures, racial groups and national origins. Thus, drawing from the external sources, we can examine the influence of the authoritative figures on the empowerment or disempowerment of the children in their educational settings. These ideas emphasize the importance of practicing inclusivity and diversity in the learning environment.
The deconstruction of this discourse is crucial in questioning the conventional understanding and revealing the complexities of childhood experiences. Teachers should adopt a more inclusive, empowering training approach by recognizing children as capable/competent social actors and acknowledging the power influence.Callaghan et al. (2018) argue that the medicine wheel approach is an excellent way of teaching learners since it emphasizes the use of four assessment quadrants, namely, emotional, physical, spiritual and mental needs. This reflection requires the teachers to re-evaluate their pedagogical practices and shift towards an equitable and child-centered educational setting. Teachers should treat the children fairly and engage with them to understand and accommodate their special needs for tailored learning.
Conclusion
Overall, all teachers should utilize an education approach based on inclusivity, diversity and equality in the access to learning resources needs. Andy’s experience highlights the importance of accommodating and understanding the diverse needs of childhood education. Corsaro’s viewpoint of children’s agency, Fine’s idea of children’s competence and James and Prout’s idea of hierarchical structures emphasize the importance of practicing inclusivity and children empowerment in children’s education. All teachers should collaborate to create a welcoming and friendly education environment where learners can successfully achieve their academic goals.
References
Callaghan, K., Hale, F., Taylor Leonhardi, M., & Lavallee, M. (2018). Decolonizing and Co-Constructing Contexts that Welcome Indigenous Practices and Knowledge in Early Childhood Education. The Peer Reviewed Collection, 2(1).https://oxfordre.com/education/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-1473?p=emailA2.w7ApM.1Mfg&d=/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-1473
Djonko-Moore, C. M. (2022). An exploration of diversity education and early childhood teachers’ motivation to remain in teaching. Journal of Early ChildhoodTeacher Education, 43(1), 35-53. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2020.1806151
Magos, K., & Kalopita, K. (2020). Diversity in Early Childhood Education through Parents’ Perceptions. Randwick International of Education and Linguistics Science Journal, 1(2), 235-245. https://doi.org/10.47175/rielsj.v1i2.113
Menon, N. (2021). Troubling Dominant Discourses and Stories that Shape Our Understanding of the Child Refugee. In Abawi, Z., Eizadirad, A., & Berman, R. (Eds.). (2021). Equity as praxis in early childhood education and care. Canadian Scholars.https://books.google.com/books/about/Equity_As_Praxis_in_Early_Childhood_Educ.html?id=KiSDzgEACAAJ
Moss, P., Dahlberg, G., Mariett Olsson, L., & Vandenbroeck, M. (2016). Why contest early childhood? Working Paper. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3446.5528
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