Download Adultism, Learning, and Autonomy PDF Full Free by Mairin Hartt and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adultism is the treatment of children as inferior to adults, due to the presumption of children's ignorance and naiveté. In the United States, adultism is expressed in the form of low expectations, a desire to protect children's innocence, and the inclination for obedience over independent thought (Tate & Copas, 2003). The resulting restraints on children's individual autonomy inhibit children's ability to learn, conditioning them to become passive participants in their education. Using a combination of socio-communicative models and participatory action research, this research addressed the following questions: What are children's perceptions of adultism and education? What impact does the recognition of children's participation rights in the classroom have on student learning and autonomy? And, what are the outcomes of democratic student-teacher participation on student learning and autonomy? Research was conducted at two fieldwork sites: the Chicago Children's Museum's (CCM) Arts Abound Studio and the Evanston Art Center (EAC). From October 17 to December 1 of 2013, I observed and categorized forms of adult-child interactions and collaborations between 225 children and 181 adults during CCM's daily art workshops. Additionally, I conducted one-on-one interviews with three CCM facilitators regarding their individual experiences working with children and adults. In November of 2013 and January of 2014, I conducted semi-structured group interviews with twelve EAC students, ages 8 to 11, concerning children's perspectives on adultism and education. Observational data was collected utilizing an observational checklist regarding adult-child verbal and physical interactions, field notes, and sketches of visitors' artwork. All interviews were collected using audio recording and field notes. Data analysis focused on verbal and physical language, content analysis of artwork, and self-reflective analysis. CCM observations revealed acts of adultism were subtle and inadvertently expressed with the intention of helping or correcting children, and were more common with children under the age of six. Interviews with EAC students acknowledged the presence of adultism in academic environments, expressed in the emphasis on classroom management, and children's frustration with adults' generalizations concerning children's intelligence and maturity. Adults must reevaluate their presumptions of children and their motivations in regulating children's behavior. Although well intentioned, adult interferences in children's activities can limit children's ability to learn and become active participants in education and society. By allotting children greater autonomy and more opportunities to demonstrate their intelligence and capabilities, children will exhibit greater individual self-regulation and involvement in learning. Keywords: adultism, autonomy, student-teacher collaboration, children's rights, participation rights.
