K218 Tma01
Kim Mason X2616377 K218 TMA01
How is social constructionism useful to both understanding the lives of children and young people and to working with children and young people?
What is social constructionism and how is useful in understanding how the lives of children, young people and families are constructed? Social Constructionism is viewed as a study of social problems. Knowledge is produced through discourse, and allows practitioners to scrutinize and deconstruct ideas that are taken for granted about children, young people and families. Social constructionist theory argues that development and appropriate care for children and young people vary between different historical and geographical/cultural/family contexts. Children’s choices are influenced by what they see around them at home, in the community or in the media. Some children are exposed in families and communities to domestic violence, alcohol, drugs, and youth crime, which may indirectly impact on their schooling. There are mismatches of expectation, such as children’s communication skills modeled on aggressive behaviour in the home not being suited for participation in schools. This is not easily simplified to an individualized, casual model in which it can be demonstrated that, for example, poor parenting causes children to perform badly in school, it is easier to argue that interlinked factors including poverty and poor housing contribute to a child performing badly within school. (Leverett, 2011).
Social constructionism is not asking for the meaning, but there for challenging the ‘taken for granted ‘truths and the established order of things (Gergen and Gergen, 2003; Burr, 2003). Theorists want to examine and understand families, how they work, how they are made. The view that childhood is constructed rather than ‘natural’ is a key theme is research. Social constructionism is useful in enabling practitioners to develop the way in which they help and support children, young people and families.
How is social constructionism useful to both understanding the lives of children and young people and to working with children and young people?
What is social constructionism and how is useful in understanding how the lives of children, young people and families are constructed? Social Constructionism is viewed as a study of social problems. Knowledge is produced through discourse, and allows practitioners to scrutinize and deconstruct ideas that are taken for granted about children, young people and families. Social constructionist theory argues that development and appropriate care for children and young people vary between different historical and geographical/cultural/family contexts. Children’s choices are influenced by what they see around them at home, in the community or in the media. Some children are exposed in families and communities to domestic violence, alcohol, drugs, and youth crime, which may indirectly impact on their schooling. There are mismatches of expectation, such as children’s communication skills modeled on aggressive behaviour in the home not being suited for participation in schools. This is not easily simplified to an individualized, casual model in which it can be demonstrated that, for example, poor parenting causes children to perform badly in school, it is easier to argue that interlinked factors including poverty and poor housing contribute to a child performing badly within school. (Leverett, 2011).
Social constructionism is not asking for the meaning, but there for challenging the ‘taken for granted ‘truths and the established order of things (Gergen and Gergen, 2003; Burr, 2003). Theorists want to examine and understand families, how they work, how they are made. The view that childhood is constructed rather than ‘natural’ is a key theme is research. Social constructionism is useful in enabling practitioners to develop the way in which they help and support children, young people and families.
References: Bowlby, J. (1969) Attachment and Loss: Volume I: Attachment. London: Hogarth Press Leverett S. (2011) ‘Children’s spaces’ in Foley P. and Leverett S. (eds) Children and Yong People’s Spaces, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan/Milton Keynes, the Open University. NHS Health Scotland (2003) Insight: Case Studies in Community Development and Health in Scotland, Edinburgh, NHS Health Scotland; also available online at www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/InsightBook.pdf (Accessed 15 may 2008) Staples, M., Meegan, J., Jefferies, E. and Bromley, S. (2009) DD101 Introducing the social sciences, ‘Learning Companion 2’, Milton Keynes, The Open University. The Open University (2011) K218 Working with Children, Young People and families, Learning guide 4 ‘Children, young people and social constructionism’, The Open University, http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=507291&direct=1[Accessed 10 January 2011]. The Open University (2011) K218 Working with Children, Young People and families, Learning guide 19 ‘Attachment Theory’ The Open University, http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=507291&direct=1[Accessed 10 January 2011].