Michel Vandenbroeck

Children's Agency and Educational Norms: A Tensed Negotiation.

‘Children as social actors’ and ‘children’s participation’ are key concepts in present-day discourse and form a significant paradigm shift for the educational sciences, inspired by sociology of childhood. Some critical comments can however be made on how these concepts are transcribed into practice. A historical perspective, connecting the micro and the macro level, investigates how the new paradigm may be linked to discursive fields related to neoliberalism and its specific shifts in governmentality. These critical comments are inspired by a historical research into 150 years of governing children and families in Belgium. The discussion is necessary in order to evaluate whether and how the inclusive discourse on children can in turn exclude specific groups of children and adults in late modernity.

Beyond anti‐bias education: changing conceptions of diversity and equity in European early childhood education

The articles draws on history‐of‐the‐present research on Belgian childcare, on experiences within the European DECET network (Diversity in Early Childhood Education and Training) and on post‐structuralist theory. A historical hindsight is helpful to understand how different discourses on diversity and equity in early childhood education have been constructed: from the ideology of homogeneity over multicultural education to the anti‐bias curricula of the 1990s. It is argued that, in spite of its obvious merits, some of the theoretical concepts underpinning the issue of diversity in early childhood education may be questioned. Post‐structural theory, but also recent societal changes (such as individualisation, de‐traditionalisation and neo‐liberalism) present new challenges to research, policy and practice of diversity and social inclusion in early childhood education. Cet article se base sur une recherche généalogique des lieux d’accueil belges, sur les expériences dans le réseau européen DECET (Diversity in Early Childhood Education and Training), ainsi que sur des fondements théoriques postmodernes. Une vue rétrospective peut contribuer à mieux comprendre comment les discours sur la diversité et l’équité dans les lieux d’accueil préscolaires ont été construits, partant de l’idéologie de l’homogénéité, passant par le multiculturalisme, et l’approche de l’éducation sans préjugés (anti‐bias) des années 1990. Malgré les mérites de ces dernières approches, il sera argumenté qu’une réflexion sur les concepts théoriques sous jacents s’impose. Le post‐structuralisme ainsi que de récents changements sociétaux, tels que l’individualisation, la détraditionalisation et le neo‐libéralisme nous obligent à repenser les fondements des pratiques, des politiques et des recherches dans le domaine du respect pour la diversité et de l’inclusion sociale. Der Artikel bezieht sich auf die zeitgeschichtliche Forschung über die belgische Kinderbetreuung, auf Erfahrungen innerhalb des europäischen DECET‐Netzwerkes (Diversity in Early Childhood Education and Training) und auf die poststrukturalistische Theorie. Ein historischer Einblick ist hilft zu verstehen, wie unterschiedliche Diskurse über Diversity und Gleichheit in der frühkindlichen Bildung konstruiert worden sind: von der Ideologie über Homogenität über multikulturelle Bildung bis zu Anti‐Vorurteils‐Curricula der 1990er Jahre. Es wird ausgeführt, dass trotz offensichtlicher Verdienste einige der theoretischen Konzepte, die der Frage der Diversität in der frühkindlichen Bildung unterlegt sind, in Frage gestellt werden können. Die poststrukturelle Theorie, aber auch neuere gesellschaftliche Veränderungen wie Individualisierung, Enttraditionalisierung und Neoliberalismus liefern neue Herausforderungen für die Forschung. Politik und Praxis von Diversity und sozialer Inklusion in der frühkindlichen Bildung. El articulo es escrito a partir de la historia de la actual investigación de la formación de párvulos en Bélgica, de las experiencias de la red europea DECET (Diversidad en la educación parvularia) y de teorías post‐estructuralistas. Una mirada al pasado es útil para comprender como diferentes discursos sobre diversidad e igualdad en la educación parvularia han sido construidos: desde la ideología de la homogeneidad, pasando por la educación multicultural al currículo “anti‐bias” de los años noventa. Se argumenta que, a pesar de sus meritos obvios, algunos de los conceptos teóricos que sustentan el tema de la diversidad en la educación parvularia pueden ser cuestionados. La teoría post‐estructural, pero también cambios recientes en la sociedad (tales como individualización, de‐tradicionalismo y neoliberalismo) presentan nuevos desafíos a la investigación, la política y la practica de la diversidad e inclusión social en la educación parvularia.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s International Early Learning Study: Opening for debate and contestation:

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is initiating the International Early Learning Study, a cross-national assessment of early learning outcomes involving the testing of 5-year-old children in participating countries. The authors use this colloquium to inform members of the early childhood community about this project and to raise concerns about its assumptions, practices and possible effects. The authors also invite readers’ comments, to start a process of democratic dialogue and contestation.

Immigrant Mothers Crossing Borders: Nomadic Identities and Multiple Belongings in Early Childhood Education.

ABSTRACT In a small‐scale study we analyse the narratives of three recently‐arrived immigrant mothers with young children, making use of child care. Drawing on post‐foundational theories and third‐wave feminism, the analysis of these narratives enables us to look at how issues of diversity, democracy and citizenship are shaped in micro‐events of daily practice. The study shows how reciprocity may be shaped in what is fundamentally an asymmetrical relationship between child care staff and parents. In turn, this reciprocity facilitates the construction of nomadic or hybrid identities by these mothers, crossing several borders. Finally the study illustrates the importance of careful transitions between the home and the family and the interrelationships between public and private domains. RÉSUMÉ: Nous analysons, dans cette étude à petite échelle, les récits de trois mères de jeunes enfants migrantes, récemment arrives et utilisant un mode d’accueil. Fondée sur des théories post‐structuralistes et la troisième vague du féminisme, l’analyse de ces récits nous permet d’examiner la façon dont les questions de of diversité, de démocratie et de citoyenneté sont façonnées dans les micro‐événements de la vie quotidienne. L’étude montre comment de la réciprocité peut être façonnée dans la relation fondamentalement assymétrique entre professionnels de l’accueil et parents. Une réciprocité qui facilite ensuite la construction d’identités nomades ou hybrides chez ces mères qui traversent plusieurs frontières. L’étude illustre à la fin l’importance de transitions bien pensées entre maison et lieu d’accueil et des interrelations entre les domains privés et publics. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: In einer kleinteiligen Studie analysieren wir die Narrative dreier kürzlich eingewanderter Mütter mit jungen Kindern die Kinderbetreuung nutzen. Ein theoretischer Rahmen von ‘post‐foundational theory’ und ‘third‐wave feminism’ ermöglicht es uns zu untersuchen, wie Diversität, Demokratie und Bürgerrechte in den Mikro‐Ereignissen täglicher Praxis geformt werden. Die Studie zeigt wie in den grundsätzlich asymmetrischen Beziehungen zwischen Fachkräften und Eltern Wechselseitigkeit hergestellt werden kann. Im Gegenzug ermöglicht diese Wechselseitigkeit der Beziehungen die Konstruktion nomadischer bzw. hybrider Identitäten der Mütter in ihren mehrfachen Grenzüberschreitungen. Abschließend illustriert die Studie die Bedeutung der Übergänge zwischen dem Zuhause und der Familie sowie den Wechselbeziehungen zwischen öffentlicher und privater Sphäre. RESUMEN: En un estudio a pequeña escala se analizan las descripciones de tres madres inmigrantes recién llegadas con niños pequeños, acerca del cuidado de los niños. Basándonos en las ‘teorías post‐fundacionales’ y ‘tercera corriente del feminismo’, el análisis de estas narraciones nos permiten ver cómo cuestiones como la diversidad, la democracia y la ciudadanía son una forma de micro‐acontecimientos de la práctica diaria. El estudio muestra qué forma toma la reciprocidad en lo que es fundamentalmente una relación asimétrica al encargarse del cuidado de los niños y los padres. A su vez, esta reciprocidad facilita la construcción de identidades nómadas de estas madres, cruzando varias fronteras. Finalmente, el estudio pone de manifiesto la importancia del cuidado de transición entre el hogar y la familia y las relaciones entre lo público y lo privado.

E-learning in a low-status female profession: the role of motivation, anxiety and social support in the learning divide

The literature seems to suggest that women may be at risk from being excluded from adult education programmes, which use e-learning, especially when they have low economic status. Based on a survey of 551 women, family day care providers, we conclude that there is a persistent divide in PC access and use, as well as in perceived PC skills according to age. Yet, this divide seems to run less along traditional lines, suggesting that personal factors play a more important role. Motivation and anxiety are two related but distinct personal factors that influence computer use and skills in this population. We also found that these factors are mediated by the family context: motivation is higher when (young) children are present in the family. Moreover, children may represent an important form of social support for women not yet using computers. This study concludes that the concerns about the gender gap in computer use may benefit from taking the scaffolding possibilities of the family into consideration and that there may be a case for growing optimism in the use of information and communication technology for adult learning in specific, gender-segregated professions with low status.

Let us disagree

Taylor and Francis RECR_A_395300.sgm 10.1080/13502930902951288 Europe Ea ly Childhood Education Research Journal 350-293X (print)/1752807 (onl ne) Original Article 2 09 & Fr ncis 7 0 00June 2009 MichelVa de broeck .Vandenbroeck@Ugent.be While respect for diversity was a theme ‘on the margins’ of the debates on early childhood education in the 1980s, it is at the core of many concerns today. Thanks to the pioneering work of scholars such as Louise Derman-Sparks and the Anti-Bias team in the United States and multiple local projects in different European countries as well as transnational networks, much has changed. This change is twofold: first, we have now a growing consensus of what may constitute ‘enabling practices’ in contexts of cultural or ethnic diversity. In addition, other aspects of diversity have been explored, including class or social backgrounds, men as carers, the inclusion of children labeled as having special needs and other forms of diversity (same-sex families, travelling populations etc.). While two decades ago, publications on how to address diversity issues in early childhood education were hard to find, one can now fill several bookshelves with manuals, books, training materials and DVD’s on these issues. Although in some places, diversity is still denied, in general, the early years community today cannot reasonably claim to focus on the ‘average’ child anymore. There is general consensus that learning processes differ depending on the contexts and that these contexts mirror the societal diversity in ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, family composition, ability etc. This evolution can be (shallowly) summarized as an evolution from an equalizing approach to a diversity approach. In short, the liberal, individualizing and equalizing approach of (roughly speaking) the 1950s up to the 1980s was based on explicit or implicit policies in which growth in wealth, welfare and well-being were considered as almost synonymous. The general, modernist belief was that the growing wealth and the construction of the ‘modern’ welfare state would eradicate all differences and make everybody happy. This is quite clear in the naïve, yet eloquent speech pronounced at the opening of the first major department store in the inner city of Ghent in 1957 (quotes in this paper are in their original languages, with translations in footnotes, as respect for diversity also includes respect for language diversity):

Dialogical Spaces to Reconceptualize Parent Support in the Social Investment State

The study from which this article derives investigated some dominant assumptions of parent support policies and programmes, and suggests new possibilities for the conceptualization of the relations between parents and such policies, inspired by the possibilities of dialogical spaces and ‘relational citizenship’. Parent support programmes are increasingly conceptualized within a prevention paradigm, underpinning the individualization of social problems in the social investment state. Early childhood is consequently instrumentalized as the place where early socialization needs to be shaped. In this vein, socialization is understood as the adaptation of children as well as their parents to the prevailing societal norms and values. In an action research project involving researchers, practitioners and policy makers in the city of Brussels (Belgium), the authors explored new possibilities in understanding and conceptualizing work with parents of young children. The project consisted of three parts: the creation of a dialogical space where practitioners and policy makers discussed research, policy and practice; a survey of the parenting conditions in Brussels; and the exploration of the possibilities for new initiatives for parents and children, with a focus on social support. The focus in this article is on a report of the second component (the study), however, elements of the first and third components are included to highlight the dialogical dimensions of the project and possible future developments.

The Social And Political Construction Of Early Childhood Education

ABSTRACT We analyse two foundational social problems regarding early childhood education. The first, in the late nineteenth century, is infant mortality, a social problem that constituted the historical legitimation for the first crèches. The second, the prevention of school failure, is very topical today. By analysing these examples in their historicity, taking into account social, political, economical and scientific contexts, it becomes clear that early childhood education can contribute to the individualisation and decontextualisation of social problems. Yet acknowledging this also means opening windows of new opportunities, as far as the construction of social problems remains an open debate in which disagreement rather than consensus is fostered.

From Crèches to Childcare: Constructions of Motherhood and Inclusion/Exclusion in the History of Belgian Infant Care

In this article the author highlights some elements of the history of exclusion in Belgian infant care and how it is underpinned by constructions of motherhood. In a Belgian context, infant care means institutional care for children from birth to the age of three, funded by the Family and Health Department, in contrast to and entirely separated from pre-school for children aged three to six years, funded by the Education Department (Organisation for Economic Cooperatin and Development [OECD], 2001). The author does this from a hermeneutical historical point of view. As Escolano (1996) has claimed, this means that by means of the evaluation of the internal coherence of the stories (the organisation of data and discourse) and their external coherence with the social context and with other concordant or discordant stories, the author tries try to understand ideas and representations that may help explain the growing exclusion in Belgian infant care.

Gender and professionalism: a critical analysis of overt and covert curricula

Since many decades, scholars in the field of early childhood education deplore the gender segregation in the caring professions. Research and experiments so far show that it may take decades of multiple actions to overcome the gender divide in the caring workforce. However, research that includes the voices of men in child care is rather recent, scarce and involves only very small samples of male carers. Therefore little is known about the students’ perspectives on how the gendered culture of the profession is transmitted through overt or covert curricula and how this may affect them. We present three studies that may begin to unveil how future male carers are affected by both overt and covert gendered curricula. The first study interviewed 30 students in initial training, while the second study involved 16 men in adult education for caring professions. The third study examined 1635 pages of textbooks. The studies show how both overt and covert curricula affect younger students more than their adult colleagues. The results also indicate some ways forward.