Free Essay: Assumptions about the Child, the Family and Early Childhood Education

In the film, Babies a discourse of several assumptions emerge as different cultures are depicted by the movie. In many cases, the assumptions valid in the real world are rooted in attention, attachment, safety, and the general family involvement when raising a child. In a retrospective view, all the four babies are happy in their own way. When watching the movie I realized two different settings in the world; the westernized culture in Japan and USA in contrast to the traditional culture, which was in Africa and Mongolia (Andersen & Taylor, 2008). When one watches the movie you wonder how much do you need to put into raising the child in order to be content it was the right parenting perspective. Most culture raise the children differently as asserted by the film but in the end the purpose is to make sure the child grows into an educated grown up (Lancy, 2015).

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While the western culture are incline to giving the babies more attention and total supervision the babies in the developing nations received little supervision when they get to a certain age. A good assumption is the fact that no child is inclined to material advantages rather they enjoy the love around them. The babies from the westernized culture seemed to have little contact with the real world as they grow in contrast with the babies from Africa and Mongolia. In America and Japan, the baby was subjected to entertainment from the parents while the baby in Africa and Mongolia was left to find something interesting to play with. However, one would suggest the parenting ways of the Mongolian and African child as an abuse to how children should be raised. Another, assumption is what is safe for the child concerning what they eat and whether adults must initiate what is best for the children. You will notice that the Mongolian and African children receive less supervision when they are playing around. Nothing is done to stop the Namibian kid from eating stones and bones rather what is considered hazardous in the industrialized nations. Moreover, no hand sanitizers in the developing countries were used when handling the newborn baby. The assumption of germs in the western world is overrated when you see the actions of the children from developing nations. Consequently, I noticed the attention differences from respective mothers where the Mongolian child was more isolated and once he became mobile, he would be tied to the bed (Jia, 2012). It seems rather cruel but it is a precaution since the weather there is cold and in the middle of the home is a heater that can cause harm to the child. Rather sad but it is a reality in Mongolia. However, the child gains more freedom later when he can crawl. Intervention from the parents is also minimal in the Mongolian culture since I noticed Bayars brother abusing him and no intervention was made. In general, the children from Mongolia and Africa became more independent easily as they grew as compared to the western cultures.

He interacts with the world creatively without worry something that Mari and Hattie enjoyed less. Ponijao experienced the same as they would relax and have a good time playing with stones and anything they found interesting. Apart from the biases that are in early childhood care, the movie is a clear depiction of the childs world from a different angle that provokes more that needs to be learnt when raising children. I love the contrast of the two images from modernized cultures and the traditional Africa and Mongolia. While the Namibian babies scuttle in the dirt, tasting all that they find, Hattie, the US baby, is subjected to a sling like apparatus, which keeps her on one spot, and off the ground. The movie is a good depiction f how different people raise children in the world.

Early Childhood Education Historical and Philosophical Base

Early childhood education is based on giving children instructional knowledge from when they are small. It is rooted on the foundations of many educators like Friedrich Froebel, Maria Montessori, and Jean Piaget among others. The western culture has adopted the philosophical contributions of the three educators comprehensively into their curriculums. As seen in the film the Japanese and American cultures are attributed by the philosophical base of the three educators teaching foundations. Children are instructed according to their ages and of instructing instructions keep on changing as they grow. There is the formal way of instructing children under peaceful controlled environments. Most of the education is coordinated and structural.

Contrary it is directly opposite from what is seen in the African and other developing nations setting. The child can only gain in formation from the first family and more likely the mother. The environments are naturally not what the western culture would consider wild but the child get to learn in the end. As seen on image 1 below, the child is subject to the family and mostly mothers in the African tribe of Khoisan. They are the first educators of the child. The children get their first education from home like Montessoris ideal. In a way the mothers are the only educators the children in developing settings have when they grow up. There are no formal structures in place to assist the mothers to educate their children. Therefore, they learn from what they are taught by the closest adults around them. (See image 2) However, not much safety emphasis is focused in the African and other developing nations when teaching the children.

In contrast to the western culture, the babies are cared for in the best and appropriate medical parameters as seen in the set of images above. Western culture is more focused on the babies health from the time of birth. Babies in the western culture are assumed as delicate and given utmost attention. In the set of images above one sees how the children in the western culture are subject to care in the most sophisticated fashion as compared to the developing world. In many cases, they are given the best medical care the system offers in fear of uncertainties.

Moreover, as they grow older they are given the best toys and gifts to keep them busy and reduce boredom. In the above picture set one identifies the crucial and mandatorily practices done in westernized nations. It is an essential part of the western culture since there are technologies that support the system.

Contrary the same safety is not an issue in other cultures like the Mongolian and African cultures. Babies are not subject to developed care and attention. Rather, they are given the immediate care available and they grow with the flow of the environment. As they grow they find interesting things to indulge in and have fun with. As compared to the western cultures the babies are given freedom to explore and find interesting entities that make them feel content and occupied. This is the direct opposite of what is done in the western nations. While the assumption of babies in the west is different, the concept of education is rather different as compared to the developing nations. The babies learn from what the parents impart to them. There are no formal structures to develop their perceptions properly.

References

Andersen, M. L., & Taylor, H. F. (2008). Sociology: Understanding a diverse society. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Cross, M. (2004) Indigenous Australian Perspectives in Early Childhood Education. Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association 5th Annual International Conference and Meeting, 16-19 July, Melbourne.

Jackman, H. L. (2012). Early education curriculum: A child's connection to the world. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.Jia, J. (2012). Educational stages and interactive learning: From kindergarten to workplace training. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference

Jones, P. (2009) Rethinking childhood. Attitudes in contemporary society. Continuum, London, New York. e-book 2Townsend

Lancy, D. (2015). Babies: The Movie. Psychology Today. Retrieved 11 September 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/benign-neglect/201101/babies-the-movie

NewsComAu,. (2015). You can't tell babies what to do. Retrieved 11 September 2015, from http://www.news.com.au/news/you-cant-tell-babies-what-to-do/story-fn6c8sdb-1226049882636

Scholastic Teachers,. (2015). Pioneers In Our Field: Maria Montessori - A Sensory Approach to Learning | Scholastic.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/pioneers-our-field-maria-montessori-sensory-approach-learning

Sparrman, A., & Sjoberg, J. (2012). Situating child consumption: Rethinking values and notions of children, childhood and consumption. Lund: Nordic Academic Press.

Web, F. (2015). The philosophy of education of Friedrich Froebel, 1782-1852. Froebelweb.org. Retrieved 11 September 2015, from http://www.froebelweb.org/web2005.html

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