The Way Schools Perceive our Children. An Exploration of the Images of the Child and of educational systems

Abstract

This article explores the way that different educational models conceptualize children. Using Nathan Deen’s book, Een begeleidende school ("A Guiding School") as a primary source, it explores the images of the child and deduces images of the child within the existing Dalton, Montessori, Reggio Emelia, Waldorf and Iederwijs schools. Achievement-focused schools are seen to possibly have a negative influence on the self-images of children by teaching them that only one aspect of their person is valued: the achieving aspect. The Images of the child differ greatly among the schools reviewed. These differences can be found not only in their focus on achievement but also in how independent children are seen to be. Newer schools increasingly expect children to take a more active role in their own education. Although this is a positive development, formats like Iederwijs appear to take this notion too far, and this has led to the closing of half of their schools. The conceptualization of the child is an important aspect of schools which has a great influence on our children. It is therefore an area that merits additional research.