The Image of the Educator
A social-constructivist perspective pushes educators to imagine children not only in terms of what they know, but also in terms of how they think, feel, respond, and act, as well as why they think and act in a particular way. Seeing children through the social-cultural lens necessitates an on going commitment to reflection and dialogue among teachers, children, families, and even the greater community. The image of the educator as a reflective practitioner who actively researches children’s learning processes has been linked with living in more complex and diverse societies. Teachers become participants in trying to understand with children and families ‘what is a good childhood and what is meaningful learning in our unique context?’
One example of this commitment can be found in the strategy of Learning Stories which we have discussed in the previous module. Through learning stories educators (often working in collaboration) weave an image of the child as an active learner and a co-constructor of knowledge through documenting moments of learning that occur or are situated within a particular context. When children view their learning stories portfolio by themselves, with peers, teachers, parents, and even grand parents, they start to develop an understanding of their identity as learners and valued community members. They can see who participated in their learning processes (peers, teachers, parents), how their learning occurred in different contexts (on the playground, in the writing centre, painting at the easel, etc.), what tools they used to learn (a book, an “expert,” a photograph). This focus on child’s identity as a learner is an attempt to shift the attention from the norms, institutionalized expectations, and outcomes to the child him or herself.