Cultural Life of the Child

The Cultural Life of the Child – Richard Clark – TMC 30.03.12

The Mighty Creatives (TMC), LCB Depot, 31 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1RE Registered in England and Wales as a Charity (1129006) and as a Company Limited by Guarantee (6652046)

“The chaotic life of a 12 year old”

or…

FROM: “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” , Finn, Sheinkin & Reiss.

• “Indicators of social skills at age 11 were quite predictive of whether an individual would be involved in criminal proceedings, be in poor health, show signs of depression or exhibit psychological distress as an adult.”

Children’s Cultural Lives

From: “Aiming high for young people: three years on: evidence annex”, DCSF, 2010.

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “Cultural Education in England”, Henley, DfE, 2012

1001 THINGS YOU MUST DO BEFORE YOU ARE 12

or…

REALLY?

or…

Children’s Cultural Lives

0 12 25

•  Who do we think children are? [and what do we think they are capable of?]

•  What do we want for children? •  What is a good childhood? •  What is the place of children & childhood in

our society? •  What should be the relationship between children,

parents and society? •  What is the quality of relationships we want

to promote between children and adults at home, in children’s services and in society at large?

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “From children’s services to children’s spaces”, Moss and Petrie, 2002.

• “Why talk more about the needs of the child, than the possibilities or rights of the child?”

[Carlina Rinaldi, quoted in Moss & Petrie, 2002, pp56]

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “From children’s services to children’s spaces”, Moss and Petrie, 2002.

strong, rich in resources & competent

[Carlina Rinaldi, quoted in Moss & Petrie, 2002, pp56]

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “From children’s services to children’s spaces”, Moss and Petrie, 2002.

rights cultures agency

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “From children’s services to children’s spaces”, Moss and Petrie, 2002.

“The adoption of these minimum levels of expectation across the education system in England would result in a generation of culturally aware and culturally literate young people moving into adulthood with a genuine understanding of culture and the ability to make informed critical decisions about the cultural activities in which they engage later in their lives.” [Henley, 4.10]

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “Cultural Education in England”, Henley, DfE, 2012

“The changing digital landscape affords young people significant opportunities to enjoy creative arts in new and exciting ways that speak to their own youth culture in more informal settings”. [Henley, 3.33]

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “Cultural Education in England”, Henley, DfE, 2012

“It is important that children are exposed to new practices and new ways of creating, whether this is through the use of innovative digital technology, or a new take on more established thinking. The young people studying these subjects should be equipped with the knowledge and understanding to enable them to make informed value judgements about their own personal preferences, based on their learning. The curriculum in this area should give weight both to the new and the old, better to enable a greater understanding of the way in which culture has developed over time.” [Henley, 3.33]

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “Cultural Education in England”, Henley, DfE, 2012

•  “To me arts and culture are ways to express yourself and ways to show off your creativity. It’s a way of communicating your passion and who you are to the world.”

Calvin, 20yrs, Nottingham TMC Arts & Culture Blogs, Dubit, 2012.

Children’s Cultural Lives

•  Can we imagine a context where arts and culture aren’t just rights, entitlements or add-ons – where they are an integral part of how society cares for, nurtures and empowers children, learns about and celebrates childhood?

•  Can we focus on children’s rights rather than the priorities of the provider(s)?

•  Can we find a powerful, innovative response to Henley’s Cultural Education challenge: that all children benefit from a wide-ranging, adventurous and creative cultural education?

Children’s Cultural Lives

•  a young life, rich in art and culture from birth to adulthood – living locally, learning and creating globally.

Children’s Cultural Lives

•  My toys/games/books/clothes •  My computer/phone/tablet/TV/console •  My internet/social networks/IM •  My home/street/friends/family •  My community (locality/peers/

passions) •  My neighbourhood •  My school/club/library •  My village/town/city/region •  My capital/country/world

The ‘chaotic’ life of a 12yr old

A 12-Year-Old Explains the Information Age’s Facts of Life to Her Mother. BY Julia Young and Zachary Smilovitz - - - - Mom, it’s gonna be a long ride to Grandma’s, and while we have some time alone together, I think it’d be good for us to talk about some things. I’m getting older, and I’m not always gonna be around the house to explain stuff to you. I know you have a lot of questions, and I want us to be open with each other. So, I think it’s time you learned where blogs and tweets come from.

Other reasons…

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a-12-year-old-explains-the-information-ages-facts-of-life-to-her-mother

Rights

Values

Rocket Fuel

Aesthetics

The role of culture in

young lives

Navigational tools: quality, choice, preference, engagement, participation, community

New models of

collaboration

Children’s Services

Needs

Children’s Spaces

Rights FROM: “From children’s services to children’s spaces”, Moss and Petrie, 2002.

•  “We need… local communities of children and of adults creating new thinking and new practices, local work that explores local narratives, and in doing so, provides provocations and creates new knowledge and possibilities.”

[Moss & Petrie, 2002, p184]

Children’s Cultural Lives

FROM: “From children’s services to children’s spaces”, Moss and Petrie, 2002.

•  “We need… local communities of children and of adults creating new thinking and new practices, local work that explores local narratives, and in doing so, provides provocations [, connects globally] and creates new knowledge and possibilities.”

Children’s Cultural Lives

ADAPTED FROM: “From children’s services to children’s spaces”, Moss and Petrie, 2002.

• Our major funders 2009-12:

The Mighty Creatives (TMC), LCB Depot, 31 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1RE Registered in England and Wales as a Charity (1129006) and as a Company Limited by Guarantee (6652046)

www.themightycreatives.com

Connect with us: 0116 2616 834

info@themightycreatives.com