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Early childhood is a time of wonder, excitement, adventure and learning. A time to experience social relations and friendships, and all of the emotions involved. The joy, and the excitement - of creating a common world with friends. A world of 'what if' and 'as if' moments that are accepted and built together, or rejected - leading to frustration, sadness and exclusion - the darker side of friendship.
In this book, cultural-historical concepts are used to analyse the everyday lives of children. Inspired by contemporary ideas about moral imagination, Collaborative Pathways to Friendship in Early Childhood theorises friendship as a concept. Traditionally, studies about friendship in early childhood focus on relations built in educational settings. As a point of difference, Dr Adams and Dr Quinones introduce the conditions that are created for, with, and by young children as they move between everyday family life, and transition into education settings. Through narratives of internationally mobile families moving into Malaysia and established families in Mexico, varying perspectives of children, parents, teachers and principals are presented - culminating in a holistic understanding of friendship in early childhood.
Providing insight into varied perspectives and processes involved when young children enter into friendships, this book will be of interest to researchers, post graduate students and teacher educators specialising in early childhood education, child psychology or social work.
List of contents
List of Figures
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Section 1. Introduction
Chapter 1. Introduction to Young Children Developing Collaborative Pathways to Friendships
Chapter 2. A Cultural–Historical Approach to Understanding Social Relations and Friendships
Section 2. Friendship as a Family Project in Homes: The Parent, Child's and Friend's Perspectives
Chapter 3. The Child’s Perspective — Social Relations and Pathways to Friendships
Chapter 4. Moral Imagining as a Project for Friendship in the Family Setting
Chapter 5. Parents’ Perspectives of Friendships—Pathways to the Future
Section 3. Friendship as a Community Project in Schools: The Parent's, Teacher's and Principal's Perspectives
Chapter 6. Imagining Futures — A Collaborative Community Project for Friendship in the School
Chapter 7. Teachers’ Perspectives of Friendships — Pathways towards Social Futures
Chapter 8. Friends and Moral Imagination
Chapter 9. Collaborative Initiatives of Friends in the School Setting
Chapter 10. Past, Present and Future Collaborative Pathways for Friendships
About the author
Dr Megan Adams is a Lecturer in Inclusion at Monash University, Australia.
Dr Gloria Quinones is a Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Monash University, Australia.
Summary
This book focuses on the development of relationships amongst young children. Foregrounding the supporting role that parents and teachers take, it interrogates the various conceptualisations of children’s friendships that parents and teachers hold, and explores how a child’s agency changes in different settings.
