ABSTRACT

This study explores how infant and toddlers become caring individuals, an aspect that has received little attention among young children’s interactions in educational settings. Research findings demonstrate how acts of caring support, embellish and expand infants’ and toddlers’ interactions. The meanings of these acts are explored based on Nodding’s notion of caring. Caring involves stepping out of one’s own personal frame of reference into the other’s and gets in touch with the Other and also understands that the other is in need of care and choosing to care for the other. The research design was guided by ethnography in education principles. Participant researchers used video recording to capture children’s interactions at this center-based setting. An analysis of the children’s interactions among other children and adults demonstrated patterns of acts of caring occurring in the classroom. Children and adults co-constructed an environment where playing and caring were intermeshed. As members of the community, infants and toddlers had opportunities to actively and competently engage in acts of caring as it is defined and practiced in this particular classroom context. Findings suggest the importance of going beyond skill-building and designing a classroom culture where children have opportunities to learn how to care for other children and adults.

摘要

这项研究探讨了婴幼儿如何成为有爱心的个体，这一方面在幼儿在教育环境中的互动中很少受到关注。研究结果表明，关怀支持、美化和扩大婴儿和幼儿的互动行为。这些行为的含义是基于 Nodding 的关怀概念来探索的。关怀包括走出自己的个人参照系，进入他人的参照系，与他人取得联系，并了解对方需要关怀并选择照顾对方。研究设计以教育原则中的民族志为指导。参与研究人员使用视频记录来捕捉儿童在这个以中心为基础的环境中的互动。对儿童与其他儿童和成人之间互动的分析显示了课堂中发生的关怀行为模式。儿童和成人共同构建了一个游戏和关怀相互交织的环境。作为社区的成员，婴幼儿有机会积极和有能力地参与在这种特定课堂环境中定义和实践的关怀行为。调查结果表明，超越技能培养和设计课堂文化的重要性，让孩子们有机会学习如何照顾其他儿童和成人。婴儿和蹒跚学步的幼儿有机会积极和胜任地参与在这种特定的课堂环境中定义和实践的照顾行为。调查结果表明，超越技能培养和设计课堂文化的重要性，让孩子们有机会学习如何照顾其他儿童和成人。婴儿和蹒跚学步的幼儿有机会积极和胜任地参与在这种特定的课堂环境中定义和实践的照顾行为。调查结果表明，超越技能培养和设计课堂文化的重要性，让孩子们有机会学习如何照顾其他儿童和成人。