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Some adults may hold a relatively deep-rooted view that
‘children should be p seen and not heard’. More frequently there can be a
tendency to speak for children, override their opinions, or simply instruct
them about what is needed. The fact is that in much of a child’s life,
instruction is the norm, and thus really listening to children is an
exception. Adults may feel, with some justification that they know best
about what the children need. The point worth making, however, is that there
is a distinction between listening and simply doing what children say. There
is scope to discuss ideas, and indeed for positions to be altered and
compromises to be reached.
Some teachers do ask the children for their views, but feel that they (the
teachers) should report these rather than giving the child a separate
report. Doubtless some adults might fear that children will be embarrassing
or unkind in their replies, or that they might not be capable of responding.
Experience of work in this area has tended to allay such concerns.
In all this, much depends upon the atmosphere of the interview and
discussions. We have all had experiences of certain people inviting us to
speak freely but nonetheless leaving us feeling quite hesitant. Adults need
to consider what they could do to create a truly listening ethos,
communicating trust, respect, patience, openness, sincerity, warmth, and
ways of adopting a non-judgmental style, inviting elaboration of ideas and
exploring them, rather than using closed questions or worse, arguing back. |
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