HOW DO ASSUMPTIONS CONCERNING NATURE OF CHILDREN AFFECT APPROACHING CHILDREN IN EDUCATIONAL ENVIROMENTS ?

Abstract

This article expresses the view that mental and emotional development of children and teenagers is the main purpose of education. Especially the importance of emotions experienced by children in educational settings claimed to influence the quality of learning as well as personality development. Educational systems are thought to be built on pre-assumptions concerning the nature of children and potentials within them. These assumptions are claimed to guide a- how to approach children in educational settings, b- which elements will be emphasized and c- in what kind of emotional environment will the educational process be conducted. Views concerning the nature of children are discussed with reference to five perspectives: Behavioral, Psychoanalytic, Humanistic, Behavioral - Psychoanalytic and Psychoanalytic - Humanistic. The benefits of expressive rather than repressive approach to children in education is discussed. The expressive environments in education claimed to be based on a positive approach to nature of children, assuming a built in potential to grow and transform. The significance of providing children with an opportunity to express their drives, desires and thoughts in a free educational environment is stressed. Only through expression, can impulses and drives of children be transformed and refined. Expressive environments (provided by the psychoanalytic-humanistic perspective) are thought to provide opportunities for development of self-control and healthy personalities together with encouragement of curiosity and creativity.