Breaking the Chains of Adultism: Empowering Tips for Educators
Words. Language. Power.
These three words that make such a powerful combination. Words, language and the way they are used have enormous power to guide us through our lives. They have an enormous influence on us, our self-esteem, our development, our perspective, our thought processes and the way we react to certain situations.
Words can inspire us, but they can also hurt us irrevocably and leave deep scars.
The language we use can be an instrument of discrimination, and because of the internalised way we sometimes use it, this often happens involuntarily and unconsciously. Just to clarify briefly, discrimination is a way of acting and speaking against people of a certain social group that is disrespectful and hurtful. This social group is labelled with prejudices and attributions due to an unchangeable characteristic. Discrimination is then a consequence of prejudice (Holmer and Scherr, 2010). There are many types of discrimination, but one group of people that is particularly affected by it is children.
Photo Daniel Reche: Source
Discrimination against children because of their age is called adultism and is based on the power imbalance between children and adults who exercise this power over children. Adultism means belittling children and assuming that adults are superior to them because of their age difference and greater life experience. Adultism is a form of discrimination that is passed on from generation to generation and is structural and institutionalised (Goldbach et al, 2023)
Educational institutions such as school or kindergarten are usually adultist in nature, as adults have power over children as they care for them and are responsible for them in the absence of parents. Therefore, it is extremely important that professionals reflect on their own childhood, on the adultistic patterns they themselves have experienced and those they may be reproducing (Liebel, Meade, 2023).
Adultism is a problem that occurs not only in relationships between children and adults, but also between the children themselves. Older children may speak to younger children in an adult way, calling them small and unable to do certain things. Adultism can also start at home, in the relationship between parents and children and between siblings themselves.
Tips for dealing with adultism
So the question is how to deal with adultism. How can it be prevented? The first general answer that comes to mind is transparent and respectful communication at eye level, based on the principles of non-violent communication (based on Marshall Rosenberger's theory).
Photo Anete Lusina: Source
Such communication should take place in the following steps
Describing observation (When I see, I hear) instead of judgement (You are...)
Expressing feelings instead of analysing feelings (I have the feeling that you...)
Expressing a need (what I need) instead of blaming (because you...)
Expressing a request (Can you please) instead of being abstract (Understand me!)
In teams of educators, regular self-reflection is the key to dealing with adultism. The team should have time to reflect individually and as a team on situations in which adultism is recognisable in order to move away from it. A short feedback session during a team meeting? Or a special, regular meeting just on this topic? Whatever works best! It is important to make it clear that such a reaction is not a shame, but a learning process.
Photo Mica Asato: Source
Adultism has been passed down through generations and we definitely won't be able to unlearn it overnight. But without regular reflection, we won't succeed! To encourage each other in a respectful way, a team could agree on a code word to be used when an adultistic response is heard. Another option would be to agree on a self-commitment, written and signed by all team members, in which the educators agree on a strategy for dealing with adultism in the team.
Addressing adultism also means talking about it with the children, explaining the meaning of the term and pointing out when it occurs most frequently in everyday situations between the children. The topic can be discussed in the morning circle or at another meeting, but it can also be discussed individually or depending on the situation. It could be that the children are interested in working on a project on this topic, designing a poster together or setting up a rule that everyone shall adhere to.
Foto Cottonbro Studio: Source
Another important group to talk to about adultism is, of course, the parents. I recommend dedicating part of a parents' evening to this topic and explaining what adultism is through a presentation or even a short film! There is a lot of material on YouTube in many languages. In addition, a simple poster can be put up on an information board so that parents are reminded and can reflect on their own language that they use in their daily interactions with children.
Even if we reflect and make a real effort to overcome the use of adultistic expressions, it is very possible that we fall back into old habits due to stress. Stressful situations make us work on autopilot. We don't have time to think long and hard about our reactions, we just concentrate on getting through the day...And days like this happen to all teachers! Sick colleagues or the absence of them, looking after too many children, pressure, personal life, it can all add up very quickly. Remember to take care of yourself <3!
Literature
Hormel, U., Scherr, A. (2010) Diskriminierung. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-92394-9_1
Liebel, M., Meade P. (2023) Schule ohne Adultsmus? Die Macht über Kinder herausfordern. In Goldbach et al (2023) Macht in der Schule. Wissen - Sichtweisen - Erfahrungen. Texte in Leichter Sprache, Einfacher Sprache und Fachsprache. Bad Heilbrunn : Verlag Julius Klinkhardt, https://doi.org/10.25656/01:26148
Leonhardt, N., Goldbach, A., ; Staib, L., Schuppener, S. (2023) Macht in der Schule. Wissen - Sichtweisen - Erfahrungen. Texte in Leichter Sprache, Einfacher Sprache und Fachsprache. Bad Heilbrunn : Verlag Julius Klinkhardt, https://doi.org/10.25656/01:26148
Rosenberg, M. B. (2003). Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. USA: Independent Publishers Group.
