Jane Nelsen's discussion

[AlexisReid]

I was unable to participate in this discussion when it was live, but was lucky enough to listen to it today. Very insightful conversation... we need to listen more to children and youth in order to find out how to make situations beneficial and positive for us all.

I wanted to make one comment with regards to the part of your discussion about kids walking and playing in neighborhoods on their own. I feel that this topic is directly related to childrens' technology use. Just as we, as adults, parents, and teachers, need to talk through what you need to do to be safe as well as the different consequences of not being 'safe' when you are in the neighborhood alone or away from parents we need to do the same thing now with technology. Most kids are on computers and using technology on their own today, which can aid in their learning but also be just as harmful or dangerous as being on the streets alone.

When thinking about kids on the streets alone, it seems just as dangerous to let kids travel and surf the internet without talking through the consequences of not being safe on the internet or even when watching TV. I love that Jane emphasizes communication with kids. I hope that more people hear the message! It is such a simple idea but can be so powerful and effective! Listen to your kids and students... hear their concerns, find out their motivations, and work with them to come up with positive and safe solutions!

Thanks for all of your work and for these incredible discussions!

[Richard Pyatt]

Recent decades have seen growing enthusiasm internationally for the concept and practice of "child voice". This was encapsulated in, and stimulated, by Article 12 of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This article presents the case for incorporating the equally important concept of "child silence" in both research and applied contexts. "Child voice" has become a powerful moral crusade and consequently criticism of voice has been muted. This is despite the growing articulation of reservations about "child voice" in various research and applied contexts. Two particular sets of emerging concerns are one set is around the purposes behind such engagement with children; and one set relates to the ethical protocols involved. Finally, a series of recommendations for researchers working in the fields of "child voice". concern five methodological aspects: recognising, noting, responding to, interpreting and reporting silence from children. It is concluded that it is timely to take a step back from assumed support for "child voice" as necessarily "a good thing". Rather, we need to consider more reflexively how, why and when "child voice" is realised in co-constructed research and professional contexts.