Sex Death And The Education Of Children

“Silin shows us how we culture ignorance in children and in each other by refusing to hear and respond to what they and we already know.” —From the Foreword by Madeleine Grumet “This book is not for the meek, because it talks straight from the heart—and from an educated and serious heart. Argue, disagree, get angry—but don’t ignore what Jonathan Silin is saying.” —Jonathan M. Mann, Harvard School of Public Health “Will play an important role in the current debate about what the ‘canon’ underlying early childhood education is and what it must be to equitably educate all children in the 21st century.” —Louise Derman-Sparks, Pacific Oaks College “Brings together a lifetime of advocacy and action—for children, for human rights, for people with HIV/AIDS, for gay men and lesbians—into a seamless argument for social justice, fairness, and respect for all people.” —William Ayers, University of Illinois at Chicago “The importance of Silin’s message for educators cannot be overstated.” —David M. Halperin, MIT

Primary schoolchildren are frequently shielded from education on sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases in an effort to protect their innocence. In countries like South Africa, where AIDS is particularly widespread, it is especially important to address prevention with younger boys and girls as active social agents with the capacity to engage with AIDS as gendered and sexual beings. This volume addresses the question of children’s understanding of AIDS, not simply in terms of their dependence but as active participants in the interpretation of their social worlds. The volume draws on an interview and ethnographic based study of young children in two socially diverse South African primary schools, as well as interviews conducted with teachers and mothers of young children. It shows how adults sustain the production of childhood sexual innocence, and the importance of scaling up programs in AIDS intervention, gender and sexuality. It makes significant contributions to the global debate around childhood sexualities, gender and AIDS education.

Eleanor Roosevelt once described Edith King as a “worldminded woman”. In LOOKING INTO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN: A WORLDWIDE VIEW, Edith King maintains this tradition which has guided her observation, research, writing and university teaching. Taking as her central theme the wide-ranging diversity and cultural pluralism which she sees as one of the key features of postmodern nations, she looks at the ways in which education should be delivered to young children ages four to ten years in the complex and diverse contemporary society in which they grow up. Her ultimate goal is that her writing will help teachers around the world to develop teaching strategies that acknowledge our human diversity within an overall context of equality and peacefulness.

Exposes the lies and misconceptions about sex education taught to American children in school, including information on sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, and homosexuality.

This title examines the relationships between the personal, social and educational experiences of children and explores the ways in which they are influenced by the use multiple modes of communication and the use of new technologies that enable them to make meaning in multimodal environments.

This book argues that issues of sexual diversity are inextricably interwoven into the basic concerns of pre-service teacher education. How do we make our students aware of assumptions regarding masculinity, femininity, and sexuality that arise from what is presented, represented, or omitted from curricula and classroom practice? What do we say about homophobia and heterosexism as we anticipate the administrative hierarchies, school cultures, parent and community politics they will encounter as teachers? What special challenges might face a teacher (straight or gay) who discusses sexual orientation in a high school classroom, or responds to a homophobic remark in the hallway or the cafeteria? How should we prepare a teacher for a parent conference with two moms or two dads? The essays in this volume range from an analysis of gay stereotypes in teacher education textbooks, to a discussion of queer multiculturalism, to personal accounts by lesbian and gay teacher educators and heterosexual allies who are challenging homophobia and heterosexism in their own classrooms and programs. All agree that education for sexual diversity is as important as education about all other forms of difference, and that future teachers need to know how to create safe spaces for lesbian and gay students, along with the children of gay families who are increasingly a part of the classroom landscape.

In this book, Silin maps the common ground between early childhood and the period sociologists call “young-old age.” Emphasizing the continuities that bind children and adults rather than the differences that traditional developmental psychology claims separate us, he focuses on the themes we all manage across a lifetime. Building on memoir and narrative, Silin argues that when we recognize how the concerns of childhood continue to thread their way through our experience, we look anew at the shape of our lives. This book highlights the powerful generative acts through which people of all ages find new meanings and relationships to compensate for the individual and social losses that mark our lives.

No Angel in the Classroom: Teaching through Feminist Discourse presents a theoretically complex yet down-to-earth and personal account of feminist teaching in higher education. Starting with a nuanced interpretation of consciousness-raising, longtime feminist educator Berenice Malka Fisher develops her philosophy of feminist teaching as a form of political discourse. Through reflection on a series of candid classroom stories, she analyzes knotty problems faced by academics and activists. What counts as knowledge in discussion of feminist issues? Can teachers exercise authority without being authoritarian? What is the role of caring in political deliberation? Should safety be considered when students and teachers address volatile topics? How can feminist and other teachers committed to social justice give serious attention to the intersections of gender, race, and sexual orientation? This groundbreaking book is intended for the beginning and veteran teachers and others concerned with the contribution of education to extending social justice. Fisher's work offers a pedagogical vision that inspires both passion and critical thinking.

"Childrenís Encounters with Death, Bereavement, and Coping is a very well researched document and well written by an impressive cadre of scholars....The book is a must read for marriage and family therapists, clergy, and pediatric care givers whose work intersects the lives of children and the social and environmental systems in which they live."--NCFR's Certified Family Life Educators Newsletter "[F]or the resource that offers one of the best bibliographies and guides to resources, for the book that contains theory, definitions, treatment modalities, helps, warnings, integration of people and programs, culural diversity...when it comes to all of this, we turn to Charles A. Corr and David E. Balk, editors of Children's Encounters with Death, Bereavement and Coping. It is a book you must have on your shelf, but don't let it sit there for too long without making good use of it."--Illness, Crisis and Loss "Current, filled with sound theory, wise clinical acumen, sound research, terrific resources, and a multicultural perspective, this book will be a necessary resource for clinicians and educators...."--Kenneth J. Doka, PhD Senior Consultant, The Hospice Foundation of America "Corr and Balkís book will help adults find many ways to lead bereaved children to a hopeful belief in their future, despite their considerable losses. This book is a real contribution to the growing literature in this field." --Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, LICSW, RPT-S Distinguished Professor of Social Work Emerita, Fordham University Children struggling with death-related issues require care and competent assistance from the adults around them. This book serves as a guide for care providers, including counselors, social workers, nurses, educators, clergy, and parents who seek to understand and help children as they attempt to cope with loss. This book comprehensively discusses death and grieving within the context of the physical, emotional, social, behavioral, spiritual, and cognitive changes that children experience while coping with death. The chapters also explore new critical, imaginative conceptual models and interventions, including expressive arts therapy, resilience-based approaches, new psychotherapeutic approaches, and more. Key features: Presents guidelines for assisting children coping with the loss of parents, siblings, friends, or pets Discusses ethical issues in counseling bereaved and seriously ill children Provides guidelines for helping children manage their emerging awareness and understanding of death Emphasizes research-based, culturally sensitive, and global implications as well as current insights in thanatology