Children are different

In the article the importance of an individual (subjective) and social comprehension of the child and childhood are put forward. »A child« and »childhood« are social constructs influencing our relationship with children and their treatment. A brief survey of the contemporary history shows how the views on children and their education changed. The authoress is critical towards the prevalent (biologistic and universalic) psychological theories, which with the »normalization« of the development caused also the educational discourse to be more and more the discourse of deficits. The Reggio approach moved from these notions, its view on the child and his abilities is optimistic, pleading for a strong, self-confident and competent child; a child as an active co-author of his own socialization, which he creates together with his peers and adults. The importance of »listening« to children through their »hundred languages« is pointed out; fostering the development of the child's identity is an important objective