Research with Children: A Rich Glimpse into the World of Childhood

Abstract

I feel angry when my brother is hurting me and he, and I'm tired and I'm having a sleep and Jason just says ‘Matthew, Matthew, look at this’. My face gets angry. [Makes face and clenches fist]. That's when they get even pinker. That's what happens to my arms when I get angry (Matthew, age 5—name has been changed).

Research in early childhood education generally involves children in some capacity, whether it be how they respond to various pedagogical initiatives, how their parents or teachers interact with them or what understandings they bring to a situation. Unfortunately, in the past, much of this research has given children limited voice; positioning them as innocent, incompetent and in need of an adult voice to confirm their place in the research. This article examines my research into young children's emotions, which suggests to me that children's voices can be powerful and possibly richer than those of adults acting on behalf of children.