Continuing to Trouble Stage Developmentalism

• In Event: 61.064 - Seeking Social Justice in Early Childhood: Portraits of Children as Active Agents

Abstract

By assuming universal stage/age norms, developmental perspectives have portrayed humans as perpetually being on their way toward something and as simultaneously lacking in reference to the intended goals. The purpose of this theoretical paper is to continue to forward important work that attempts to disrupt developmentalism enough so that young people can be seen in all sorts of complicated, contextual ways. To this end, we further theorize two important concepts in the fields of early childhood and elementary education, kindergarten readiness and the needs of young learners from diverse backgrounds.

Authors

• Mark D. Vagle, University of Minnesota

• Olivia Taylor Christensen, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Kelly Gast, University of Minnesota