This work begins with the idea that “childhood” is not universal. Rather, childhoods are multiple and socio-culturally situated. That said, adults — and teachers — have much to learn from children themselves. Replicating a study conducted from 2016 in New York City (Templeton, 2018; Yoon & Templeton, 2019), this project uses ethnographic, image-based methods to examine how young children, ages 3 to 5, in Denton, Texas, co-construct their identities in and through photographs. The findings will add to a growing archive of young children’s images and narratives that can be used for continuing research on children’s identity development and contemporary childhoods. In addition, the images and narratives will provide material for professional development opportunities with teachers.

Read more about this project at https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2018/march/walking-in-smaller-shoes/

Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jae-Eun Suh