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Childhood
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Children's Life Paths Through Preschool and School

Letting youths talk about their own childhood – theoretical and methodological conclusions

Tullie Torstenson-Ed

Linköping University

This article is based upon two studies applying a life history approach, letting 15-to 16-year-olds reconstruct their own childhood in preschool and school, to see what meaning and importance children's experiences have in forming their self-concepts and philosophy of life. A combination of methods was used: written life stories, round tours in the educational settings and interviews. The round tour, a new method, helps the youths to remember and to work inductively, using later experiences, here called post-understanding, to analyse their childhood memories. The results show that relations both with people and content characterized by dialogue and reciprocity are crucial for development and learning; the project of learning and knowledge cannot be separated from the social interpersonal project. Meetings, good or bad, could become existential questions and lead to new choices and values in life. Memory plays an important part both methodologically and in forming the young people's self-concepts, values and philosophy of life.

Key Words: children's perspective • educational settings • life history • philosophy of life • roundtourmethod

Childhood, Vol. 14, No. 1, 47-66 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0907568207072527
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