Noeline Kyle a Review: Reconstructing Childhood

Childhood education is considered to be important in modern society as it allows children to the world for themselves. Children have not always had the luxury of learning in a classroom environment as they were expected to work in an adult world. According to Noeline Kyle (1999) Australian families were reluctant to send their children to school as they would lose income if they did. Children were exploited for their labour with little thought for their future as they were expected to lead a life of drudgery and hardship until they died.

Reformers considered that all children needed to be educated to survive in an ever changing world. While education was important it was only available to white children as they were the key to progress in Australia. Kyle (1999) suggests that racism was reinforced in Australia as Aboriginal children were generally excluded from attending white schools. They were taught basic skills such sewing, cleaning, serving and horse riding as the authorities considered that they were incapable of learning complex ones. It is appalling to think that Aboriginal people were marginalised as white society equated skin colour with intellect and ability. Modern Australians need to remember that Aboriginal people were not considered to be citizens which meant that they did not have the same rights and privileges as their white ancestors.

Parents no longer had sole control of their children as society began to rely on experts to tell them how to manage their lives. According to Kyle (1999) professionals were employed to form children’s mind in the belief that they would create a generation of competent, model citizens. In conclusion childhood has become necessary for the future health and stability of the nation as a whole.