ABSTRACT
The late Professor Jean Rudduck, whose research helped to lay the foundation of student voice as a movement in education, cautioned that there is a need to change the ways in which we think about children and childhood as a first step towards transforming teaching and learning in schools (Rudduck and Flutter, 2004). Seeing children and young people as dependent and incapable places limits on what we expect of them, and our persistent focus on who and what they will become often obscures our understanding of their needs, capacities and experiences in the here and now. As we begin to listen to children’s voices, it is important to set aside the tendency to see these words or images as entertaining and pay close attention to the thoughts and feelings that children and young people are expressing. Here, in a piece contributed by 12-year-old British primary school student Aaron Mitchell, you may be struck at first by his futuristic thinking about life in 2075. Looking more closely, however, it becomes possible to discern the sense of curiosity and thirst for learning that inspire this young learner today. As you read through this piece, you may like to note down the phrases that begin with the pronoun “I” to reflect on what this young learner feels about himself and his aspirations for himself and society at large.
My Perspective of Life in 2075 when I will be 65 years old!
Aaron Mitchell, 12 years old
In 2075, I will be 65 years old! This is my perspective. This is my voice and my imagination. I love gadgets and working out how things work. In 2075, on my 65th birthday, the cars will all be electric with no driver and no steering wheel, and the range and power will be a lot greater than the cars now. The car batteries will last a long time.
In 2075, technology will be improved in all areas of vehicle transportation. There will be electric aviation vehicles/transport that will majorly help to reduce greenhouse gases and prevent global warming. Perhaps I would have invented wireless charging technology so that cars in the future will be wireless, charged from the roads as they drive so there will be no need for charging stations. This will be done by magnetic cables laid under the road surface that send wireless signals that connects to the car’s computer charging them.
In 2075, I will take my family on holiday to space and we visit the Moon. There is no more snow for skiing on Earth. In 2075, the food grown is genetically modified and will have added substances to prevent illness and help keep the human population healthy. All foods will be able to be grown anywhere in special containers so it will not be dependent on the climate. There will be no cash or credit cards anymore – money is implanted in your hand on a chip device, so you won’t get your money stolen. It will be more eco-friendly because there will be less raw material used to make notes and coins. Science has expanded more than we thought.
In 2075, there will be cures for illnesses and diseases such as cancer and the common cold/flu. There will be less viruses so there won’t be as many deaths. People will also live longer and the average life expectancy will be 120 years old. So, 65 is the new 50! Middle age begins at 70. There will be better healthcare and more precise surgery.
In 2075, homes will have wind turbines the size of a satellite dish in their back yards or on their roofs. There will be no power switches/sockets/locks and you will just say “turn on light/cooker/lock up” etc. If you are wealthy enough you will have robots as chefs to cook and serve your food and there will also be robots to clean your house. There will be no gas and all heating will be supplied by solar panel or tiles. I think most people will live in flats as there will be many more people in the world where we are living longer.
In 2075, will we be happier? Will it be better if we live longer and easier? In 2075, will we look after the world better? Or will we have given up and moved on to the next planet? I hope we stay and make it better. I hope there are less illnesses and viruses and I hope we are more environmentally friendly and look after our world better than we do today. We also need to look after each other as well.
As you close this book’s cover, we leave you with two important questions to help guide your reflections on what you have been reading. How might listening and responding to children’s voices help us, as educators, to enable all children and young people to fulfil their potential? What are the conditions of learning in our schools and classrooms that will nurture aspirational, flourishing lives and democratic societies, both now and in the future? We hope you have found the journey through this book worthwhile and it has inspired you to explore new ways of unleashing children’s voices in your own practice and setting, wherever you are in the world.