Module 1: The Child and Adolescent Learner

Prerequisite Skills:
Instructors: Daton Jonathan B. Palitayan, Jr
Level: Second Year
Allotted Time: Six Hours

Overview

This module acquaints the students of the definition of and distinction between “Childhood” and “Adolescence”, and
presents pertinent provisions on the rights of children and young persons.

Objectives

Upon completion of this module, the students are expected to:

1. define and differentiate the terms childhood and adolescent;
2. identify and understand pertinent provisions on the rights of children and young person; and
3. describe and analyze the present situation of Filipino children and adolescents.

Pretest
Differentiate between childhood and adolescent.

Learning Focus

Additional Learning Focus presented in Powerpoint and PDF Format

1. ra_9262_and_irr.pdf
2. Rights of the Child Summary.pdf
3. Yihpartchildrensrights.pdf
4. The Child and Adolescent Learners.ppt

I. Definition of Childhood and Adolescence

A. Childhood

Childhood refers to the time or state of being a child, the early stage in the existence or development of
something. From a historical perspective, childhood can be defined as an evolving series of steps, usually
constant, towards adulthood shaped by an extensive array of forces and ideas that ranged from ethnicity to
class, from region to religion and from gender to politics.

Childhood connotes a time of innocence, where one is free from responsibility but vulnerable to forces in his
environment. It suggests a period where one enjoys closeness with parents and shared expectations

Changing Patterns of Childhood

- affected by similar values, common religious precepts and expectations, and opportunities from a
characteristically rural setting
- transition from child to adult could takes place as soon as the available formal schooling was completed
and skill was learned
- The extension of childhood was actually a stretching of adolescence (G. Stanley Hall) made possible by
schooling that touched more children for longer periods of time, like in mandating minimum lengths for
school years and creation of high schools
- in 1960, by law, childhood of girls was lengthened by raising the age of consent from the age of 27 to
22
- while there were differences in child-rearing customs, material and ethnic cultures, economic standing,
and family size, there were similarities, however, in the ways children grow up - all children were edu -
cated to meet the needs of their communities (boys who were raised to become farmers and girls to
perform the chores required of housewives)
- Members of every cultural group raised children to understand their particular traditions including
religious faiths, proper use of resources, the importance of family, and appreciation for the larger
culture. Each group developed and passed along to the next generation beliefs to sustain them and
rituals to remind them of their heritages.
 - while there are changes in the demographies, economics, politics, and ethics of childhood, the basic
markers for becoming an adult - completing ones schooling, finding an occupation, marriage, remained
the same (Calvert, 1992).

B. Adolescence
- from the Latin word adolescentia, from adolescere, “to grow up”
- the period of psychological and social transition between childhood and adulthood
- In common usage in English countries "adolescent" and "teenager" are synonymous
- transitional stage of human development in which a juvenile matures into an adult (the transition
involves biological, social, and psychological changes)
- As a modern cultural and social phenomenon "adolescence" and its end-points are not tied to physical
milestones.
- The word is derived from the Latin noun dolor meaning "pain." It is the stage where the person experi-
ences dramatic changes in the body along with developments in his psychology and career. The onset
of adolescence sees children as having completed elementary school and are about to enter secondary
education. Between the early childhood and teenage years is pre-teen.

Cultural Variations
- The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period of life between 10 and 19
years of age.
- In the US, adolescence is the period that begins between ages 12 and 14 and end at 19 or 20.
- During this period, most children go through the stages of puberty which in recent times would refer to
ages nine and thirteen.
- Most cultures regard people as becoming adults at various ages of the teenage years.
o A teenager or teen is a person whose age is ending in "teen," someone from the age of 13 to 19.
o This word is of recent origin only having appeared in the mid-20th century.
o Equivalent words in other languages may apply to a larger age bracket including preteens (http//
ncws.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ Americas/ 4429l92.stm).

II. The Rights of Children and Young Persons

Presidential Decree No. 603 dated December 10, 1974 (Bustos, et al., 1999) listed down the Rights of
Children and Young Persons. This was aimed at understanding children better and for the Filipino teacher to be
more aware of the children's rights. The code contained the following provisions:

To understand and help children better, it is important for every Filipino teacher to be cognizant of such
rights. The provisions of the Code regarding such rights are as follows:

All children shall be entitled to the rights herein set forth without distinction as to legitimacy or illegitimacy, sex,
social status, religion, political antecedents, and other factors.

1. Every child is endowed with dignity and worth of a human being from the moment of his conception, as
generally accepted in medical parlance, and has therefore, the right to be born well.
2. Every child has the right to a wholesome family life that will provide him with love, care and understanding,
guidance and counseling, moral and material security.
3. Every child has the right to a well-rounded development of his personality to the end that he may become a
happy, useful, and active member of society.

The gifted child shall be given opportunity and encouragement to develop his special talents.

The emotionally disturbed or socially maladjusted child shall be treated with sympathy and
understanding, and shall be entitled to treatment and competent care.

The physically or mentally handicapped child shall be given the treatment, education, and care required
of his particular condition.

4. Every child has the right to a balanced diet, adequate clothing, sufficient shelter, proper medical attention,
and all the basic physical requirements of a healthy and vigorous life.
5. Every child has the right to be brought up in an atmosphere of morality and rectitude for the enrichment and
the strengthening of his character.
6. Every child has the right to an education commensurate with his abilities and to the development of his skills
for the improvement of his capacity for service to himself and his fellowmen.
 7. Every child has the right to full opportunities for safe and wholesome recreation and activities, individual as
well as social, for the wholesome use of his leisure hours.
8. Every child has the right to protection against exploitation, improper influences, hazards, and other
conditions or circumstances prejudicial to his physical, mental, emotional, social, and moral development.
9. Every child has the right to live in a community and a society that can oiler him an environment free from
pernicious influences and conducive to the promotion of his health and the cultivation of his desirable traits
and attributes.
10. Every child has the right to the care, assistance, and protection of the state, particularly when his parents or
guardians fail or are unable to provide him with his fundamental needs for growth, development, and
improvement.
11. Every child has the right to an efficient and honest government that will deepen his faith in democracy and
inspire him with the morality of the constituted authorities both in their public and private lives.
12. Every child has the right to grow up as a free individual, in an atmosphere of peace, understanding,
tolerance, and universal brotherhood and with the determination to contribute his share in the building of a
better world.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Adapted on November 20, 1989

Other rights of the children as embodied in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and adapted by the
General Assembly on November 20, 1989 are as follows:

The State Parties to the Convention shall:

a. Respect and ensure the rights to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind,
irrespective of the child's parents or his or her legal guardian's race, color, sex, language, religion, political
opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property; birth or other status (Article 2:1).
b. Register the child immediately after birth and have the right from birth to a name, nationality, and right to
know and be cared for by his parents (Article 7:1).
c. Ensure that a child shall not be separated from his/her parents against his will, except when separation is
necessary for die best interests of the child alter having been determined by judicial review (Article 9:1).
d. Respect the rights of the child to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion (Article 14:1).
e. Recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and peaceful assembly (Article 15:1).
f. Not subject the child to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home, or
correspondence nor to unlawful attacks on his honor and reputation (Article 16:1).
g. Recognize the important function of mass media and ensure that the child has access to
information/material from a diversity of national and international sources (Article 17: a, b).
h. Ensure recognition that both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing and development of
the child (Article 18:1).
i. Take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social, and educational measures to protect the child from all
forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, maltreatment, and exploitation (Article 19:1).
j. Provide assistance to a child temporarily deprived of a family environment (Article 20:1).
k. Permit a system of adoption that shall ensure that the best interests of the child shall be the paramount
consideration (Article 21:1).
l. Recognize for every child the right to benefit from social security (Article 26:1).
m. Recognize the right of the child to education with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis
of equal opportunity (Article 28:1).
n. Recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that
is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education (Article 32:1).

III. The Situation of Filipino Children and Young Persons

The situation of the marginalized Filipino children

 children who have become victims of sexual or physical abuse, child labor, malnutrition, parental neglect,
ending up roaming the streets of Metro Manila.
 children from homeless poor families of Manila's suburbs who sleep on pavement, wooden carts, or
dilapidated shacks near the railroad tracks, even on rickety shelters made of rusty galvanized sheets and
cartoon boxes
 abandoned street children knocking on car windows, selling sticks of cigarettes and sampaguita garlands

According to Merlina R. Hernando

 over four million children are victims of child labor and half of them are exposed to hazardous conditions
 about 100,000 of them are abused every year and about 300,000 roam the streets
  latest statistics also points to about 7 million malnourished children
 In view of these concerns, private organizations have joined the government in seeing that the interests of
the child are protected and in giving the Filipino child a life-equivalent to his worth.

Efforts done to address the problem

 In view of these concerns, private organizations have joined the government in seeing that the interests of
the child are protected and in giving the Filipino child a life-equivalent to his worth.
 youth-oriented programs/projects sponsored by NGOs and other private and public entities primarily put up
to help the Filipino child
 child advocacy project of the media, as they feature stories on youth education and child welfare
 youth education through series of documentaries on child abuse and child exploitation by TV networks

Learning Activities

Activity 1: Case study

Observe your own community. What is the situation of the children in your community? What are the rights of the
children in your community that are often violated? In light of the provisions of P.D. No. 603 on the rights of children
and young persons and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, how far has your own community
gone to comply with the provisions of the said decrees? List particular actions/advocacies/programs/projects that
your community officials and the community as a whole have done/have been doing to address the issues
concerning the plight of children in your community.

Post test
I. True or False: Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement is false.

1. Childhood refers to the time or state of being a child, the early stage in the existence or development of
something.
2. Childhood connotes a time of innocence, where one is not free from responsibility and vulnerable to forces
in his environment.
3. The extension of childhood was actually a stretching of adolescence made possible by schooling.
4. In 1960, by law, childhood of girls was lengthened by raising the age of consent from the age 25 to 21.
5. Members of every cultural group raised children to understand their particular traditions including religious
faith.
6. “Adolescent” and “Teenager” in English countries are different.
7. Adolescence is derived from the Latin noun “dolor” meaning pain, or the stage where the person experience
pain.
8. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period of life between 9 and19.
9. The stage of puberty in recent times would refer to ages nine and thirteen.
10. PD No. 603 dated December 10, 1974 listed down the Rights of Filipino Children and Young Persons.

II. Know the Children’s Rights: Read thoroughly the situations of the children in the following items. With their
conditions, discuss what particular provision/s in P.D. 603 and/or UNCRC is/are violated.

1. Peter was only 7 years old when his father died. When Peter was 10 years old, his mother remarried. Little
does his mother know, Peter’s stepfather has been cruel to Peter. Whenever Peter’s mother is away for
work, his stepfather often asks him to buy cigarette and liquor in the neighbor’s store. Everyday, the
stepfather orders Peter to fetch water for his bath and beats Peter whenever he refuses and does not give
him food to eat.

2. Barangay Makilala is a community where the neighborhoods are well known for idling and gossiping. Both
men and women are seen in the street either gambling or indulging into drinking spree. Even the only
basketball court where children use to play is now converted to a small cockpit arena. Since, most of the
parents have no work; they do not send their children to school. Instead, the children are seen in the
garbage dumpsite scavenging for whatever they may sell.

III. Essay:

1. Distinguish childhood from adolescence.

2. In view of the pertinent provisions of PD 603 and the UNCRC, comment on how much the Philippine
government has done to address the plight of the marginalized Filipino children.