Shaping Early Childhood: Learners, Curriculum and Contexts"This should be essential reading for anyone involved in the training and professional development of early years practitioners... It is an impressive analysis of the historical and contemporary 'big ideas' that have influenced societies ' and practitioners' views of children and the nature of the curriculum. There are powerful sections on parents and communities ... I particularly liked the stimulating 'ideas galleries' with their statements from researchers, policy-makers and practitioners around the world." This key textbook introduces students and practitioners to a wide range of different approaches to early childhood. It provides practical strategies for developing and implementing early learning experiences that promote excellence and equity for children. The book presents the latest research and thinking about good practice, discusses how various philosophies and beliefs influence decisions in early childhood education, and identifies the key thinkers behind each approach. By examining different perspectives, the book helps early childhood practitioners to navigate their way through competing views, make informed choices, and be critically reflective in their work. In an accessible, lively and user-friendly way, it explores issues such as:
|
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 83
... position: conforming to society 121 8 Curriculum position: reforming society 155 9 Curriculum position: transforming society 182 10 Curriculum positions: critical reflections 213 PART 3 Curriculum contexts 245 11 Reflecting on contexts ...
... position different perspectives on each topic);. •. providing a sense of where the 'big ideas' within each perspective have come from;. •. exploring the equity implications of different perspectives on each topic. Each section has been ...
... having access to research-based tools with which to think about curriculum that both position current curriculum documents that they work with and transcend them. Acknowledgements If this book achieves its goals, it will in FOREWORD ix.
... is meaningful to the children and communities that they work with. It is written from the position that central to shaping the curriculum for young children must be a commitment to equity, fairness, a respect for Introduction.
... positions on them. Critical reflection: what is it? There is a keen debate about how to define critical reflection (Mackintosh 1998). Researchers generally agree that critical reflection is an intellectually engaged activity geared to ...
Contents
1 | |
7 | |
Part Two Positions on the early childhood curriculum | 111 |
Part Three Curriculum contexts | 245 |
References | 320 |
Index | 341 |
Back cover | 353 |