Become a better advocate-for your students, for your coworkers, and for yourself-with the valuable strategies in this accessible guidebook. Written with a candid and humorous style, this tool kit reinforces why effective early childhood education matters and the positive impact an effective advocate can have on a child's classroom experience. Chapters explore how to explain and support best practices, build relationships with students and families, speak up for English language learners and students with exceptionalities, reduce coworker conflict and negativity, and reach out for the help you need. Equipping readers with practical takeaways and everyday examples of what advocacy in early childhood education actually looks like, Advocacy for Early Childhood Educators is perfect for teachers, coaches, and anyone seeking effective strategies to become a relentless advocate for their students, for each other, and for themselves.

Scientific Influences on Early Childhood Education offers a new framework for examining the diverse scientific perspectives that shape early childhood education. As the field takes on an increasing role in addressing children's educational, developmental, and environmental needs, it is critical to more fully understand and appreciate the diverse scientific roots of contemporary early childhood education. This edited collection brings together leading researchers to explain and unpack perspectives that are not often associated with early childhood education, yet have made significant contributions to its development and evolution. Essential reading for anyone working with young children, this critical and insightful text illuminates the connections between our social values, science, and research in the field.

Scientific Influences on Early Childhood Education offers a new framework for examining the diverse scientific perspectives that shape early childhood education. As the field takes on an increasing role in addressing children's educational, developmental, and environmental needs, it is critical to more fully understand and appreciate the diverse scientific roots of contemporary early childhood education. This edited collection brings together leading researchers to explain and unpack perspectives that are not often associated with early childhood education, yet have made significant contributions to its development and evolution. Essential reading for anyone working with young children, this critical and insightful text illuminates the connections between our social values, science, and research in the field.

This book investigates notions of 'quality' in early childhood settings both in Australia and globally. After experiencing quality reform as an educator, the author turned to research as a means by which to better understand early childhood quality reform and agenda over time. This book questions how early childhood reform policy and agenda have constructed quality - what it is presumed to be and do - over time and the implications of these 'truths'. Taking a Foucauldian governmentality view of the history of Australian early childhood services, the impetus for the quality reform era, the quality reform policy assemblages and the contemporary post-reform era, this book rigorously examines prevailing policy assumptions, ambitions and deployments of quality, and warns of an emerging ambition for 'only quality' settings in early childhood. This book will appeal to early childhood students and educators, education policy sociologists and all who are interested in reclaiming early childhood education and care.

Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice is a brilliantly engaging and practical book that highlights the essential nature of storytelling in all walks of life, and how to best cultivate this in the early years classroom. The authors use a compelling Froebelian approach to explore the role of storytelling not just in the development of literacy but also in the development of communication and language and for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing. Drawing on primary and contemporary research, and presented by a range of experienced authors, this book covers important topics such as: The benefits of regularly practising storytelling Storytelling during play activities Group dynamics in constructing narratives The roles of props and fantasy concepts in storytelling This accessible guide is ideal for all early years practitioners looking to encourage literacy, communication and well-being in a supportive and creative environment, and for policymakers looking to develop best practice in the early years classroom.

Are children the passive recipients of influence from their parents and from society? Is their development determined by their genes and their neurons, or do they have the capacity to think about and influence their own lives and the world around them? How does their interaction with their social and material worlds support or hinder agency? Are children agents, and what do we mean by agency? Children as Agents in Their Worlds aims to answer these questions through a critical psychological and relational approach, while referencing and critiquing a wide range of perspectives from other disciplines including sociology, anthropology and education. Greene and Nixon review the pioneering work of scholars of childhood studies and current post-human theories of agency and offer a developmental perspective on the emergence of the sense of agency and the exercise of agency in children. They discuss key themes including agency in families, agency within the school context and with peers, and children as agents in the wider public sphere. They explore agency and diversity, examining sex, age, genetic inheritance and contextual sources of difference, such as social class and geographical location. Offering a stronger theoretical base for research and policy, through a synthesis of both psychological and relational theories, Children as Agents in Their Worlds will be essential reading for students and professionals in developmental psychology, sociology and anthropology, as well as education, childhood studies, children's rights and related fields.

This text provides a comprehensive analysis of historical archives, letters, and primary sources to offer unique insight into how Froebel's pedagogy of kindergarten and play has been understood, interpreted, and modified throughout history and in particular, as a consequence of it's adoption in the US. Tracing the development, modification, and global spread of the kindergarten movement, this volume demonstrates the far-reaching impacts of Froebel's work, and asks how far contemporary understandings of the kindergarten pedagogy reflect the educationalist's original intentions. Recognizing that Froebel's pedagogy has at times been simplified or misunderstood, the book tackles issues caused by translation, or transfer to non-German speaking countries such as the US, and so demonstrates how and why contemporary research and Froebelian practice is in the danger of diverging from the original ideas expressed in Froebel's work. By returning to original documents produced by Froebel, Wasmuth traces various interpretations, and explains how and why some of these understandings established themselves in the context of US Early Childhood Education, whilst others did not. This insightful text will be of great interest to graduate and postgraduate students, researchers, academics, professionals and policy makers in the fields of early childhood education, history of education, Philosophy of Education and Teacher Education.

This book is based on the notion that there are many ways in which mathematics learning can be achieved for students and that not all of them are focused on the mathematics classroom. It explores the foundational numeracy principles of the non-mathematical subject areas and aligns these to the Australian numeracy-learning continuum. It demonstrates, in detail, the extent to which numeracy competencies underpin successful learning in all the subject areas of the curricula. It validates a focus of developing numeracy competencies through learning in the arts, science and other discipline areas with which school students to engage with in order develop holistically, but which are not subjected to national assessment practices. It is developed around the notion of 'praxis', putting theory into practice in order to respond to the urgent need for students to be supported in their efforts to increase their numeracy capabilities in a world where extensive amounts of new information are often presented in graphical or data based formats. Additionally, it offers perspectives on developing all students' capacities to become numerate in school contexts and presents inclusive, differentiated lesson examples as an alternative way of exploring numeracy in the context of teaching and learning in real-world classroom contexts.

Today's Youth, Tomorrow's Leaders is for parents, teachers, caregivers, directors, educators, administrators and all who work with children to encourage learning. This book has examples of effective practices in early childhood education from different countries worldwide. This book will emphasize the different ways that adults can make difference in the lives of children so that today's children will be well nurtured and will become effective citizens in future. The structure of the book is adapted to the new Early Childhood Common Core. The book has case studies, illustrations, pictures, and tables to help the readers. Each chapter will also have a summary at the end with discussion questions.

This book brings together innovative work happening in childhood research across disciplinary boundaries and across the world. It focuses specifically on the most cutting-edge, innovative methodological approaches in the study of children's use and learning with digital technologies and children's experiences of key 21st century trends (e.g. immigration or multiculturalism). A true effort is made to have dialogues across diverse fields and contested fields of research (including educational psychology, post-humanist literacy, narrative approaches, developmental approaches).The book is a comprehensive survey of methods in the field of children's technologies. The volume is a substantive and strategic collection of international approaches to early childhood and technologies. The authors reflect on what works and what doesn't work in relation to specific innovative research methods.

This book makes a defence of compassion as an essential and significant quality that should be at the heart of the education of young people. It provides a careful exploration of what compassion means; how it is relevant to the various relationships among students, teachers, and the wider community; and the particular pedagogical processes that can and might develop compassion. Understanding and justifying compassion as a virtue, this book argues that compassion is a virtue central to all human relationships from the familial, to the communal and to the global. It will be of interest to academics, research and students of education.

A collection of 150 unique games and activities to help support teaching of phonics in the primary classroom. Designed with busy teachers in mind, the Classroom Gems series draws together an extensive selection of practical, tried-and-tested, off-the-shelf ideas, games and activities guaranteed to transform any lesson or classroom in an instant. Easily navigable, allowing you to choose the right activity quickly and easily, these invaluable resources are guaranteed to save you time and are a must-have tool to plan, prepare and deliver first-rate lessons.

Transforming Early Learners into Superb Readers: Promoting Literacy at School, at Home, and within the Community aids elementary educators, reading specialists, school administrators, private and public educators, parents, and caregivers who want to help early learners become proficient readers. The early years are the most important for children, because they are the formative years, so it is vital for children to build a solid reading foundation when they are most receptive. Andrea Nelson-Royes contends that if all these individual players collectively help to develop a child's reading readiness, all children may thrive from a high-quality education and a love of literacy.

Study Skills for Foundation Degrees offers a step-by-step guide to the skills needed to successfully complete a Foundation Degree. Filled with activities and useful tips, it will help students to move from nervous novice to confident expert and provide them with the necessary tools to accomplish this. By reading this book, students will be able to learn new skills and enhance existing ones. This third edition has been fully updated and features new chapters on e-learning and dissertations as well as expanded sections on ethics, feedback and referencing. Each chapter includes practical guidance as well as student perspectives that will help students through their course of study. It includes advice on how to support learning, boost motivation and enhance time management, and covers all the essential skills required for successful study, including: Effective reading and note-taking strategies Developing oral skills in a wide range of presentation settings, including what makes a good presentation and how each stage of the process can be prepared for Carrying out well-planned, methodologically sound and well-written research Preparing for examinations and other forms of assessment Producing a professional development portfolio or winning CV Highly accessible, this new edition is an essential resource for all Foundation Degree students who want to get the most out of their course, mature students or anyone with limited or no experience of academic study.

Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years provides evidence-based research and real-life strategies that support social and emotional development and well-being for children aged 3-5 years. It places emphasis on nurturing social emotional competence through purposeful scaffolding activities and how these can be used by children and families to create a harmonious platform for building resilience and positive relationships with family and the community. Drawing on principles from Positive Psychology and Positive Education, it is illustrated throughout with examples of sustainable practice in diverse, global settings. Key topics explored include: Contemporary well-being concepts, including 'grit', 'growth mindset' and 'gratitude', as well as 'classic' constructs such as coping and self-efficacy The attitudes and skills that need to be developed to ensure that young children flourish Cognitive and sociocultural perspectives complemented by neuroscience and epigenetics Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the early years curriculum Using visual tools - the Early Years Coping Cards How we measure young children's coping The relationship between coping, stress and mental health Recognition of the importance of parents' own coping skills How partnerships with communities can improve children's SEL. Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years shows how we can support young children to develop an understanding of what it means to be happy and to flourish as a socially responsible member of the family and wider community. It is essential reading for teachers, parents and professionals who work with young children, as well as academics in child development.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Elementary Schools is the leadership handbook and practitioner's field guide to implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in elementary schools, leading to improved student outcomes and school safety. Schools can creatively customize replicable best practices using this in-depth operations manual to guide MTSS teams in planning and delivering tiers of academic and integrated social-emotional and behavioral supports to meet the needs of all students. This text introduces Healthy Minds, Safe Schools, an evidence-based program that significantly improves student well-being, school safety, and teacher feelings of self-efficacy for delivering social-emotional and behavioral curriculum in the classroom. Featuring team exercises and real perspectives from educators, this text shows how to make incremental yet manageable changes at elementary schools in accordance with public policy mandates and evidence-based practices by developing smart teams and programs, identifying roles and responsibilities, implementing layers of academic support and services, improving social-emotional and behavioral health of students, and creating an inclusive school culture. It details organizational psychology and socially just educational practices and is a handbook aligned with the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center guidebook for preventing school violence and with the National Center for School Mental Health Curriculum.

This text presents a methodical, organized approach to counseling students in emotional intelligence (EI) by detailing how to understand and direct emotions, while also keying counselors directly to the underlying emotional motivations behind the behaviors. Divided into four units, the book starts with an overview of emotions and continues to explore the nature of anger, fear, grief, and guilt. Chapters present both explanatory narratives and teen-centered activities to show how these challenging, uncomfortable feelings when unregulated may negate resiliency and lead to anxiety, bullying, depression, and teen suicide. Counselors and educators alike will benefit from the light, unexacting tone that encourages humor and levity and discusses how to handle difficult emotions without harsh and heavy overtones.

This text presents a methodical, organized approach to counseling students in emotional intelligence (EI) by detailing how to understand and direct emotions, while also keying counselors directly to the underlying emotional motivations behind the behaviors. Divided into four units, the book starts with an overview of emotions and continues to explore the nature of anger, fear, grief, and guilt. Chapters present both explanatory narratives and teen-centered activities to show how these challenging, uncomfortable feelings when unregulated may negate resiliency and lead to anxiety, bullying, depression, and teen suicide. Counselors and educators alike will benefit from the light, unexacting tone that encourages humor and levity and discusses how to handle difficult emotions without harsh and heavy overtones.

Research on home visiting shows that Early Head Start (EHS) home-based programs benefit from additional training and resources that streamline philosophy and content. In this essential guide, Walsh and Mortensen propose that alignment with Family Life Education's (FLE) strengths-based methodology results in greater consistency through a model of prevention, education, and collaboration with families. This text is the first to outline linkages between FLE and EHS home visiting. It explores a qualitative study of FLE integrated in a current EHS home-based program and application of FLE methodology to home visiting topics. This approach will influence professional practice and provide a foundation for developing evidence-based home visiting practices. Online content accompanies the text, with videos demonstrating the FLE approach in action and discussion questions to encourage engagement with and understanding of the core material. Transforming Early Head Start Home Visiting: A Family Life Education Approach is essential reading for upper-level undergraduate and masters students in family studies and early childhood education, as well as practitioners working with children and families.

Originally published in 1984, this book considers the ever-increasing pressure that teachers are under both to demonstrate and maintain their professional understanding and competence. Curriculum development has long been the subject of scrutiny, with some authorities arguing that the primary curriculum should be a diluted version of the secondary curriculum. Professor Blyth presents a convincing case for a primary curriculum carefully constructed to enhance the relationship between the various aspects of the child's development and total experience. Initially examining how children in the primary age range do develop and experience the world, the book goes on to consider the implications of this for shaping the curriculum. These are traced through different aspects of the primary curriculum, from physical, moral and aesthetic development to an understanding of the social world. The book concludes with an assessment of this approach to primary education within an international context and prospects for the future. An important work by a leading authority, Development, Experience and Curriculum in Primary Education is a guide to the professional development of primary teachers, building on their experience and judgement.

Embodied Family Choreography documents the lived and embodied practices employed to establish, maintain, and negotiate intimate social relationships in the family, examining forms of control, care, and creativity. Making use of the extensive video archives of family interaction in the US and Sweden, it presents the first investigation of how touch and interaction between bodies, in conjunction with talk, constitute a primary means of orchestrating activities through directives, thus creating rich relationships through supportive interchanges, and engaging in playful explorations of the world. Through close investigation of the sequential and simultaneous engagement of bodies interacting with other bodies, this book makes visible the important role touch plays in the context of contemporary Western middle class family life and is pioneering in its analysis of how the visual, aural, and haptic senses (usually analysed separately) mutually elaborate one another. As such, Embodied Family Choreography will appeal to scholars of child development, the sociology of the family and ethnomethodology and conversation analysis.

Originally published in 1989, the purpose of this book was to explore the nature and appearance of disaffection and alienation in young children and to seek to understand its significance. It deals with classroom interactions and adult expectations of children, and the context of historical and policy-related perspectives on schools as they relate to the under-8-year-olds. Theories and assumptions about these young children are re-examined, leading to questions on interpretation of behaviours, the appropriateness of practices at the classroom, teacher education and policy levels, and the societal value that was placed on the schooling experience of young children at the time.

Investigating children's learning through dance and drawing-telling, Dance-Play and Drawing-Telling as Semiotic Tools for Young Children's Learning provides a unique insight into how these activities can help children to critically reflect on their own learning. Promoting the concept of dance and drawing-telling as highly effective semiotic tools for meaning-making, the book enlivens thinking about the extraordinary capacities of young children, and argues for the incorporation of dance and drawing in mainstream early childhood curriculum. Throughout the book, numerous practice examples show how children use movement, sound, images, props and language to imaginatively re-conceptualize their everyday experiences into bodily-kinesthetic and spatial-temporal concepts. These examples illustrate children's competence when given the opportunity to learn through dance and drawing-telling, as well as the important role that teachers play in scaffolding children's learning. Based on award-winning research, this insightful and informative book makes a sought after contribution to the field of dance education and seeks to reaffirm dance as a powerful learning modality that supports young children's expressive non-verbal communication. Encouraging the reader to consider the significance of multi-modal teaching and learning, it is essential reading for researchers in the dance, drawing and education spheres; postgraduate students taking courses in early childhood; play and dance therapists; and all early childhood teachers who have a specific interest in arts education.

This volume contributes to understanding childhoods in the twentieth and twenty-firstcentury by offering an in-depth overview of children and their engagement with the violent world around them. The chapters deal with different historical, spatial, and cultural contexts, yet converge on the question of how children relate to physiological and psychological violence. The twentieth century has been hailed as the "century of the child" but it has also witnessed an unprecedented escalation of cultural trauma experienced by children during the two World Wars, Holocaust, Partition of the Indian subcontinent, and Vietnam War. The essays in this volume focus on victimized childhood during instances of war, ethnic violence, migration under compulsion, rape, and provide insights into how a child negotiates with abstract notions of nation, ethnicity, belonging, identity, and religion. They use an array of literary and cinematic representations-fiction, paintings, films, and popular culture-to explore the long-term effect of violence and neglect on children. As such, they lend voice to children whose experiences of abuse have been multifaceted, ranging from genocide, conflict and xenophobia to sexual abuse, and also consider ways of healing. With contributions from across the world, this comprehensive book will be useful to scholars and researchers of cultural studies, literature, education, education policy, gender studies, child psychology, sociology, political studies, childhood studies, and those studying trauma, conflict, and resilience.

Children's and young people's right to participate has been increasingly acknowledged and taken up internationally, as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Yet much of this has focused on collecting children's voices, rather than achieving change, and has met its limits. This book provides an analysis of children's participation in formal, collective and action research processes in six different international settings. It offers a deeper understanding of what helps and facilitates children's and young people's participation through research, evaluation and decision-making to go beyond voice and effect change. This analysis is set in the context of historical and current discourses of participation, the sociology of childhood, contemporary anthropology, children's geography and international development. Themes addressed include time and processes in children's participation, shifting and multiple identities of children, political and cultural contexts, places and spaces children inhabit, skills and capacities of adults, accountability and power. The analysis promotes an approach to children's participation as relational and collaborative, and will contribute to answering some of the questions facing practitioners and researchers embarking on participatory enquiry with children and young people. This is an invaluable book for practitioners and for scholars, postgraduates in anthropology, sociology, human geography, childhood studies, development studies, social policy, social work, community work, education, youth work and those with an interest in citizenship, children's rights and human rights. Researchers and practitioners in UN, government and non-government services will also find it applicable to engaging with children and young people.