This volume provides a critical assessment of the mainstream western childhood constructions and their impact to the developing world. Using African feminist and indigenous epistemological frameworks, the volume decolonizes the understanding of childhood, children, and youth. Specifically, the volume presents Global South contestations to mainstream western constructions by exploring alternative notions to standardized universal understanding of childhood. The author further deliberates childhood as a human right, exploring how armed violence hinders realization of such rights assessing humanitarian assistance during armed violence. Besides childhood, the volume explores the complex intersectional nature of youthhood and its cultural relevance to formerly displaced communities and how this manifests in access to and use of humanitarian assistance.

This book examines key ideas related to the Theory of Subjectivity within a cultural-historical approach. It brings together the intellectual contributions made by Professor Fernando Gonzalez Rey (1949-2019) towards understanding human subjectivity, and emphasizing their unfolding in different fields and contexts. The book addresses the genesis and development of Gonzalez Rey's work, articulating this discussion with the author's biography. Gonzalez Rey's main scientific contribution is the Theory of Subjectivity in a cultural-historical perspective, which is inseparable from Qualitative Epistemology and from its constructive-interpretive methodological expression. The book presents and discusses Gonzalez Rey's contributions to different contexts and fields, such as psychological research, education, cultural-historical psychology, human development, motivation, human health and psychotherapy. This book brings together examples of how these ideas have been employed and developed in different fields and contexts.

This book brings together key authors from the Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland) to discuss theoretical and empirical research on families and children. Sharing the Nordic perspective from each of the five countries, the book highlights key ideas within and across the countries. The chapters provide an understanding of the history of the Nordic perspectives of family and children, present current innovative research on solutions to complex issues, and explore contemporary issues. Nordic countries continually attain high scores in lifestyle measures, quality of life and children's outcomes. Much of this has to do with the specific culture and policy of the Nordic countries. Written by academics within the region who are well regarded for contributing to academic and public debate, this book will appeal to an international audience interested in the Nordic perspective and social policy around family and children.

Although Chinese societies have generally become striking as the classic over-achievers in international measures of academic performance, there has been no specialised publication exploring early childhood curriculum in Chinese contexts. Through this book, readers will learn more about how the Chinese context and culture collide with educators' beliefs about the right activities for children and educators in early childhood settings. This book will be the first one of its kind to focus on early childhood curriculum in Chinese societies - from social context and culture to reforms and practices, and finally to the lessons that researchers, policymakers and practitioners could learn, as well as future directions. Is play valued? Are young children schooled earlier in Chinese societies? How do Chinese children learn in kindergartens? What is valued by Chinese educators when they implement early childhood curricula? How do Chinese teachers deliver early childhood curricula for their young children? Why were Chinese early childhood curricula implemented in these ways? Answers to these questions and more will be provided in this pioneering book.

The conceptualisation and practice of play is considered core to early childhood pedagogy. In this essential text, contributors from a range of countries and cultures explore how play might be defined, encouraged and interpreted in early childhood settings and practice. Rethinking Play as Pedagogy provides a fresh perspective of play as a purposeful pedagogy offering multi-layered opportunities for learning and development. Written to provoke group discussion and extend thinking, opportunities for international comparison, points for reflection and editorial provocations, this volume will help students engage critically with a variety of understandings of play, and diverse approaches to harnessing children's natural propensity to play. Considering the role of the learning environment, the practitioner, the wider community, and policy, chapters are divided into four key sections which reflect major influences on practice and pedagogy: Being alongside children Those who educate Embedding families and communities Working with systems Offering in-depth discussion of diverse perceptions, potentials and practicalities of early childhood play, this text will enhance understanding, support self-directed learning, and provoke and transform thinking at both graduate and postgraduate levels, particularly in the field of early childhood education and care, for students, educators, integrated service providers and policy makers.

Learning for the Age of Artificial Intelligence is a richly informed argument for curricular change to educate people towards achievement and success as intelligent machine systems proliferate. Describing eight key competences, this comprehensive volume prepares educational leaders, designers, researchers, and policymakers to effectively rethink the knowledge, skills, and environments that students need to thrive and avoid displacement in today's technology-enhanced culture and workforce. Essential insights into school operations, machine learning, complex training and assessment, and economic challenges round out this cogent, relatable discussion about the imminent evolution of the education sector.

Managers in child-centred settings need to be able to draw on a wide range of personal and professional skills to ensure that they are providing the best possible service. Now in its third edition, Essential Skills for Managers of Child-Centred Settings looks at how you can develop the key leadership skills needed to manage people to achieve excellent settings for children. The authors outline ten 'essential skills' for leading and supporting those around you in your child-centred settings and offer sound advice so you can build your personal and professional skills and become a confident and assertive manager. With a balance of both accessible theory and practical application from a wide range of settings, this book explains management theory and will help you to develop the skills to: become a confident leader set clear aims and objectives for your setting manage your time effectively make decisions and implement change build and develop a team reflect on and develop practice deal with difficult situations and people. This book also contains case studies and 'real-life' scenarios from managers undertaking training with the authors which will ensure you provide an excellent service in your setting. No manager or leader should be without this user-friendly guide!

Play is critical to children's well-being and development. All students should have access to and adequate time for positive play experiences every day. Learning and Connecting in School Playgrounds invites parents, teachers, principals and education administrators to take another look at their school playgrounds as spaces crucial to learning, well-being and development. This book combines research findings, commentary and the authors' personal experiences and observations together with the views of teachers, principals, parents and students related to play and play spaces. Key content includes consideration of the role of adults in the school playground, the influence of technology on play, the challenges experienced by children transitioning to new school environments and consideration of strategies to support students' access and participation in the playground. Cases are presented to illustrate the use of an audit tool to enhance school playgrounds. The future of school playgrounds is also considered through the reported hopes and dreams of adults and students and a range of recommendations are made for the review and development of schools' outdoor play spaces. Learning and Connecting in School Playgrounds is written with a sense of urgency, calling for the recognition of positive play experiences as invaluable to children's education. It includes important and challenging insights to inform and guide decision-making and will be an essential resource for all stakeholders who share responsibility for children's participation and learning during school break-times.

Cooking provides children with a wealth of opportunities to discover new materials and processes; develop their physical and social skills; and lead their own learning. Helping teachers and practitioners make the most of the valuable learning opportunities that cooking offers, this book provides all the information, support and inspiration needed to successfully introduce cooking into Early Years and Key Stage One provision. Packed with practical tips, case studies and first-hand advice from teachers and practitioners, Inspiring Learning Through Cooking offers valuable guidance on everything from setting up a cooking area to growing your own produce and using cooking activities to the full benefit of the child. With over 600 colour images and 50 step-by-step, photocopiable recipes, suggested cooking activities are suitable for independent use by children. Recipes reflect and promote the ongoing development of children's skills, and illustrate how cooking can be used to achieve learning objectives. Teachers and practitioners will be inspired to think creatively about their own provision, and promote open-ended learning, encourage decision-making, problem solving and collaboration through cooking. Colourful, practical and accessible, Inspiring Learning Through Cooking will be an essential resource for Early Years' practitioners and teachers looking to explore the opportunities offered by cooking in nurseries, Reception, Years One and Two.

Reflecting the importance of drawing on children's perspectives to shape professional practice, this book offers a nuanced approach to understanding the aims, implications and practicalities of accessing and incorporating children's perspectives in pedagogial practices relating to transitions. Listening to Children's Advice about Starting School and School Age Care: emphasises the importance of listening to and respecting children's perspectives at the time of their transitions to school and school age care; shares children's perspectives of the transition to school and school age care in ways that are both authentic and provocative; explores implications for practice as a consequence of children's input; provokes a deep level of critical reflection and practice/policy development that is informed by a dialogue between research and practice. Chapters report research conducted in seven different countries to highlight approaches that acknowledge and respect children's input, and use this as a basis for critical reflection on practice, with a view to improving the children's transition experiences. Using examples of practice and offering practical and theoretical insights, the book illustrates the multiplicity of children's perspectives, and prompts educators to reflect on and critique practice. This book will be invaluable reading for researchers, students, educators and practitioners involved in young children's transitions to school and school-age care.

Originally published in 1984, this is a study of the kings and the aristocracy who ruled England between the Conquest and the Reformation. Not, as usual, about their adult lives, but how they became the people they were through childhood and education. The first such study of its kind, it follows noble boys and girls from birth through the care of their nurses, masters and mistresses, until they left home for further training in noble households, monasteries and universities. The author examines the theories and treatises on noble education, again for the first time. The rest of the book broadens into a wide cultural survey as Dr Orme describes the skills and ideas which noble children learnt. He explains how they mastered speech and literacy; worship and behaviour; dancing, music and applied art; athletics and training for war. This part of the study is a handbook of noble pursuits in medieval times. In his final chapter the author considers the nature of noble education in the middles ages, and examines how and whether it changed at the Renaissance. Nicholas Orme has written a comprehensive study, spanning 450 years of English history and making a major contribution to social and cultural history, as well as the history of education. His book will be invaluable to historians and medievalists of all disciplines, and essential reading from those who study the Renaissance.

There is inherent complexity in a field like early childhood where people and their relationships are at the center of their work; daily practices involve negotiating webs of dynamic relations, shifting contexts, value conflicts, and profoundly diverse family constellations and community and cultural environments. Emphasizing Social Justice and Equity in Leadership for Early Childhood: Taking a Postmodern Turn to Make Complexity Visible expands our conceptions of leadership by drawing on postmodern ontological and epistemological perspectives that value, and make visible, diversities and complex human experiences. Julie Nicholson explores the challenges facing children domestically and globally regarding contemporary social justice and equity; she also provides several frameworks and specific strategies that early childhood educators can draw from in enacting leadership inspired by the ideas presented throughout the book. Richly contextualized vignettes are woven into each chapter to highlight the voices and experiences of courageous early childhood professionals working in very different roles and contexts.

3-System Theory of the Cognitive Brain: A Post-Piagetian Approach to Cognitive Development puts forward Olivier Houde's 3-System theory of the cognitive brain, based on numerous post-Piagetian psychological and brain imaging data acquired from children and adults. This ground-breaking theory simultaneously anchors itself in a deep understanding of the history of psychology and fuels current debates on thinking, reasoning and cognitive development. Spanning the long-term history of psychology, from Plato and Aristotle to more current experimental psychology, this pioneering work goes beyond the approaches of Kahneman (i.e. System 1 theory) and Piaget (i.e. System 2 theory) to put forward a theory in which the inhibitory-control system (i.e. System 3) takes precedence. Houde argues that the brain contains a third control system located in the prefrontal cortex which is dedicated to inhibiting Kahneman's intuitive heuristics system and activating Piaget's logical algorithms system anywhere in the brain on a case-by-case basis, depending on the goal and context of the task. 3-System Theory of the Cognitive Brain simultaneously explains the early logical abilities discovered in babies, the dynamic, strategic and non-linear process of cognitive development in children, and the fast heuristics and biases observed in adults. Houde considers the exciting implications of this theory on neuro-education using examples from the classroom. This book is essential reading for students and researchers in cognitive development and education, child psychology, reasoning and neurosciences.

3-System Theory of the Cognitive Brain: A Post-Piagetian Approach to Cognitive Development puts forward Olivier Houde's 3-System theory of the cognitive brain, based on numerous post-Piagetian psychological and brain imaging data acquired from children and adults. This ground-breaking theory simultaneously anchors itself in a deep understanding of the history of psychology and fuels current debates on thinking, reasoning and cognitive development. Spanning the long-term history of psychology, from Plato and Aristotle to more current experimental psychology, this pioneering work goes beyond the approaches of Kahneman (i.e. System 1 theory) and Piaget (i.e. System 2 theory) to put forward a theory in which the inhibitory-control system (i.e. System 3) takes precedence. Houde argues that the brain contains a third control system located in the prefrontal cortex which is dedicated to inhibiting Kahneman's intuitive heuristics system and activating Piaget's logical algorithms system anywhere in the brain on a case-by-case basis, depending on the goal and context of the task. 3-System Theory of the Cognitive Brain simultaneously explains the early logical abilities discovered in babies, the dynamic, strategic and non-linear process of cognitive development in children, and the fast heuristics and biases observed in adults. Houde considers the exciting implications of this theory on neuro-education using examples from the classroom. This book is essential reading for students and researchers in cognitive development and education, child psychology, reasoning and neurosciences.

Investigate what it means to be an early childhood professional and acquire the knowledge, skills and traits exemplary early childhood educators possess Written for those entering the field or striving to grow within the profession, early child care authority and author, Dr. Stephanie Feeney helps readers understand the nature of the profession, what it means to behave in a professional way, and where they stand in their own professional journey. She devotes chapters to moral and technical competence and explains what the terms "profession" and "professional" mean. Complete with self-assessments and first-hand accounts, Dr. Feeney guides readers in understanding what it means to be an educator who embodies the highest standards of professionalism in their work with children, families and colleagues. Take a look inside...

• Explores the topic of professionalism--examines what constitutes a profession, the professional status of ECE and issues related to professionalism in ECE.
• Discusses what professionalism looks like in the early childhood field (Chapter 4)--includes discussion of the knowledge and skills, or what those who work with young children should know and be able to do.
• Addresses professional behavior (chapter 5)--features discussion of professional conduct, doing what is right, including ethical behavior
• Showcases exemplars in the field and provide guidance to aspiring early childhood professionals (chapter 6)--draws on the experiences of outstanding early childhood educators and illustrates ways to best serve young children.
• Includes reflection questions and self-assessments--helps readers examine their own practice and work toward a higher level of professionalism.

Troubling the Changing Paradigms is the fourth volume in the Educational Philosophy and Theory: Editor's Choice series and represents a collection of texts that were selected as representations of the philosophy and pedagogy of early years, childhood and early childhood education. The philosophy of the early years is complex, and this book demonstrates how this fascinating subject can be interlinked with both the philosophy and history of education as being instrumental in shaping the child subject, childhoods and children's educational futures. This book demonstrates the application of philosophical and theoretical perspectives that provide us with global and local narratives and understandings of children as subjects, and their subjectivities. The philosophical traditions offer new spaces in which to think about alternative childhoods, and contribute to an important analysis in which philosophy has the capacity to shape children's lives and education, and to elevate the multiplicity of discourses around very young children and their education and care. Through the texts in this volume, the authors aim to find creative philosophical forms that are capable of interrupting, if not disrupting, traditional and, in some settings, perhaps more conventional discourses about children and their childhoods. These philosophical forms present productive ways that allow fresh conceptions of what is all too often an assumed set of subjectivities and experiences about very young children. Troubling the Changing Paradigms will be key reading for academics, researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of philosophy of education, philosophy, education, educational theory, post-structural theory, the policy and politics of education, and the pedagogy of education.

This new edition of From Birth to Sixteen outlines children's physical, social, emotional and cognitive development from infancy through to adolescence. In both its practical application of research and its contribution to the assessment of child development, this text provides essential reading for students and practitioners in nursing, health visiting, play work, youth work, early years education, teaching, social work and occupational therapy. This innovative and broad-ranging text is accessible and engaging, with case studies, tables, and references to relevant studies making links to professional practice throughout. Taking into account the diversity of ways in which children develop - including considerations of gender, ethnicity, social background, disability and resilience - it presents developmental models for the years from birth to sixteen under each of the following themes: children's rights and responsibilities relationships in the family relationships in day care, at school and with the peer group language and communication children and the media health and physical development mental health. This fully updated new edition offers additional content on topics such as attachment theory, the neuroscience of the brain, sleep patterns, multi-lingualism in childhood, disability, making the transition to young adulthood, and impact of war and other forms of adversity on emotional health and well-being. A companion website offers additional teaching and learning resources for students and lecturers. From the foundations of the subject through to its application in practice, From Birth to Sixteen provides an indispensable companion for those studying child development or working with children.

A clear and practical presentation of the workings of an experimental nursery school. The author offers no hasty generalizations; she sets down the record of her eight years' experience, and indicates the conclusions which may be drawn from the study of children's activities during the most significant period of physical, mental and social development--from fourteen to thirty-six months. She exlains how the nursery goes about its attempt to scale civilization down to the child level in its behavior demands and to open up wider opportunities for active exploration that an adult world can afford. In discussing the environment offered by the nursery school, she considers the child's activities and materials, his relation to other children and to adults, and his introduction to language and rhythm.

Young Children's Civic Mindedness provides a well-grounded understanding of children's civic thought and action by inviting readers to look and listen carefully to the voices of young children themselves. Grounded in research on children's evolving civic identities and drawn from extended case studies and rich narrative vignettes, this book shows the many ways even the youngest children can be civic-minded and political. The book engages readers in thinking about the many ways children reason about and approach civic problems; how children's experience in various local and larger contexts shapes their thinking and action; and the environmental factors that delimit what children see as possible in civic spaces. Written for early childhood, elementary and civic educators, this book encourages readers to go beyond mere rhetoric on the importance of civic education, to develop improved ways of teaching for children's civic development.

Originally published in 1931, this title looks at the education received by children working in industry in England between 1833 and 1876. The industrial revolution created more demand for child labour than ever before, but there were few laws to protect the children involved. School was not compulsory for children until the 1880s, but there were new laws brought in and enforced to reduce the numbers of hours they were allowed to work in industry in 1833 and subsequently in 1844. This title deals with the education of children during that time and the implications of the laws introduced.

Originally published in 1989, this book differed from others on the topic of microcomputers and education at the time, in that it focuses on the influence that microcomputer technology has on children in their early years, specially pre-school and elementary ages. Microcomputers have the capacity to do great harm as well as good and a full explanation of the technical and philosophical issues involved will be of interest to a number of disciplines. Other topics explored are - the potential uses of microcomputer-technology in early childhood education and current research and theory building on microcomputers and early education. This book should be read by teachers, sociologists, psychologists and researchers in education.

The Inclusive Classroom: Creating a Cherished Experience through Montessori brings together experts in Montessori Education and Special Education for the 3- to 6-year-old child in Montessori school. This book will be used by Montessori professionals in teacher training programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, by Montessori teachers in classrooms including public, private, sectarian, and nonsectarian schools for classrooms ages 3 to 6, and by Montessori administrators in all types of schools. The Montessori chapters (Introduction, Practical Life, Sensorial, Math/Geometry, Language, and Conclusion) describe and include examples of how to modify or re-present Montessori lessons for children with learning challenges. These lessons are supported by the principles of Universal Design for Learning AND specific standards from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Border-crossing in Education comprises a series of case studies covering a variety of cultural areas, in order to reveal the density of connections and exchanges that inform educational practices, policies, and systems. It attaches particular importance to individual and collective actors that govern these flows - initiating, promoting, or reconfiguring transfers of policy models. The contributors explore various aspects of the circulatory mechanisms that have been deployed in the field of education during the modern and contemporary period. Varying the observation scales, from local to international, they demonstrate the multilateral character of the circulatory dynamics observed. The implementation of rich and varied approaches to these complex processes offers a perspective that complements and renews our knowledge of the genesis and evolution of educational policies and systems, most notably highlighting their foreign inspirations. However, these studies do not merely evoke borrowings and hybridization, as if national borders proved porous or non-existent. Instead they show that the phenomena of resistance, reinterpretation, and rejection are also an integral part of transnational mechanisms of exchanges. The book thus demonstrates the relevance of a historical approach in addressing these transnational mechanisms in the field of education and childhood policy. This book was originally published as a special issue of Paedagogica Historica.

Fast Childcare in Public Preschools presents an ethnographic examination of the implementation of fast-policy management models and the efforts of teachers to use these to improve their work organization, and the frictions this brings. Using examples from Swedish public preschools, the book focuses on essential areas of the Lean management model in particular, bringing to life concepts relating to the care and education of children. The book draws on international childcare policy and public reforms, exploring the assignments that preschools are set and argues that separating the pedagogical and the organizational as suggested by proponents of management models is not possible. This book considers Jamie Peck and Nik Theodore's work on 'fast policy' and 'model power' and analyzes the tensions between the easy-to-use and difficult-to-use in management models. The model form of Lean's management model rendered it difficult to align with existing childcare policy, pedagogical models, and the organization of a preschool. The book explores the utopian dimension of a modern project in pursuit of efficiency and speed in relation to the Lean model and the preschool teachers' work, by asking, 'what are the wider societal implications of the Lean project in preschools?' Fast Childcare in Public Preschools will be of great interest to cultural anthropologists, qualitative sociologists and political scientists, and organizational researchers interested in the anthropology of policy.

The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. Supporting young children's language development has always been an important part of high-quality Early Years practice. Competency in language (written and spoken) is essential in ensuring children can access learning across the whole curriculum and simultaneously supports personal, social and emotional development. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that many children need additional support to meet age-related expectations in this area. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Early Language Development presents a range of flexible and adaptable ideas to help practitioners develop their practice in the area of speaking, listening and communication. The author, Dr Mary Scanlan, is a expert in Early Years education. She puts theory into practice in this dip-in book by introducing accessible activities that are underpinned by research and an understanding of best practice. This book covers all areas of the EYFS, including the needs of children with EAL or SEND.