This book is about Gabby, an inquisitive girl who leads her own learning very effectively with support from the adults in her life. The author, her grandmother, draws on seven years of data from diaries, photos and Gabby's own writing to consider her development and learning when cared for by both her parents and grandparents. Gabby builds on her experiences with her Latvian mother, English father and her elder sister as she faces and deals with transitions as she grows up. The chapters are presented in a chronological order as a 'running record' going from 0-1 year right through to 6-7 years and can be analysed through a range of theories and frameworks. With chapters considering theory and the data separately the reader can reach their own conclusions on child development before exploring the author's analyses. Each chapter also considers the relevance of Ofsted's Intent, Implementation and Impact framework and other theories and schemas. This book about one child's early development and learning is a fascinating insight into how young children learn for those studying or working in the early years field. It includes access to an online learning centre of video clips to bring the descriptions to life and provide further insight into Gabby's development. "This book is a testament to the power of quiet, attentive observation and its application to a range of disciplines beyond the therapeutic. 'Observing Gabby' will be of interest to Early Years practitioners who are keen to provide a setting conducive to holistic education, and those interested in the links between emotional well-being and learning." Sarah Fielding, Infant Observation "This carefully structured text will be helpful for anyone teaching or studying child development particularly with the addition of video materials to view alongside the book." Mary Briggs FRSA, CMathTeach, APECS, SFHEA, FCCT, Principal Lecturer and Programme Lead for Childhood and Education (ECS and Ed Studies), Oxford Brookes University, UK "This rich account of Gabby's early childhood development takes the reader on an inspiring journey." Shirley Allen, School of Health and Education, Middlesex University "I would heartily recommend this book to any early years practitioner, who wants to better understand child development, improve the quality of their child observations and to develop their skill in linking the two seamlessly." Andrea Layzell, Project Lead and Tutor, Bradford Birth to 19 Teaching School Alliance Dr Cath Arnold has worked in the field of Early Childhood for over 40 years, as a practitioner/teacher, researcher, lecturer and author. Her particular interests include child study; schemas and parental involvement. This is her fifth book focussing on close observation of the spontaneous actions of young children.

Evolved through conversations with key early childhood education experts, Schemas in the Early Years focuses on the value of 'repeated patterns' of action or 'schemas' in young children's play. It stimulates readers to ask questions of themselves, to watch children closely, and to create a dialogue with parents and other educators as well. Contributors to this fascinating book discuss their observation of children in naturalistic situations when they are deeply involved in play and identify topics or themes that can be linked to and inspire professional development opportunities. This book provides an antidote to beginning with the curriculum rather than the child and really considers children as learners. Each chapter focuses on young children and schemas, considering a wide age range from babies to children attending statutory schooling. Schemas in the Early Years is an accessible and inspiring text and serves as essential reading for educators wanting to think further and in more depth about schemas. Newcomers to schema theory or anyone currently using schema theory to understand children will also find these enquiries useful. All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to Shelter - the housing and homelessness charity.

Young Children Learning Through Schemas is a creative and highly engaging text that shows how young children can learn through exploring repeated patterns in their actions. With contributions from a range of practitioners, this book examines the philosophical approaches underpinning constructivism and includes a variety of case studies of small children in order to demonstrate the universal explorations we all engage in as human beings. This approach from the contributors, which involves presenting observations of one or two young children per chapter, is engaging, inspirational and yet rooted in every day practice. Chapters include a variety of observations of young children at home, in nursery and in groups with their parents or carers, which continue the dialogue about early years practice and the roles of families and professionals. Containing a wealth of illustrative photos, any practitioner researching or working in the area of Early Years education and care will find this book essential reading.

This inspiring book shows how Early Years staff can support the best possible practice for children under three and their families whilst making use of the limited funding available. Promoting the idea of infants as powerful learners, the authors focus on 0-3 years as the vital first phase of education and care, which can require a very specific pedagogical approach. They discuss the principles that underpin the practice of working with the youngest children, the critical nature of highly effective pedagogical practice and the important role of family workers in building relationships with parents and the extended family. Working with Children Aged 0-3 and Their Families explores the challenges and responsibilities of working with young children and communicates the 'Pen Green approach'. Pen Green has become a focal point for Early Years professionals due to its outstanding Early Years provision. The innovative approach chronicled in this book will encourage practitioners to research their own practice and use the outcomes to create a radical, unique and yet highly effective provision for infants, toddlers and their families. The book will be of interest to Early Years professionals, foundation and undergraduate students, and early childhood educators.

Evolved through conversations with key early childhood education experts, Schemas in the Early Years focuses on the value of 'repeated patterns' of action or 'schemas' in young children's play. It stimulates readers to ask questions of themselves, to watch children closely, and to create a dialogue with parents and other educators as well. Contributors to this fascinating book discuss their observation of children in naturalistic situations when they are deeply involved in play and identify topics or themes that can be linked to and inspire professional development opportunities. This book provides an antidote to beginning with the curriculum rather than the child and really considers children as learners. Each chapter focuses on young children and schemas, considering a wide age range from babies to children attending statutory schooling. Schemas in the Early Years is an accessible and inspiring text and serves as essential reading for educators wanting to think further and in more depth about schemas. Newcomers to schema theory or anyone currently using schema theory to understand children will also find these enquiries useful. All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to Shelter - the housing and homelessness charity.

Improving Your Reflective Practice through Stories of Practitioner Research shows how research has informed and created effective and valuable reflective practice in early years education, and offers depth to the arguments for a research-orientated stance to this vital field of study. This thought-provoking text explores and documents a variety of small-scale practitioner research projects from the home and early years settings. The stories are centred around real life for children, families and workers and offer practical ideas and support for early years students around the world. They engage in some of the most current debates in early childhood education today, such as: how to support children as individuals how young children learn and how parents support their learning how to lead and facilitate change in a way that does not take power away from children, parents or workers how to support children in taking risks how to support parents in returning to learning. Throughout this book, the 'Pen Green' attitude to practitioner research is actively encouraged. This involves fostering curiosity, being open to the views of others, questioning the 'taken for granted', making the implicit explicit and reflecting on one's daily work. Any practitioner research in early years education and care will draw inspiration from this accessible and supportive text.

Improving Your Reflective Practice through Stories of Practitioner Research shows how research has informed and created effective and valuable reflective practice in early years education, and offers depth to the arguments for a research-orientated stance to this vital field of study. This thought-provoking text explores and documents a variety of small-scale practitioner research projects from the home and early years settings. The stories are centred around real life for children, families and workers and offer practical ideas and support for early years students around the world. They engage in some of the most current debates in early childhood education today, such as: how to support children as individuals how young children learn and how parents support their learning how to lead and facilitate change in a way that does not take power away from children, parents or workers how to support children in taking risks how to support parents in returning to learning. Throughout this book, the 'Pen Green' attitude to practitioner research is actively encouraged. This involves fostering curiosity, being open to the views of others, questioning the 'taken for granted', making the implicit explicit and reflecting on one's daily work. Any practitioner research in early years education and care will draw inspiration from this accessible and supportive text.

This inspiring book shows how Early Years staff can support the best possible practice for children under three and their families whilst making use of the limited funding available. Promoting the idea of infants as powerful learners, the authors focus on 0-3 years as the vital first phase of education and care, which can require a very specific pedagogical approach. They discuss the principles that underpin the practice of working with the youngest children, the critical nature of highly effective pedagogical practice and the important role of family workers in building relationships with parents and the extended family. Working with Children Aged 0-3 and Their Families explores the challenges and responsibilities of working with young children and communicates the 'Pen Green approach'. Pen Green has become a focal point for Early Years professionals due to its outstanding Early Years provision. The innovative approach chronicled in this book will encourage practitioners to research their own practice and use the outcomes to create a radical, unique and yet highly effective provision for infants, toddlers and their families. The book will be of interest to Early Years professionals, foundation and undergraduate students, and early childhood educators.

Young Children Learning Through Schemas is a creative and highly engaging text that shows how young children can learn through exploring repeated patterns in their actions. With contributions from a range of practitioners, this book examines the philosophical approaches underpinning constructivism and includes a variety of case studies of small children in order to demonstrate the universal explorations we all engage in as human beings. This approach from the contributors, which involves presenting observations of one or two young children per chapter, is engaging, inspirational and yet rooted in every day practice. Chapters include a variety of observations of young children at home, in nursery and in groups with their parents or carers, which continue the dialogue about early years practice and the roles of families and professionals. Containing a wealth of illustrative photos, any practitioner researching or working in the area of Early Years education and care will find this book essential reading.

Observation of young children, their development, and planning for next steps is a fundamental requirement of early years practice. Awareness of appropriate techniques, understanding what you are observing, as well as what it all means in terms of planning for learning is an essential yet difficult skill to acquire. This is a very practical book on observing young children that supports you in preparing a child observation case study. Taking a step-by-step approach the book covers the whole process beginning with choosing a child to study before discussing the fundamentals of child observation.It includes invaluable guidance on:The ethics of your study Appropriate techniques and tools for gathering data Observations that are useful How to select material to include Analyzing or interpreting the information Potential pitfallsThe book includes many examples of good observations, which help show how your own observations can be evaluated, analyzed and used. In addition there is a fully worked example of a child observation case study in the penultimate chapter.If you are studying early years or early childhood studies at foundation, undergraduate or Master's degree level then this book will really help you get to grips with how a good child observation study unfolds and develops.Cath Arnold works at the Pen Green Centre, an internationally renowned Children's Centre in Corby, UK. She is author of Observing Harry (Open University Press 2003).This is a fascinating and accessible new book on child observation case study for students and professionals. Cath Arnold integrates theoretical perspectives and practical examples of observations with remarkable clarity in this comprehensive guidance to child case study. Shirley Allen, Senior Lecturer Early Childhood Studies, Middlesex UniversityIt is quickly evident to the reader that 'Doing Your Child Observation Case Study' is steeped in the expertise and extensive experience of its author. The practical guidance it offers is likely to prove invaluable for childhood studies students and early career researchers in the field. Yet Cath Arnold's 'step-by-step guide' goes far beyond the practical. She shines vital light on the complex nuances of values, beliefs, ethics and rights inherent in child case study and addresses with clarity and credibility the crucial role that theory can play in supporting our understanding of children's actions. This text is an excellent addition to the childhood studies bookshelf. Dr Jane Murray, Centre for Education and Research, University of Northampton, UKCath Arnold has provided a rich resource for those who want to understand more about children, their wellbeing and their learning. This detailed approach to child observation offers guidance on why, how and what to observe, and how to interpret what is observed. Rich in examples collected over many years 'Doing your Child Observation Case Study' will get many early years practitioners started on their own learning journeys as they watch and engage with young children to develop detailed impressions of children's development. Professor Cathy Nutbrown, Head of The School of Education, The University of SheffieldIn this new book Cath is once more supporting early childhood educators to engage in the strong UK tradition of child observations; the tradition of Piaget, Novara, Darwin and Susan Isaacs. She has developed her own understanding of the importance of observational studies building on the giants whose shoulders we all stand on. This powerful publication combines insights into both the theory and practice of developing child observations in an early years setting. Cath demonstrates how detailed and powerful records of children's learning and development speak to practitioners and hold their value over time in a world where early educators are increasingly obliged to devote enormous amounts of their energy filling in forms, schedules and are hard pressed to reject the pressure of tick box developmental checks and imposed tracking schemes. This book lights the way to a much deeper way of documenting children's learning and development. As educators we need to match children's learning with rich curriculum content and this book reminds us that we can only achieve this critical pedagogical task if we have closely watched what it is that excites and interests each individual child. 'Doing Your Child Observation Case Study' shows us the way to be well informed practitioners able to offer children a really rich learning experience. Dr. Margy Whalley, Director of the Research, Development and Training Base at the Pen Green Centre and Centre for Children and their Families

This book grew out of a three-year study of one child, documenting her social, emotional and cognitive development.

It provides a valuable insight for all students and teachers of child development at the individual level. The observations and assessments are presented here as a model for students to use in their own observations aimed at supporting and extending children's learning. The book sets out theories and traditions in early childhood development and care, as well as ways of analyzing observations.

This is an essential book for students and practitioners involved in research and observation in early years settings.