This book explores the prominence of 'race' in the lives of young children and their early childhood educators. It critiques the often presumed racial innocence of young children and shows instead how young children actively engage with the politics of race as they form their own identities. It challenges early childhood educators to engage with children's racialised identity politics, and shows how this often requires early childhood educators to rethink their own racialised identities. Amongst the challenges the book presents it offers points of possibility and hope for creating more racially just early childhood classrooms.

""This is a very useful and practical resource that will help the reader create the structured approach essential to any successful action research project." "
Early Years Update

Are you worried about doing your early years action research project? Does the thought of choosing the right research question feel daunting? Are you concerned about the challenges you might face? If you answer 'yes' to any of these questions, then this is the book for you

Written in a lively and accessible style, this is the essential step-by-step guide to conducting your own action research project. The book introduces and evaluates different approaches to action research and explores how they can be applied in early childhood settings to create positive change and to improve practice.

Using varied illustrations and case studies of contemporary projects in diverse early childhood contexts, the book addresses specific issues and challenges that you might face when conducting action research in such settings.

Each chapter offers gentle guidance and support at a specific stage of the research process, from choosing your initial topic to formulating your research question, through to sharing the lessons of your project.

The book's key features include: 16 'Steps' that walk you through the process of conducting your action research project References to real life research projects to illustrate key ideas, themes, practices and debates Advice on creating an action research journal, with sample extracts 'Thinking Boxes' in each chapter to encourage you to review and reflect on the chapter's contents as you plan your research project Checklists in each chapter of key concepts, processes and themes, together with further resources The authors explore some difficult issues associated with action research, including ethics, rigour, validity, critical reflection, and social and professional change. They show that there is more than one 'right' way to perform an action research project and advise you how to choose an approach that is appropriate for your particular interests and circumstances.

"Doing Action Research in Early Childhood Studies" is an essential resource for students and practitioners of early childhood studies.

""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."
Nursery World, October 2004"

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:
What constitutes an appropriate early childhood curriculum How best to study and assess children Involving parents and children in early childhood learning The book features a range of pedagogical devices to inspire early childhood workers to reflect critically on their work and the ideas underpinning it, including: Boxed definitions of key terms Ideas summary charts and ideas galleries Clarification exercises Case studies Further reading lists This essential textbook is ideal for students undertaking early childhood qualifications at degree level, Masters courses in early childhood education, and for practitioners who work with children from birth to eight in early childhood settings.

This book draws on a broad range of poststructural and postcolonial thinkers, and pays particular attention to the intersections of race, class and gender. Within this theoretical framework, it shows the important contribution that Foucault and other poststructural theorists can make to research and practice in early childhood, as well as considering future directions that this application might take. The book uses research-based case studies, drawn from different countries, of practitioners and their work with children and parents. These show how researchers (including practitioners) have brought poststructuralisms into the classroom and used them strategically to reconstruct knowledge-power relationships in classroom practices and relationships. Five strategies of reconstruction are
emphasised in these case studies:
* Creating points of resistance to traditional early childhood discourses
* Reconstructing pedagogical knowledges and practices and relationships
* Privileging social justice and equity intents in practices and relationships
* Attending to cultural relations and practices of gender, race and class
* Producing new forms of collaboration between practitioners, children, the academy, parents and local community.
The book will be of interest to trainers, researchers and practitioners who are seeking to develop an understanding of poststructural thinkers and their potential contribution as an important perspective on early childhood.

"Parents and Professionals in Early Childhood Settings" addresses the complex and sometimes controversial issues that emerge from the care and education of young children. Staff and parents in early childhood settings can find ample advice about how to promote good communication, but much of that advice has no grounding in their daily lives. Instead, it prescribes an established set menu of communication tools, such as newsletters, notebooks and message boards that rarely respond to what staff and families "say" about relationships between them.

Drawing on the authors' research with hundreds of parents, staff and students, the book explores relationships between staff and families through a series of 'issue stories'. Each story features the voices and perspectives of 'real' staff and families and captures their various understandings, desires and feelings about a complex, difficult and/or controversial issue.

The authors support each 'issue story' with snippets from relevant international research, 'Fairness Alerts' that highlight unfair thinking habits and show how to challenge them, and some 'points to ponder' and 'points to discuss' that encourage readers to extend their thinking about the issue/s in the story.

"Parents and Professionals in Early Childhood Settings" is written for the diverse people in the international field of early childhood education and care. They include staff, students, academics, trainers, curriculum advisors, policy officers and managers, together with the parents and other carers of young children.

This book presents early childhood students and staff with a broad and diverse range of teaching techniques to support children's learning. It examines 26 techniques ranging from simple ones, such as describing and listening, to more complex methods, such as deconstruction and scaffolding.

The strategies selected are derived from the best current research knowledge about how young children learn. A detailed evaluation of each strategy enables childcare staff, early childhood teachers and students to expand their repertoire of teaching strategies and to critically evaluate their own teaching in early childhood settings.

Vignettes and examples show how early childhood staff use the techniques to support children's learning and help to bring the discussion of each technique to life. Revised and updated in light of the latest research, new features include:

* Coverage of the phonics debate
* Addition of ICT content
* Questions for further discussion
* Revision to the chapter on problem solving
* Updated referencing throughout

"Teaching Young Children" is key reading for students and experienced early childhood staff working in diverse settings with young children.

This book draws on a broad range of poststructural and postcolonial thinkers, and pays particular attention to the intersections of race, class and gender. Within this theoretical framework, it shows the important contribution that Foucault and other poststructural theorists can make to research and practice in early childhood, as well as considering future directions that this application might take. The book uses research-based case studies, drawn from different countries, of practitioners and their work with children and parents. These show how researchers (including practitioners) have brought poststructuralisms into the classroom and used them strategically to reconstruct knowledge-power relationships in classroom practices and relationships. Creating points of resistance to traditional early childhood discourses * Reconstructing pedagogical knowledges and practices and relationships * Privileging social justice and equity intents in practices and relationships * Attending to cultural relations and practices of gender, race and class * Producing new forms of collaboration between practitioner children, the academy, parents and local community. The book will be of interest to trainers, researchers and practitioners who are seeking to develop an understanding of poststructural thinkers and their potential contribution as an important perspective on early childhood.

Some teachers believe that gender doesn't matter to young children, some believe that good early childhood practice produces equity for all and others believe that pursuing gender equity compromises relationships with parents. Glenda MacNaughton confronts these common myths and shows that even very young children are clearly aware of gender roles, whether they are playing among themselves, listening to stories or interacting with adults.

Rethinking Gender in Early Childhood Education reveals how the focus on individual development that is promoted in early childhood education doesn't produce gender equity. Rather, everyday teaching practices influence the gendering of young children's identities. Glenda MacNaughton draws on theory and research to explain this and to develop approaches, which open up new possibilities for both boys and girls.