Globally, Early Years policies and documents have set out aspirational outcomes and benefits for children, their families and the wider society. These policies have emphasised the place of early childhood provision within the wider global agenda, by tackling inequality and disadvantage early on in children’s lives. However, these strategies have also raised further debates regarding the way they have informed and shaped curricula frameworks and pedagogical approaches. The international team of contributors to this book argue that if these issues are not explicitly acknowledged, understood, critiqued and negotiated, emerging policies and documents may potentially lead to disadvantaging, marginalising and even pathologising certain childhoods. Divided into two parts, the volume demonstrates the dialectic nature of both policy and practice. The chapters in this wide-ranging text: explore and articulate the philosophical premises and values that underpin current early childhood policy, curricula and pedagogies explicitly acknowledge and articulate some of potential conflicts and challenges they present provide examples of divergent and creative pedagogical thinking highlight opportunities for enabling pedagogical cultures and encounters. Debates on Early Childhood Policies and Practices is aimed at a wide readership including academics and researchers in early years education, policy makers, undergraduate and postgraduate students, practitioners and early childhood professionals.

Written by expert lecturers, this book provides students with a comprehensive and critical look at the EYFS curriculum.

International Thinking on Children in Museums introduces current research, theory, and practice about young learners in museums around the world. The book imparts vital knowledge about the nature of childhood and children’s learning that will improve understanding of the very youngest museum-goers. Including contributions from practitioners, scholars, and consultants around the globe, this volume examines museum practices and children’s learning across a range of distinct cultural and geographic locales. The framework of the book is based on research and current thinking in the realm of developmental psychology, sociology, and anthropology, allowing the contributors to examine the evolution of early learning and children’s programs through a sociocultural lens. This broad-based look at international museum practices for children offers a rare view of the field from an important, but oft-neglected perspective: that of society and culture. International Thinking on Children in Museums will broaden understanding of museum practice across cultures and geographic regions and, as such, will be of interest to scholars and students engaged in the study of museum education, museum studies, and early learning. It should also provide a much-needed source of inspiration for museum practitioners working around the world.

Sharne Rolfe brings an excellent discussion of attachment principles, research and applications to an exceedingly important topic, the relationships between child care teachers/providers and young children. It is a important resource for the current and next generation of early childhood professionals and researchers, and it will be a key resource for the growing international discussion about child care teacher/provider and child relationships.' Helen H. Raikes, PhD, The Gallup Organization, and Society for Research in Child Development Consultant, Administration for Children and Families, USA a timely synthesis of current knowledge concerning attachment and its implications for contemporary practice.highly relevant for use in college and university early childhood programs and a valuable resource for directors and staff in children's services' Alan Hayes, Professor of Early Childhood Studies, Macquarie University particularly valuable in highlighting the crucial importance of taking a relationship-based approach when working with young children.' Pam Linke, Manager, Centre for Parenting, Child and Youth Health, South Australia This accessible and lively exploration of the importance of attachment for infants, young children and their parents, should be essential reading for all professional caregivers and for policy makers concerned with the mental health and well being of our future generation.' Ruth Schmidt Neven, Director, Centre for Child and Family Development In heated debates about whether childcare damages young children, attachment theory has been seen as anti-childcare'. Rolfe rethinks this perception, demonstrating instead that understanding attachment is essential to good childcare practice. Rethinking Attachment offers a thorough explanation of attachment theory and explains how security, autonomy and resilience in young children can be promoted in childcare settings through a sound understanding of attachment principles. With examples drawn from practice, Rolfe examines the relationships between children and their carers, between parents and carers, and between carers themselves. She also shows how secure attachment relationships with parents and carers influence transitions to childcare, preschool and school.

This popular book focuses on the leader’s role in initiating and sustaining anti-bias education in programs for young children and their families. This second edition emphasizes how the journey requires thoughtful, strategic, long-term planning that addresses all components of an early childhood care and education program. The authors, who are recognized leaders and experts on anti-bias education with extensive experience as early childhood directors, use a powerful combination of frameworks and practical tools to explain the structural and individual changes that leaders must foster. This updated edition features anti-bias leaders from diverse settings who share their insights and strategies for working with teachers and families. Book Features: The principles and guidelines for program-wide transformation.Professional development activities for teachers at all levels of experience.Approaches for engaging with families around social justice values.Strategies for strengthening the leader’s ability to initiate and sustain anti-bias change.Tools for documenting a program’s progress in anti-bias education. New for the Second Edition: Voices of additional leaders from the field, highlighting BIPOC center directors from diverse settings. Updated research, references, and terminology.Strategies and activities for teacher professional development and family engagement based on 7 years of using the first edition.Expanded section on responding to opposition to anti-bias education, addressing the current political environment. Praise for the First Edition! “This book is a tool box for building early childhood programs that foster sentiments of justice and fairness in leaders, teachers, and young children.” —Herbert Kohl, educator and bestselling author “A concise and powerful message for anti-bias leaders in early childhood education everywhere. A truly inspired gift of lessons from the movement, for the movement.” —Carol Brunson Day, board president, NAEYC (2014–2016) “For those who are seeking to make a real difference and impact on the world we live in, this book lays a road map and foundation for the work ahead.” —Luis A. Hernandez, early childhood education specialist “Recognizes the essential role early childhood administrators play in initiating and sustaining culturally relevant care and education. This book provides the tools program leaders need.” —Paula Jorde Bloom, founder, McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership “If you are an educator wanting to see more equity and inclusiveness in the world, you’ll find reassurance, resources, and strategic thinking to engage with in this anti-bias work.” —Margie Carter, author and international early childhood consultant

Recent authoritative evidence suggests that an estimated 200 million children under five fail to achieve their developmental potential due to factors including poor health and nutrition and the lack of stable high quality care. A significant number of the world’s children today lack the basic rights to health, development and protection. In light of such statistics, early childhood services for young children have expanded around the world. The SAGE Handbook of Early Childhood Policy draws critical attention to policy in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) its relationship to service provision and its impact on the lives of children and families. The perspectives of leading academics and researchers from Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australasia and Asia have been arranged around five key themes: Part 1: The Relationship Between Research, Policy And Practice: Country Case Studies Part 2: Equitable Early Childhood Services: Intervention to Improve Children’s Life Chances Part 3: Extending Practice: The Role of Early Childhood Services In Family Support Part 4: Participation, Rights and Diversity Part 5: Future Directions for Early Childhood Policy This handbook is essential reading for practitioners, stakeholders and others committed to working within early years services to achieve an awareness of policy and its implications for services and practice.

This new and updated second edition of Debates in Physical Education explores issues physical education teachers encounter in their daily lives. By engaging with both established and contemporary debates, this volume challenges readers to think about and reflect on the relative validity of positions presented in order to develop their own reasoned and personal view in relation to the topics explored. Divided into four accessible sections, this book investigates and offers fresh insight into topics of central importance in physical education. Chapters include, for example: Physical education as a means or as an end in itself; Knowledge for physical education; The physical education curriculum; Assessment in physical education; Technology, pedagogy and physical education. Physical education beyond schools and teachers. Designed to stimulate discussion and support readers in their own research, writing and practice, Debates in Physical Education will be a valuable resource for any student or practising teacher engaged in initial teacher education, continuing professional development or Master's level study.

By exploring the key issues, arguments and messages that exist in the field this book provides an international, comparative look at aspects of early childhood education and care. Pedagogical practices, learning cultures and the professional development of practitioners are considered within the wider political agenda of different countries. Pertinent policy and practice issues, such as numeracy and literacy, are carefully examined. The text highlights how important it is to engage with and listen to children, to provide positive learning encounters. Divided into four parts, the book covers: - children′s learning cultures - culture of pedagogy - cultural perspectives on curriculum - cultures of professional development Chapters cover key topics such as: - multi-sensory learning - outdoor learning - children′s voice - children as mentors - literacy and mathematics With expert contributors drawn from across the world, this book is vital reading for all those studying comparative education on early years courses. Theodora Papatheodorou, PhD, is an early years educator and researcher. Janet Moyles is Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Education, Anglia Ruskin University and an early years consultant.

The October 2008 Cultural Studies Review is a special issue focusing on cultures of panic, particularly recent examples of moral panic arising from issues of race, gender and sexuality. The diverse essays deal with 'men of Middle Eastern appearance', the trial of Private Kovko, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the use of Ritalin, concerns around children and sexuality in Australia, and arts funding in the United States during the 'culture wars'. The moral panic has centrally to do with the behaviour of crowds, particularly the virtual crowds created by the mass media. It's a mechanism of expulsion, and thus at the same time of group solidarity. It's also a particularly powerful genre of the tabloid media: in its identification and shaming of deviant social groups it rigidly defines and reinforces moral norms, and is complicit with political strategies of consolidation and othering which create and depend on a sense of horror at refugees who wilfully throw their children overboard or push in to the front of the 'queue', at paedophiles grooming children over the internet, at drug-crazed criminals and bingeing teenagers... The challenge is to move beyond the realisation that moral panics are not rationally constructed to an analysis of the passional bases of the social order, and to an understanding of how our politics might deal with this without itself falling into the contagion of panic. The diverse collection of essays gathered together in this edition takes up that challenge.