Education > Early Childhood Education

This collection of papers describes a special way of seeing and caring for infants. It is of value to all people concerned with infant care, including parents, infant carers, educators, physicians, therapists, those who implement day care programs, as well as those who advise or consult with parents. The collection begins with practical suggestions for parents. Part II includes Magda Gerber's writings and teachings. Gerber uses the Pikler philosophy and methodology in her work. Resources for Infant Educarers was founded to incor... read more

Through descriptions and illustrations, shows the basic process by which babies are naturally able to move well without assistance. Dr. Pikler's approach focuses on natural healthy development and values the quality of the movement rather than the age at which the movement is acquired. These charming line drawings of infants illustrate the unfolding of natural motor development based on Dr Emmi Pikler's classic studies of babies who had the unusual opportunity for both secure, respectful relationships and the chance to explore t... read more

Underpinned by substantive research on meeting the developmental and attachment needs of infants, this book offers constructive advice on how to encourage curiosity, confidence and emotional security in young children. Based on a philosophy of respect and sensitive observation of infants, it is appropriate for use in Sure Start programmes. The contributors offer a model that supports children's development and well being without relying on expensive material resources, and enables a coherent care strategy to be applied across d... read more

Proven tools and strategies for partnering with parents as an essential element in successful ECE programs.

This popular handbook is an updated and expanded second edition for establishing, organizing, and maintaining quality infant and toddler programs. A new, interactive CD-ROM is included for providers to customize forms, checklists, and policies for specific programs.

Being with Babies is a great resource for both beginning and experienced caregivers. Each chapter includes information on the developmental stages of babies and describes issues that caregivers face every day. The book offers scenarios that illustrate these challenges, then suggests solutions caregivers can use to address the issues while still meeting the needs of the babies. It concludes with a review of key points. Being with Babies helps caregivers handle everyday challenges with ease. This hands-on resource is perfect for... read more

This title considers every aspect of outdoor play - from its rationale in early childhood education, to incorporating it successfully into the curriculum and assessing its wider implications for teaching and learning. A recent report has found that young children are not receiving the play-based education that they should be due to the pressure on practitioners to prepare for more formal learning in later years. In this engaging and stimulating guide, Ros Garrick considers every aspect of outdoor play - from its rationale in early ... read more

Children should reach the statutory early learning goals before the age of five. This book focuses on one of these goals - knowledge and understanding of the world. It contains one hundred practical and inspiring ideas for teachers to use in early years education.This book will be essential reading for any practitioner involved with children's development in the early years. Focusing on knowledge and understanding of the world, the author provides one hundred practical and inspiring ideas for use in the education setting.This serie... read more

The treasure basket and heuristic play approach is astoundingly simple; by offering natural and household objects to babies and toddlers you can make a profound impact on their learning capabilities, encouraging concentration, exploration and intellectual development. Based on a wealth of research into how babies learn, Developing Play for the Under 3s shows how using this approach can transform the learning abilities of babies and toddlers. Featuring never before published, original interviews with the pioneer of the treas... read more

Instead of focusing on the child as the problem, this book shows, in a highly practical way, how staff in early years settings can implement simple changes to make positive behaviour a reality for all. The author, whose work is based on vast experience in the field, provides an array of positive behaviour strategies that can be successful with almost all children, whatever the reason for their behaviour. Designed to appeal to and be accessible for all early years practitioners, this book includes strategies and advice on: how t... read more

Since the first edition was published in 1999, Beyond Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care has established itself as one of the most important books in the early childhood field to have appeared in the last 10 years. Working with a range of critical perspectives and theories and an analysis of the world we live in today, and using examples from Canada, Sweden and Reggio Emilia, the book challenges many of the basic assumptions and assertions of mainstream early childhood policy and practice, showing that there are other po... read more

This fascinating book presents the stories of infant/toddler caregivers and their work to illustrate the complexity of balancing relationships with babies, families, coworkers, and self, yet remaining emotionally present and mindfully engaged. Enid Elliot explores the inevitable tensions of working within these various relationships and demonstrates how proficient caregivers can develop strategies for achieving this delicate balance. In the process, she raises provocative questions about how we care for babies, and how to provi... read more

"From Birth to Five Years," based on the pioneering work of Mary Sheridan, has become a classic guide to the developmental progress of pre-school children. It is widely recognised as an invaluable reference for professionals training or working in health, education and social care. Features of this completely revised edition include: charts describing key stages in the development of motor, perception, communication, play, independence and social skills, updated in the light of recent research and supported by over 120 illustration... read more

The documentation of young children's learning plays a vital role in the pre-schools of Reggio Emilia. This leading edge approach to bringing record-keeping and assessment into the heart of young children's learning is envied and emulated by educators around the world. This unique, accessible and inspiring book is based upon a documentary approach successfully implemented by Stirling Council in Scotland, whose pre-school educators experienced dramatic improvements in their understandings about young children, how they learn and the... read more

In this accessible and thought-provoking text, the author examines the behaviour of babies and young children in a developmental context, and takes into account the shifts and changes over time as young children grow and mature. Understanding Behaviour and Development in Early Childhood reveals, for example, how behaviour perceived as 'difficult' in a young child may be the manifestation of a response to emotional, sensory and cognitive experiences. Throughout the book, readers will find a strong emphasis on emotional well-being an... read more

This book provides an accessible introduction to the values and principles underlying the Reggio Approach to early years care and education. It demonstrates how practitioners in the United Kingdom have drawn inspiration from the Reggio Approach and developed their own practice in order to provide high quality experiences for young children.

Peer Relationships in Early Childhood Education and Care brings together a wide range of perspectives and research locating young children's relationships in the context of socio-cultural theories and relational pedagogy.About the author:Margaret Kernan is a Senior Programme Manager in International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI), the Netherlands. Elly Singer is Associate Professor at the Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Utrecht and at the Faculty of Education of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Is it possible to meet all the needs of a widely diverse group of children in one class? Based upon the author's own research into this question, this new book invites readers to compare teachers' accounts of their best lessons and provides useful discussion and viewpoints about inclusive pedagogy in a variety of learning contexts. Inclusion in the Early Years covers: Structured and signposted case studies to encourage comparison Examples of children's work to demonstrate how they responded to lessons.

Play is crucial to every child's development. Use these practical strategies to ensure all children benefit from learning through play. Includes: Short case studies that illustrate how strategies work in practice Practical, topical information on how to include all children in day-to-day activities Explanation of how different types of SEN can affect a child's play Advice on how to address different behaviours seen during play Photocopiable resources Written for practitioners in all pre-school settings, as well as studen... read more

Margaret Carr's seminal work on Learning Stories was first published by SAGE in 2001, and this widely acclaimed approach to assessment has since gained a huge international following. In this new book, the authors outline the philosophy behind Learning Stories and call on the latest findings from the research projects they have led with teachers on learning dispositions and learning power to argue that Learning Stories can construct learner identities in early childhood settings and schools. By making the connection between sociocu... read more