A Critical Companion to Early Childhood
- Michael Reed - University of Worcester, UK
- Rosie Walker - Worcester University
In this stimulating and provocative book the editors have drawn together a diverse and international range of respected authors, each of whom has taken a critical approach to the contentious question of how you define and achieve quality early childhood services. It is a book designed to provoke and promote critical dialogue and discourse amongst practitioners and students through critical engagement with the position of the authors within the text. I believe anyone who reads this book will be inspired and motivated to challenge and extend their thinking and professional practice, adopting the critical stance which lies at the heart of quality services for children and families.
Professor Chris Pascal, Director of Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC)
Early childhood is a complex and important area of study where it is important to develop your critical thinking and reflect upon key issues. This book will help do both.
It explores interrelated topics such as:
- Child development
- Play
- Safeguarding
- Professionalism
- Curriculum and Policy
Each chapter will not only engage with what you need to know but help you develop your academic skills.
The book also comes with lots of online resources and include:
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Podcasts from the authors of each chapter so you can better understand the key concepts
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PowerPoints to help you revise the essential information
- Journal articles related to each chapter provide further reading
Michael Reed and Rosie Walker are both Senior Lecturers in Early Childhood at the Institute of Education, University of Worcester.
Supplements
This is a very good book for our students. It is applicable to much of the course modules they undertake.
A very relevant book, have requested our library to order copies
This book will be a recommended text for the students on the BA Programme. The easy reading style of the book will aid the students understanding of early childhood.
Covers areas of childhood studies which are essential for learners to understand, written in an easy read style
This is an extremely valuable book for my Foundation Degree in Early Year Students. It is easy to read, has a vast array of case studies and reflection points throughout each chapter to help students relate theory to practice.
This book can also be used throughout several of the modules as it covers key issues relating to reflection, the developing child, policy and practice and professional roles and responsibilities
This book takes a thought-provoking look at contemporary issues relating to Early Childhood Studies. The text is accessible to the reader and the subheadings (often in the form of questions) structure the chapters clearly. The critical learning activities which can be found throughout the book encourage the reader to develop a reflective stance. The companion website is a fantastic resource.
Interesting and factual read
It will be useful to see which students engage well with this text - it is essential that we develop free and versatile thinkers who will venture out into childcare and education settings. A very interesting and quite unique text.
I will recommend that students purchase a copy of this because it will not only support their studies in the first year of their degree but will also be important and relevant throughout the units they will be studying as they continue on their journey to achieve their degree.
