Early Childhood Education

This unique and engaging resource describes, critiques and analyses the significance of a wide range of contemporary and classic ideas about how young children learn. In a handy A - Z format, best-selling author and early years expert Sandra Smidt traces back each idea to the roots of how it was first conceived while exploring their implications for the early years classroom.

This accessible introduction to the history of early childhood education emphasizes the role of history and philosophy in early childhood practice today. The text features a series of imagined conversations with key figures and pioneers, which exemplify various philosophical positions in early childhood.

This guide to creating multicultural classrooms provides research-based practices for engaging children in the exploration of the complexities of race, economic inequalities, immigration, environmental issues and sustainability, gender and sexual orientation and identities, challenges of teaching in the context of globalization, pervasive social media, and increasing standard and accountability.

A book designed for students in early childhood teacher preparation programs, in-service teachers, and those in related in-service and preparation programs. In each section, critical social and cultural factors are related to young childrens' development, and factors relevant to working with children with special needs are integrated throughout. Other areas covered include developmentally appropriate practice, readiness, assessment, working with children and families from diverse cultures, development of early stages of reading, the importance of brain development, and play and learning.