Towards Excellence in Early Years Education

Introduction

This book uniquely describes the work of two Early Years Professionals, drawing on their narrative accounts as they robustly describe and analyse their work with young children. Against a backcloth of increasing regulation and inspection of early years care and education, Kathy Gooch emphasizes the importance of building authentic relationships with children and their families, explores how play can be promoted as the central site for learning, and shows how professionals can use play to account for children’s development and learning.

Key Themes

In analysing the Early Year Professionals’ narratives, this book explores key themes including:

Traditional Notions of Teaching

• Traditional notions of ‘teaching’ and how they can be redefined

The Significance of Talk

• The significance of talk in children’s lives

Professional Identities

• Teachers’ professional identities

Learning Through Play

• How children’s potential in learning can be achieved through play

Conclusion

Celebrating knowledge, skills and understanding and re-defining what it means to be a teacher, in its broadest sense, this fascinating book brings together research and literature from across disciplines. Containing a foreword by Tricia David, it will be of interest to academics, early years educators and students on early childhood education degree programmes and initial teacher education courses, as well as others concerned with the over prescriptive nature of early education.