The book you can trust to guide you through your career in the early years, as the expert authors share tried and tested techniques in a range of early years settings. For this new edition, Jennifer Colwell and Amanda Ince have drawn together an expert author team to bring you guidance from top practitioners that is both cohesive and that continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s early years practitioners. It is designed for trainees whether in universities or early years settings and looks across the full early years spectrum, from birth to 8 years old.
Reflective Teaching in Early Education uniquely provides two levels of support:
- Practical, evidence-based guidance on key early years issues – including relationships, behaviour, inclusion, curriculum planning and learning, and teaching strategies
- Evidence-informed ‘principles’ and 'concepts' to help you to understand the theories informing practice, offering ways for you to continue to develop your skills and understanding of early years practice in early childhood education and care
New to this edition:
- Case Studies which illustrate the impact Reflective Teaching can have on your practice and your setting
- New Reflective Activities
- Updated references and guidance on Key Readings
- Updates to reflect recent changes in curriculum and assessment across the UK
reflectiveteaching.co.uk provides a treasure trove of additional support.
Readings for Reflective Teaching in Early Education, the supporting ‘portable library’ volume, is signposted throughout this book and provides convenient access to key texts.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Using this book
A summary of the book
Part I: Becoming a reflective professional
1. Identity: Who are we and what do we stand for?
2. Learning: How can we understand learner development?
3. Reflection: How can we develop the quality of our practice?
4. Principles: What are the foundations of effective teaching and learning?
Part II: Creating conditions for learning
5. Contexts: What is, and what might be?
6. Relationships: How are we getting on together?
7. Engagement: How are we managing behaviour?
8. Spaces: How are we creating environments for learning?
Part III: Teaching for learning
9. Curriculum: What is taught in the early years?
10. Planning: How are we implementing the curriculum?
11. Pedagogy: How can we develop effective strategies?
12. Communication: How does language support learning?
13. Assessment: How can assessment enhance learning?
Part IV: Reflecting on consequences
14. Outcomes: How do we capture learning achievements?
15. Inclusion: How are we enabling learning opportunities?
Part V: Deepening understanding
16. Expertise: Conceptual tools for career-long fascination?
17. Professionalism: How does reflective teaching contribute to society?
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Index
About the Author :
Jennifer Colwell is an Educational Consultant and Research Fellow in the Education Research Centre at the University of Brighton, UK.
Amanda Ince is a Principal Teaching Fellow at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK.
Helen Bradford (Independent Educational Consultant, UK) | Eleanor Kitto (IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK | Julian Grenier (Headteacher, Sheringham Nursery School and Children's Centre, UK) | Eunice Lumsden (University of Northampton, UK) | Catriona McDonald and Sheila Nutkins (University of Aberdeen, UK) | Mary Moloney (Mary Immaculate College, Ireland) | Ioanna Palaiologou (Canterbury Educational Services, UK) | Helen Edwards and Juliet Mickelburgh (Foundation Stage Forum, UK) | Rebecca Swindells (Independent Early Years Consultant, UK) | Deborah Price (Independent Early Years Consultant, UK)
Review :
At a time of crisis and instability, young children need well informed, compassionate and critical advocates who recognise their responsibility to interpret ‘top-down’ policies and directives, accommodating the different needs of individual children. Reflective Teaching in Early Education offers an excellent, up-to-date resource for developing this engaged professionalism.
Essential literature for ECE professionals. By its unique, evidence-based orientation it recognizes reflective practice as a foundation in supporting child- centred practice in ECE settings.
A great conduit for engaging practitioners & teachers in reflecting critically about teaching and learning in the early years, but also does much more. Almost every page offers case studies and reflective points that make the ideas come to life. In every chapter I found ideas that spurred my thinking and practice, and so will you.
[Praise for the first edition] It is very exciting to have a book in the wonderful Reflective Teaching series that is specifically dedicated to early education. Supporting the youngest learners in our society is a huge responsibility and demands thoughtful and responsive professionalism. This interesting and inspirational book is an excellent resource for all those involved with early childhood education and care, at every stage of their careers…A comprehensive, readable text that is highly informative and invites critical thinking, at every step, through accessible reflective activities. The structure of the book is clear, beginning with professional identity and development and moving to cover key aspects of learning, teaching and wider social issues. I will definitely use this book myself and look forward to reading and discussing it with undergraduate and postgraduate students of early childhood education.
[Praise for the first edition] A hugely valuable and comprehensive tool to support evidence-based reflective practice in the early years. It will support those currently studying and no doubt become a core text for many courses, but I would also recommend it for all practitioners wishing to extend and deepen their practice. It is challenging in a highly accessible and practical way, full of reflective activities, questions and case studies alongside ideas for further reading. An excellent resource for the early years.
[Praise for the first edition] I teach on a BA (Honours) Early Childhood Studies course and Reflective Teaching in Early Education will become one of the key texts for my students. I like the way the book begins with “me” as a reflective learner and graduates to a much deeper level of reflection by the end. Overall, this is a very impressive and important text for students concerned with early education.
[Praise for the first edition] I have thoroughly enjoyed engaging with this essential text for all those involved in the early years. Reflective Teaching in Early Education is comprehensive and challenging, and effectively uses case studies and reflective activities to support and extend the reader.
[Praise for the first edition] This text gives a comprehensive insight to early years teaching, and presents students with some thought provoking questions.
This book will be really useful for both undergraduate and postgraduate Early Childhood students. The emphasis on reflection throughout with the use of the reflective activities in each chapter is a real strength and the range of different topics covered is highly appropriate to the field.
