'Be Realistic, Demand the Impossible': A Memoir of Work in Childcare and Education(Contesting Early Childhood)

An astute exploration of the complexities of working and learning in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care, Professor Helen Penn tells of her experiences of working as a teacher, social worker, campaigner, researcher and writer, and so reflects on the perennial and complex issues which shape this expanding field. Mapping the author’s career from the mid-sixties onward, ‘Be Realistic, Demand the Impossible’ is a tribute to the progress that has been made in Early Childhood Education and Care over the past 70 years and is a celebration of those who have acted on their principles to articulate and remedy hidden suffering. A first-hand commentary on adult-child relations, poverty, working with families and engaging with democracy and inequality, Penn’s narrative reconstructs her past and, in doing so, produces a social history that records the various shifts in policy and public attitudes which she has witnessed. The author recognizes the collective effort and teamwork involved in working within organizations, as well as the constraints and tensions such organizations can create. She comments on the wider political system and assesses the particular pattern of educational inequality and oppression which afflicts the UK. One of the best known and most respected figures in her field, Penn provides a unique perspective on change as well as offering a framework for understanding, assessing and working within the field of Early Childhood Education and Care. Insightful and frank, witty and funny, this book will be a valuable read for students, academics, researchers and practitioners involved in this field.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Michel Vandenbroeck Acknowledgements Chapter One: Memoir as Method Chapter Two: Teaching in London Chapter Three: The Red Republic of Wandsworth Chapter Four: Who Needs Nurseries – We Do! Chapter Five: Laborious Democracy Chapter Six: Tanzania Chapter Seven: Becoming a Researcher Chapter Eight: A Workday University Chapter Nine: Southern Africa Chapter Ten: Swimming Pools in the Steppes and Pianos in the Desert Chapter Eleven: The Noise of Time

About the Author :
Helen Penn is now Professor Emerita at the University of East London and Visiting Professor at the Institute of Education, University College London, UK. She has undertaken work for a variety of international organizations including EU, OECD, UNICEF, UNESCO and Save the Children.

Review :
Bronwen J. Cohen, Honorary Professor in Social Policy, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh There will certainly be considerable interest amongst many of those who have known Helen Penn over the course of her eclectic career, and the quality of her writing will ensure that it is a good read. She is not only a recognised authority in this field but well known for her alternative narratives. In summary, I think you should publish this memoir – it has an important contribution to make to our understanding of this area of policy and will throw light on a history which is often forgotten. Emeritus Professor Peter Moss, Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education, University College London I am an unreserved enthusiast for this proposal. Helen Penn is a remarkable woman, with a remarkable story to tell, which she can tell supremely well. Tullia Musatti, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Italy I have read the book proposal with great pleasure. I share the view of its author that there is a need for a more comprehensive understanding of the cultural and social perspectives of ECEC services. I think that the approach proposed by Helen Penn sounds really stimulating. I strongly recommend to publish this book and I think that it will find a right place within the Contesting Early Childhood series.