Listening To Children S Advice About Starting School And School Age Care

Reflecting the importance of drawing on children’s perspectives to shape professional practice, this book offers a nuanced approach to understanding the aims, implications and practicalities of accessing and incorporating children’s perspectives in pedagogial practices relating to transitions. Listening to Children’s Advice about Starting School and School Age Care: emphasises the importance of listening to and respecting children’s perspectives at the time of their transitions to school and school age care; shares children’s perspectives of the transition to school and school age care in ways that are both authentic and provocative; explores implications for practice as a consequence of children’s input; provokes a deep level of critical reflection and practice/policy development that is informed by a dialogue between research and practice. Chapters report research conducted in seven different countries to highlight approaches that acknowledge and respect children’s input, and use this as a basis for critical reflection on practice, with a view to improving the children’s transition experiences. Using examples of practice and offering practical and theoretical insights, the book illustrates the multiplicity of children’s perspectives, and prompts educators to reflect on and critique practice. This book will be invaluable reading for researchers, students, educators and practitioners involved in young children’s transitions to school and school-age care.

Transition to school represents a time of great change for all involved. Many transition to school programs have been developed to support positive transitions to school. While these programs have involved complex planning and implementation, often they have not been evaluated in rigorous or systematic ways. This book brings together Australian and international perspectives on research and practice to explore approaches to evaluating transition to school programs. For children, school is quite different from anything else they have experienced. For families and educators, there are considerable changes as they interact with new people and take on new roles. Developing effective transition to school programs is a key policy initiative around the world, based on recognition of the importance of a positive start to school and the impact of this for future school engagement and outcomes. Throughout the chapters of this book, authors from Australia, Germany, Sweden, Ireland and Jamaica share examples of evaluation practice, with the aim of encouraging educators to reflect on their own contexts and adopt evaluation practices that are relevant and appropriate for them. The book brings together the fields of evaluation research and transition to school. A wide range of examples and figures is used to relate research and practice and to illustrate possible applications of evaluation strategies. Evaluating Transition to School Programs highlights the importance of multiple perspectives of the transition to school and offers suggestions about how the perspectives of children, families, educators and community members might be included and analysed in evaluation strategies. Other themes throughout the book include the importance of collaboration, respectful and trusting relationships, practitioner-driven inquiry, strengths-based approaches and developing programs that are responsive to context. This book is written for educators and leaders in early years and primary school settings, and will also be of interest to researchers, students and policy makers in the field.

This book showcases the quality work that Latin American researchers have done on transition to school in Latin American countries by offering the English-speaking world, first-hand access to some Latin American transitions research, practices, and policies. This book shows the work carried out in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Cuba, and Mexico with regards to the way in which the transition to primary school is experienced from different stakeholders' perspectives, and how Latin American educational policies and cultural practices shape such an important process for stakeholders. This book was importantly framed by the COVID-19 pandemic which placed the world in a global health emergency, and it is our hope that this book will trigger future international collaborations between researchers, policy makers, and practitioners interested in transitions which could help produce a wealth of empirical evidence to inform educational policies and transitions practices across the world. Building networks where diverse experiences are valued and respected, as well as analysed, can help provide a platform that supports educators and researchers as they continue their work and branch out in new and challenging directions.

Life transitions differ concerning the intensity of the change and the intensity of the child’s reaction to that change. For most children, the first and most significant transition is from the family home to an institution of early care and education, which includes preschool. These transitions can also include children's passage from kindergarten to elementary school. However, the intensity of the child's reaction is related to the size of the change that is happening and also to who or what is involved in that change and the importance a child attributes to that someone or something. Supporting Children’s Well-Being During Early Childhood Transition to School is an essential scholarly publication that examines evidence-based practices and approaches that fully support a child’s well-being during transition periods in early childhood. It serves as a resource to rethink contemporary transition theoretical models, research studies, and applied practices. Featuring a wide range of topics such as emotional competency, language learners, and professional development, this book is ideal for academicians, psychologists, early childhood educators, daycare centers, curriculum designers, policymakers, researchers, education professionals, and students.

Strong Foundations addresses policy requirements from the Early Years Learning Framework, the National Quality Standard and Quality Improvement Plans, highlighting links between research and practice, and making connections to the five EYLF Learning Outcomes. The book showcases evidence from Australian and international research.

This book is the first its kind to offer an innovative examination of the intersecting influences, contexts, and challenges within the field of children’s dark tourism. It also outlines novel conceptualizations and methods for scholarship in this overlooked field. Presently, tourism research, and in dark tourism specifically, relies primarily on adult-centered theories and data collection methods. However, these approaches are inadequate for understanding and developing children’s experiences and perspectives. This book seeks to inform and inspire research on children’s experiences of dark tourism. Designed to appeal to students and scholars, it brings together insights from leading experts. The book focuses on five themes, to explore the conceptual and historic origins of children’s dark tourism, developmental contexts, child perspectives, specific contexts relevant to children’s encounters, and methodological approaches. This book is aimed at an international array of scholars and students with inherent research interests in the contemporary commodification of death and ‘difficult heritage’ within the visitor economy. Thus, the book will provide a multi-disciplinary scope within the fields of history, heritage studies, childhood studies, psychology, education, sociology, human geography, and tourism studies. The volume is primarily intended for undergraduate and postgraduate study, as well as scholars and tourism professionals.

Programming & Planning in Early Childhood Settings explores a range of approaches to curriculum and to documenting children’s learning in early childhood settings. This valuable resource for early childhood education students and practitioners provides a broad view of the concepts and issues in early childhood curriculum. Chapters reflect ongoing discussions about what is meant by the terms ‘planning’ and ‘programming’ in the context of early childhood, what is authentic curriculum for young children, and effective teaching strategies to extend young children’s learning. The strong focus on sociocultural theories of learning promotes awareness of children’s diverse experiences, competencies and learning styles, and helps readers recognise the need for collaborative partnerships between educators, children and families in order to develop appropriate programs. Thoroughly revised and updated, this eighth edition shows how chapters of the text are relevant to the Australian Professional Standards for teachers, and highlights connections to the school-based context. Numerous real-life examples, reflections, and case studies assist students to understand a variety of educational theories, philosophies and frameworks. Throughout the book there is a focus on the processes of reflection, evaluation and ongoing improvement. Premium online teaching and learning tools are available on the MindTap platform. Learn more about the online tools cengage.com.au/mindtap

This book brings a refreshing Vygotskian perspective to the importance of children’s play, and the role it has in the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of young children. The authors use a praxeological approach and participatory, ethical research to provide a comprehensive yet accessible addition to the crucial and expanding field of Early Years play. Including illustrative vignettes and case studies, and covering a range of contexts, theories and approaches, the experienced authors explore a variety of topics, including: Role-play and Early Years practice Incorporating technology into practice Scenario and role development Play in the home as well as the classroom Endorsed by EECERA, A Vygotskian Analysis of Children's Play Behaviours is an ideal choice for Early Years practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and academics researching or lecturing in early childhood education.