Studying for an Early Childhood Degree

Studying for an Early Childhood Degree, based on the practices of The Pen Green Centre for children and families, exemplifies how student-practitioners can foster strong communities of learners and create student-teacher connections that remain long after studies are complete. The Pen Green Integrated Centre in Corby, UK, has developed a unique approach to adult education. Highly qualified tutors, with their wide-ranging experiences, have written Studying for an Early Childhood Degree in collaboration with current and former students. It illustrates different ways to complete assignments, providing 20 case-studies of work that achieved an excellent grade from students of different professional, geographical, ethnic, educational and socio-economic backgrounds; it also explores the rationale behind what contributed to these excellent final grades. Each chapter, linked to the key themes of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Early Childhood Studies degree, includes discussions, reflections, commentary and extracts from students' works through Levels 4-7, as well as suggestions for further reading. Studying for an Early Childhood Degree is an essential read for learners as well as educators and practitioners. It will be a key resource for students having varied learning needs, professional heritages, writing styles and interests. Further, it will also support other educators to consider the unique and often competing demands of being an adult in higher education.

Tracy Gallagher holds overall strategic responsibilities for the effective running of Pen Green Centre, working with the multi-professional team. She is particularly interested in leadership within the Early Years. Joanne Benford has worked in different roles at Pen Green since 2000, having developed a suite of courses including bespoke training, the level 3 Early Years Educator, apprenticeships and undergraduate programmes. Sandra Clare first visited Pen Green as a parent. She has always felt strongly towards the rights of children and the communities they inhabit, possessing a passion for critiquing educational inequalities and learning. Dr Christine Parker has worked as an educator in many settings in the UK and abroad. She feels strongly towards children's unique learning patterns based on their social contexts and believes that it is important for Early Years staff to focus on these aspects of education.

1. Principles for working with adult learners 2. Yourself as a Learner and Reflective Practitioner 3. Child Study 'Children as Learners' 4. Working with families 5. Practitioner Research 'Why practitioner research has value 6. Leadership 7. Conclusion about the impact of Pen Green learning in practice