Educating Young Children: A Lifetime Journey into a Froebelian Approach

In the World Library of Educationalists international experts compile career-long collections of what they judge to be their most significant pieces - excerpts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and practical contributions - so the world can read them in a single, manageable volume. Readers will be able to follow the themes and strands and see how their work contributes to the development of the field. Educating Young Children: A Lifetime Journey into a Froebelian Approach draws together Professor Tina Bruce CBE's most prominent writings from her accomplished 40-year international career in education centred on the Froebelian tradition. Chosen to illustrate the changes that have occurred in Professor Bruce's thinking and practices over the last four decades, carefully selected readings address key Froebelian themes such as literacy, play, inclusion and creativity. Short introductions are provided for each chapter and excerpt, helping readers to understand the significance of what is presented and explaining how this relates to other chapters in the book. Including chapters from Tina Bruce's best-selling books and articles, as well as leading journals, this collection offers a unique commentary on some of the most important issues in Early Childhood Education over the last four decades; it will be engaging and inspiring reading for anyone interested in the development and state of early years education in the UK and internationally.

Tina Bruce CBE is Honorary Professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Roehampton, UK. She was Co-founding Director of the Centre for Early Childhood Studies at the Froebel College, Trustee of the Froebel Trust and Chair of the Archive Committee, as well as Co-ordinator for the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Early Childhood Education. Tina is a Vice President of Early Education and is on the Executive Committee of the International Froebel Society and a patron of the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE).

1 Gathering thoughts 2 Teachers who inspired me 3 What am I? A Montessorian? Steinerian? Froebelian? Eclectic? Is it important? 4 Which comes first, a philosophical framework, theory and research evidence or practice? What do teachers and other practitioners working with young children need to bring out their best work? 5 Working with principles which are interpreted and embedded in articulated practice 6 The importance of parent partnership and the development of moral values and self-discipline 7 Play - a very complex thing 8 Finding how to position myself in relation to play 9 Inclusion - commonalities, differences ... fragmentation or wholeness? 10 Cultivating creativity 11 Remaining a generalist rather than becoming a specialist within one area of early childhood education 12 Changing political climates 13 How best to train teachers of young children 14 Remaining a Froebelian but still exploring why, and wondering, will I always be one?