Rethinking Readiness in Early Childhood Education: Implications for Policy and Practice (Critical Cultural Studies of Childhood)

This book challenges traditional conceptions of readiness in early childhood education by sharing concrete examples of practice, policy and histories that rethink readiness. This book seeks to reimagine possible new educational worlds for young children. Rethinking Readiness in Early Childhood Education seeks to reimagine the current educational worlds and standards for young children. Iorio and Parnell challenge traditional conceptions of readiness in early childhood education by sharing concrete examples of practice, policy and histories that rethink readiness and its various social, cultural, political and economic constructions. Offering alternatives to the narrowing early childhood curriculum and creating space for debate, the editors and contributors ask the reader to take an active role in shaping children's education through responsive and responsible policies and practices that place the children, families, educators, and voices of the school community first Front Matter....Pages i-xviii A Cultural History of “Readiness” in Early Childhood Care and Education: Are There Still Culturally Relevant, Ethical, and Imaginative Spaces for Learning Open for Young Children and Their Families?....Pages 1-18 Ready for School? Lessons from a Sociohistorical Investigation into Mechanisms of Preparation and Classification of Children for Primary School from 1911 to 1979....Pages 19-32 Something Isn’t Right: Deconstructing Readiness with Parents, Teachers, and Children....Pages 33-47 The Early Development Instrument: A Bioecological View of School Readiness....Pages 49-64 “Daddy, Look At the Video I Made on My iPad!”: Reconceptualizing “Readiness” in the Digital Age....Pages 65-76 Cracking the Walls of the Education Matrix: Are you Ready to Educate Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students?....Pages 77-91 “Are You My Dawg?”: Socially and Politically Marginalized Children Desiring to Be Seen and Valued by Their Teachers....Pages 93-107 Rethinking the Discourse of Readiness in Preschool....Pages 109-121 Transition to School: Times of Opportunity, Expectation, Aspiration, and Entitlement....Pages 123-139 “Who They Are and What They Have to Say Matters ...”: How an Emergent Preschool Experience Shapes Children’s Navigation of Kindergarten....Pages 141-164 Puffins, Butterflies, and Clouds in the Preschool: The Importance of Wonder....Pages 165-178 Juan, Melina, and Friends: Guides for Reconceptualizing Readiness....Pages 179-189 Inserting Postmodern Epistemological Perspectives into Discourse on Readiness: Privileging Assets, Capacity Building, and Diversity to Increase Equity....Pages 191-208 Reimagining Possible Worlds for Young Children....Pages 209-215 Back Matter....Pages 217-232 Rethinking Readiness in Early Childhood Education seeks to reimagine the current educational worlds and standards for young children, lorio and Parnell challenge traditional conceptions of readiness in early childhood education by sharing concrete examples of practice, policy, and histories that rethink readiness and its various social, cultural, political, and economic constructions. Offering alternatives to the narrowing early childhood curriculum and creating space for debate, the editors and contributors ask the reader to take an active role in shaping children's education through responsive and responsible policies and practices that place the children, families, educators, and voices of the school community first. -- from back cover