The Routledge International Handbook of Philosophies and Theories of Early Childhood Education and Care (Routledge International Handbooks)

The Routledge Handbook of Philosophies and Theories of Early Childhood Education and Care brings together leading writers in the field to provide a much-needed, authoritative guide to the major philosophies and theories which have shaped approaches to Early Childhood Education and Care. Providing a detailed overview of key concepts, debates and practical challenges, the handbook combines theoretical acumen with specific examples to show how philosophies and theories have evolved over the centuries and their impact on policy and society. It examines the ways in which societies define and make sense of childhood and the factors that influence the development of philosophies about young children and their learning. The collection offers an insight into the key theorists and considers how the economics and politics of their time and personal ideology influenced their ideas about childhood. It looks at curricula and provision which have proved inspirational and how these have impacted on policy and practice in different parts of the world. The handbook also explores alternative and perhaps less familiar philosophies and ideas about babies and young children, their place in society and the ways in which it might be appropriate to educate them Bringing together specially commissioned pieces by a range of international authors, this handbook will enable academics, research students, practitioners and policy-makers to reflect on their own understandings and approaches, as well as the assumptions made in their own and other societies. Cover 1 Title 6 Copyright 7 Dedication 8 Contents 10 Editors and contributors 14 Acknowledgements 24 1 Introduction: challenging ideas 26 PART I Philosophers and their philosophies of early childhood education and care 34 2 Constructions of nature and emerging ideas in children’s education and care: the 1600s to 1900 36 3 Friedrich Froebel 44 4 Maria Montessori 51 5 Rachel and Margaret McMillan: practice and politics 62 6 John Dewey 74 PART II Theorists and their theories 82 7 The long view: evolutionary theories of early childhood education and care 84 8 Psychoanalytic theory, emotion and early years practice 94 9 The legacy of John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory 105 10 Exploring young minds 116 11 Theories of language development 125 12 Theories about young children’s peer relationships 135 13 Theories of morality in early childhood 144 14 From theories of play to playing with theory 153 15 Theory of mind 163 16 Using postcolonial theory to critically re-frame the child development narrative 172 17 Postmodernist theorizing in ECEC: making the familiar strange in pursuit of social justice 182 18 Dialogic space theory 190 PART III Influences of philosophies and theories on research, policy and practice 202 19 Human rights and children’s rights 204 20 Positivist scientific exploration: can universal truths and grand narratives be discovered in research about human beings? 214 21 The rise of neuroscientific discourse in early childhood 225 22 The legacy of Vygotsky’s cultural-historical methodology and its impact on contemporary early childhood research 234 23 Narrative inquiry in early childhood education: pursuing the promise 244 24 Bronfenbrenner and the ecology of human development 259 25 Reflection on one’s practice: research about theories espoused by practitioners – the grand and the personal 271 PART IV Inspirations: philosophies and theories in action 282 26 Pedagogy of care for well-being 284 27 Inclusion: perspectives from South America 294 28 Towards a creativity-rich curriculum for the well-being of children three to seven years old 303 29 Philosophy with young children 315 30 The long history and continuing development of ECEC provision in Sweden and Norway 323 31 Reggio Emilia 331 32 Te Whāriki: a uniquely woven curriculum shaping policy, pedagogy and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand 341 Epilogue 352 Index 356 This handbook brings together leading writers in the field to provide a much-needed, authoritative guide to the major philosophies and theories which have shaped approaches to Early Childhood Education and Care. Providing a detailed overview of key concepts, debates and practical challenges, the handbook combines theoretical acumen with specific examples to show how philosophies and theories have evolved over the centuries and their impact on policy and society. It examines the ways in which societies define and make sense of childhood and the factors that influence the development of philosophies about young children and their learning. The collection offers an insight into the key theorists and considers how the economics and politics of their time and personal ideology influenced their ideas about childhood