Early Childhood Studies: An Introduction to the Study of Children's Lives and Children's Worlds, 4th Edition by

Abstract

 2016 Children, Youth and Environments Children, Youth and Environments 26(2), 2016 Book Reviews Early Childhood Studies: An Introduction to the Study of Children’s Lives and Children’s Worlds, 4th Edition Rod Parker-Rees and Caroline Leeson, Editors London: Sage, 303 pages $42.00 (paperback); ISBN 978-1-47391-592-3 This fourth edition of Early Childhood Studies: An Introduction to the Study of Children’s Lives and Children’s Worlds builds on earlier editions of this text. Written for students undertaking early childhood studies by a team of academics at Plymouth University, this edited book draws on the experience of these academics in their teaching, research and engagement with the complex issues relating to early childhood education and care. The underlying premise of the text is that a well-informed and current understanding of the issues is critical in order to advocate for what is best for young children. The book provides an interplay between issues and desires to promote social justice for children and families in national and international contexts, while aspiring to develop early childhood studies students’ own critical capabilities. This is accomplished through the many opportunities throughout the book to learn about oneself as well as about the lives and worlds of young children. The book is divided into sections as a way of organizing key topics, debates and developments in the changing contexts for those working with young children and their families. Part 1: “What Can Children do? Sociocultural Factors in Development” covers expected topics in areas such as child development, play and communication. The welcome addition in this section is the chapter on spirituality and young children’s well-being, an often-neglected area. Drawing from the Te Whāriki (New Zealand curriculum), the reader is taken on a reflective journey through policy documents and research to explore the tensions related to spiritual education. The way forward is proposed to be locating a child’s spiritual development within the relational domain of young children’s experiences. Part 2 is entitled “Working with Children: Extending Opportunities for Participation.” The first chapter in this section explores the many different ways that observation of children has been approached over time, including current thinking on this topic such as the work of Deleuze and Guattari. Six guiding principles are presented to inform understandings of observation, which are positioned as more important than methods. Enabling environments, as well as risk and inequality are also focused on in this section, highlighting the complexities and sensitivities of providing conducive learning environments for all children. Book Reviews 146 Part 3: “Multi-Professional Practice: Developing Empowering Communities” discusses the place of language, cultural identity and belonging. Effective collaboration with colleagues and across multi-professional teams, building relationships with families, and leadership in early childhood settings are topics that are covered. These chapters draw from contemporary theories and research that relates directly to current debates. Part 4 is entitled “Comparing Children’s Worlds: Making the Familiar Strange.” The intriguing title of this section hints at its challenging and thought-provoking content. Concepts of childhood are presented and opened for critique, analysis and further reflection. Comparisons with recent developments in the early childhood workforce in Germany provoke questions related to workforce training, and the reader is challenged to widen their gaze to consider issues affecting the learning, health and well-being of young children in the Majority World. The section ends with a chapter describing the research, policy and practice triangle, exploring the interplay between the three and highlighting this dynamic yet complex relationship. Part 5: “Researching Practice: Developing Critical Engagement” begins with the importance of reflective practice, the opportunities it affords, and how it links to being a competent early childhood professional. The following two chapters focus on research in everyday practice, first, by providing a general overview of possible research topics and second, by outlining more details about action research methodology. It is difficult to provide enough information in two chapters about how best to undertake research and as such these chapters only provide a brief introduction that may spark an interest to seek out more specific texts about conducting research in the sector. This book is written in a very accessible...