“The one who gathers children:” the work of Vivian Gussin Paley and current debates about how we educate young children

Abstract

This essay discusses the achievements of early childhood educator, Vivian Gussin Paley, preschool and kindergarten teacher for more than 30 years, and author of 12 books portraying her work in the classroom with young children. It begins with a description of seven narrative tools she developed over the course of many years that became the means for uncovering insights about children and the nature of their learning in classroom settings: The essay then examines how her work speaks to contemporary educational debates about the education of young children including the need for intellectual and academic rigor in early childhood classrooms; the place of pretend play in achieving academic goals; the building of inclusive classrooms as communities that support diverse young children to thrive; and how schools can educate morally responsible future citizens for a democratic society.