Philosophy Of Childhood Research Articles

Application of the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Science Curriculum

The Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education is growing in its influence in the United States. This article focuses on the relevance of this Italian early childhood philosophy to science knowledge and content standards for the PreK–12 student population. This article presents (a) a summary of key concepts of the Reggio Emilia Approach, (b) a description of the science curriculum standards for the K–3 grades in the United States, and (c) an example of an in-depth project on rain forests for a second-grade class that integrates many of the concepts of the Reggio Emilia Approach. Included in this article are suggestions for planning, implementing, documenting, and evaluating a developmentally appropriate and effective science lesson for an early childhood classroom through the lens of Reggio Emilia.

‘Wholeness, Dignity and the Ageing Self’: A Conversation Between Philosophy and Theology

SUMMARY Winifred Wing Han Lamb: My philosophical interest straddles the areas of education, religion and theology. As a teacher involved in school philosophy programs, I have also been interested in the philosophy of childhood and particularly in the recurring notion of the ‘whole child’ in education. In considering what ‘wholeness’ could mean for children's education, I have also been led to consider what meaning it holds for the self through the ‘changing scenes’ of life, especially in the face of the challenges of ageing. The notion of ‘wholeness’ holds an intuitive appeal and invites articulation of the deep truths of our faith with respect to persons in all ‘sorts and conditions.’ In section one of this chapter, I attempt that articulation. But this conversation needs to be complementary. Our chapter is the beginning of a dialogue between philosophy and theology in which both affirm the ageing self in the light of the human search for wholeness and dignity. Heather Thomson: My theological research into humanity as an image of God led me to inquire about the way in which we could speak meaningfully of ageing and dying in terms of imaging God. This challenged how God-likeness was to be understood in relation to glory, honour and power, terms associated with imaging God and exerting dominion. In searching for a theological view of the self that would confer dignity on the ageing, I was led into conversation with various philosophies of the self, some very helpful for my task. It seems to me that, if ageing people are to be counted as having dignity and worth, and not discounted, then one's theory of the human person was significant. In pondering the issue, it appeared that a conversation between philosophy and theology would be fruitful. Hence, this joint paper. We each speak from our own discipline but find resonance with each other's work. We see this as a first step in a constructive conversation.

Looking Backward, Looking Forward: Australian Early Childhood Trends since 1960

Taking a retrospective look at articles published in established national journals can provide important insights into what have been dominant issues and themes of early childhood philosophy and practice over time. In celebrating 40 years of the Australian Journal of Early Childhood and its predecessor, the Australian Pre-School Quarterly, this article explores the content of 40 years of publication. Identified are major early childhood themes, influences, and issues that have arisen in the Australian context.

Gareth Matthews, The Philosophy of Childhood

Gareth Matthews, The Philosophy of Childhood

The Philosophy of Childhood

The Philosophy of Childhood

The philosophy of childhood.

The philosophy of childhood.

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article: How To Do Groups (Second Edition) by William Friedman. Object Relations, the Self and the Group by Charles Ashbach and Victor L. Schermer. Ring of Fire: Primitive Affects and Object Relations in Group Psychotherapy edited by Victor L. Schermer and Malcolm Pines. Handbook of Group Psychotherapy: An Empirical and Clinical Synthesis edited by Addie Fuhriman and Gary M. Burlingame. The Third Eye: Supervision of Analytic Groups edited by Meg Sharpe. From Dependency to Autonomy: Studies in Organisation and Change by Eric Miller. Disciplines of Delight: The Psychoanalysis of Popular Culture by Barry Richards. Ignatius of Loyola: The Psychology of a Saint by W. W. Meissner. The Philosophy of Childhood by Gareth B. Matthews. Jokes: Their Purpose and Meaning by Herbert Strean. The Handbook of Psychotherapy edited by Petruska Clarkson and Michael Pokorny. The Importance of Disappointment by Ian Craib. From Freud's Consulting Room: The Unconscious in a Scientific Age by Judith M. Hughes. Transforming Depression by David H. Rosen.

Preschool teachers' experiences of stress

This research study investigated the phenomenon of stress among a group of preschool teachers. Eight teachers were given opportunities to record and describe current sources of stress. These teachers kept a reflective journal over a 2-week period and summarised their reflections diagrammatically. The daily journal entries and the diagrammatic representations were analysed for common themes on the sources of stress in the teachers' work. The researcher sought written feedback and confirmation from the teachers that the themes identified by the researcher during analysis were the major sources of stress for them. Confirmation was given that time pressures, meeting children's needs, dealing with non-teaching tasks, maintaining early childhood philosophy and practice, meeting personal needs, issues with parents of the children, interpersonal relationships, and attitudes and perceptions about early childhood programs were the major sources of stress for this particular group of teachers. Consideration of the themes support the view that there is a need for research to explore teachers' experiences of stress within their specific teaching context such as preschool or childcare, as well as within the wider contexts of the school campus and the educational, organisational, and social system. Differentiation between the internal demands which teachers place upon themselves in their daily work and the external demands from organisational and social pressures must be understood in order to provide support for teachers to cope with and adapt to change.

The Philosophy of Childhood

The Philosophy of Childhood

Early Childhood Educare: Seeking a theoretical framework in Vygotsky's work

Abstract This paper argues that there is no meaningful distinction between care and education for young children so that the early childhood field should be renamed early childhood educare. The predominant theoretical framework for early childhood philosophy and curriculum has been Piaget's theory. Piaget's theory describes development as determining current cognitive competence and influencing what children are capable of learning. Children are seen as natural scientists who investigate the world and thereby broaden their understanding. Teachers are expected to stand back and provide resources for children's autonomous learning but not to interfere with it. The paper argues that Vygotsky's theory as applied to the responsive social contexts provided in early childhood educare should be given more consideration because it gives more attention to the importance of the social and cultural context on children's thinking than Piaget. Vygotsky saw learning as driving development and the development of thinking...