The early years sector is going through a period of unprecedented change. This has resulted in significant challenges for the early years workforce and it is crucial that settings, teams, leaders and individual practitioners respond to these if they wish to continue to provide the best care and education for young children. This timely text identifies and addresses the key challenges for those working with young children from managing personal and professional change, adapting to new legislation and considering new ways of thinking about children’s early learning. It considers the core knowledge and understanding of good practice that enables practitioners to respond appropriately and with confidence to issues they face on daily basis. Covering a wide range of diverse topics including professional identity, neuroscience, outdoor education, literacy, special educational needs, the family and the ‚risk‘ factor, the book encourages the reader to reflect upon their own views and attitudes towards change practice and includes: Chapter overviews and summary boxes Case studies to highlight good practice Questions to promote debate Annotated further reading Aimed specifically at those that are studying and working with children from birth to 8, this book will be a core text for Foundation Degrees in early years, early childhood studies and those working towards Early Years Teacher Status.

This volume makes a timely contribution to our understanding of literacy as a multi-faceted, complexly situated activity. Each chapter provides the reader with a fresh perspective into a different site for literate behaviour, approaches, design and relationships, and offers an exploration into the use of literacy theories to inform policy and practice, particularly in regard to curriculum. Bringing together international experts in the field, the contributing authors represent a wide variety of theoretical and research perspectives which cover literacy in various forms, including: • transformative literacy • survey literacy • academic literacies • information literacy in the workplace • digital literacy. Landscapes of Specific Literacies in Contemporary Society suggests that literacy curriculum needs to evolve from its current perspective if it is to cater for the demands of the 21st century contemporary globalised society. The book will be of key interest to researchers and academics in the fields of education, curriculum studies and the sociology of education, as well as to policy makers and literacy specialists.

Early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings offer an opportunity to provide children with a solid beginning in all areas of their development. The quality and efficacy of these settings depend largely on the individuals within the ECCE workforce. Policy makers need a complete picture of ECCE teachers and caregivers in order to tackle the persistent challenges facing this workforce. The IOM and the National Research Council hosted a workshop to describe the ECCE workforce and outline its parameters. Speakers explored issues in defining and describing the workforce, the marketplace of ECCE, the effects of the workforce on children, the contextual factors that shape the workforce, and opportunities for strengthening ECCE as a profession.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

This book draws on the voices of practitioners, academics and researchers to examine young children’s play, creativity and the participatory nature of their learning. Bringing together a wide range of perspectives from the UK and internationally, it focuses on the level of engagement and exploration involved in children’s play and how it can be facilitated in different contexts and cultures. This new reader aims to challenge thinking, promote reflection and stimulate further discussion by bringing together research and practice on play and creativity. Divided into two parts, Part I is written by researchers and academics and explores key themes such as creative meaning making, listening to children’s voices, risk and spaces, children’s rights, play and technology. Part II is authored by Early Childhood professionals and reveals how practitioners have responded to the issues surrounding play and creativity. Each chapter is contextualised by an introduction to highlight the key points and a list of follow-up questions is also included to encourage reflection and debate. Drawing on the wide-ranging writing of academics, practitioners and researchers, this book is an invaluable resource for students, practitioners and all those who are interested in the essence of play and creativity, what it means for children, and the far-reaching benefits for their well-being, learning and development.

This book investigates the unique and dynamic approaches to key issues of changing images of child and childhood, by different countries in the Asia-Pacific. Key concepts considered are re-conceptualizing early childhood education and care, re-eaxming early learning standards and redefining professionalism. The Asia Pacific region includes countries belonging to both the Majority and Minority worlds and which vary widely in terms of their cultural geography, social-cultural beliefs, and levels of development, demographic profiles, political systems and government commitments to early childhood services. An international team of experienced researchers from different countries guarantees diverse perspectives. By examining different countries’ policy choices and evidence-based practices, the authors show how best to provide for young children based on their countries’ strategies.

Headlines frequently appear that purport to highlight the differences among workers of different generations and explain how employers can manage the wants and needs of each generation. But is each new generation really that different from previous ones? Are there fundamental differences among generations that impact how they act and interact in the workplace? Or are the perceived differences among generations simply an indicator of age-related differences between older and younger workers or a reflection of all people adapting to a changing workplace? Are Generational Categories Meaningful Distinctions for Workforce Management? reviews the state and rigor of the empirical work related to generations and assesses whether generational categories are meaningful in tackling workforce management problems. This report makes recommendations for directions for future research and improvements to employment practices.

The early years sector is going through a period of unprecedented change. This has resulted in significant challenges for the early years workforce and it is crucial that settings, teams, leaders and individual practitioners respond to these if they wish to continue to provide the best care and education for young children. This timely text identifies and addresses the key challenges for those working with young children from managing personal and professional change, adapting to new legislation and considering new ways of thinking about children’s early learning. It considers the core knowledge and understanding of good practice that enables practitioners to respond appropriately and with confidence to issues they face on daily basis. Covering a wide range of diverse topics including professional identity, neuroscience, outdoor education, literacy, special educational needs, the family and the ‚risk‘ factor, the book encourages the reader to reflect upon their own views and attitudes towards change practice and includes: Chapter overviews and summary boxes Case studies to highlight good practice Questions to promote debate Annotated further reading Aimed specifically at those that are studying and working with children from birth to 8, this book will be a core text for Foundation Degrees in early years, early childhood studies and those working towards Early Years Teacher Status.

This book supports students on foundation degrees and degrees in Early Years and Early Childhood Studies that have a work-based element. An essential introduction to becoming a professional in the sector, it begins by looking at work-based learning and goes on to cover study, research skills and essential subject knowledge. It includes activities to help students increase their confidence and get the most out of their course. Essential information on Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) considers the current scene and the future of the sector.

The copper mines of Michigan's Copper Country, in the Upper Peninsula, were active for 150 years, from 1845 until 1995. Many of the mine workers attempted to unionize, in order to obtain better working conditions, wages, and hours. The Michigan miners were unsuccessful in their struggles with mine owners, which came to a climax in the 1913–14 Copper Country Strike. This nine-month battle between workers represented by the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) and the three major mining companies in the region took a particularly nasty turn on Christmas Eve, 1913, at a party for strikers and their families organized by the WFM. As many as 500 people were in the Italian Benevolent Society hall in Calumet, Michigan, when someone reportedly shouted "fire." There was no fire, but it is estimated that 73–79 people, more than 60 of them children, died in the stampede for the exit. Against this dramatic backdrop, Gary Kaunonen tells the story of Finnish immigrants to Copper Country. By examining the written record and material culture of Finnish immigrant proletarians-analyzing buildings, cultural institutions, and publications of the socialist-unionist media—Kaunonen adds a new depth to our understanding of the time and place, the events and a people.