Empowering early childhood educators : international pedagogies as provocation / Edited by Naomi McLeod and Patricia Giardiello.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Our reasons for writing this book: reflections from the editors -- Introduction / Naomi Mcleod and Patricia Giardiello -- Part I: The foundations -- The purpose of education / Naomi Mcleod and Patricia Giardiello -- The reflexive educator / Naomi Mcleod -- Democracy and participation in early childhood education / Naomi Mcleod and Tarja Karlsson H�aiki -- Part II: Five international pedagogies as provocation -- Maia Montessori (with perspectives from Sweden) / Patricia Giardiello and Kerstin Signert -- Reggio Emilia (with perspectives from Sweden) / Patricia Giardiello, Tarja Karlsson H�aiki, Pernilla M�artensson -- A Finnish perspective / Patricia Giardiello, Tarja Karlsson H�aiki, Ulla�ah�arknen, Liisa Lohilahti and Naomi Mcleod -- Te Wh'riki / Patricia Giardiello, Geraldine Leydon and Annette Hargreaves -- Danish outdoor nature pedagogy / Naomi Mcleod -- Part III: A way forward -- Wider issues affecting early childhood education / Patricia Giardiello and Tarja Karlsson H�aiki -- Hope for the future: new possibilities for sustaining a reflexive approach / Naomi Mcleod, Tarja Karlsson H�aiki and Pernilla M�artensson -- Afterword: a meeting place / Naomi Mcleod and Patricia iardiello.

"This forward-thinking text challenges educators to think about and question the purpose of education and explores international understandings of the role played by early years professionals in promoting participatory, ethical and reflexive practice which benefits children as independent decision makers. By exploring the different perspectives, concepts and practices adopted in early childhood settings in Denmark, Finland, Aotearoa, New Zealand and Sweden, Empowering Early Childhood Educators demonstrates the potential of participatory and democratic approaches in day-to-day practice. Illustrating how pedagogical approaches such as Te Wh�ariki, Reggio Emilia and the Montessori method, may be understood and interpreted to maximise children's engagement in their socio-cultural context, chapters empower educators to question their professional experience, knowledge and initiative to find a balance between directives and ethical practice. A rich combination of case studies, commentaries, interviews and conversations, the text offers critical insight into the daily practices and challenges of early years educators around the world and inspires critical reflection on practices which empower them. A powerful revaluation of the purposes and value of early childhood education, Empowering Early Childhood Educators will be of interest to early years practitioners, students and researchers"-- Provided by publisher.