Family Child Care

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I've Moved!

Hi, this is John and I am excited to tell you that Topics in Early Childhood Education is now hosted on Wordpress. Just click here ! Please...

11:54 AM

If it’s nearly Christmas, it must be time for the annual round-up of major developments and new research published in the children’s sector during the last year. After all, you might have missed some of these the first time round…<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The one thing that all practitioners and students can’t have missed was the introduction of the new EYFS in September. You can get quick links to the new EYFS and supporting documentation from <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/support-materials-for-new-eyfs.html" target="_blank">this previous post</a>, while the recent release of the new Profile Handbook and further materials are <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/early-years-foundation-stage-profile.html" target="_blank">dealt with here</a>. On a similar note, at the same time a <a href="http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/r/eyps%20standards%20from%20september%202012.pdf" target="_blank">new set of EYPS standards</a> were introduced for those hoping to achieve the status.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The other large story of the year was the Nutbrown Review, which investigated the current system of early education and childcare qualifications. You can read the final report and other supporting documents from <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/nutbrownreview" target="_blank">this link</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Annual reports from well known organisations are also a handy way of gauging current issues surrounding the sector. Some of the most useful ones from this year include the <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d001088/osr18-2012.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey</i></a> and the <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/filedownloading/?file=documents/ar201112/The%20Annual%20Report%20of%20Her%20Majesty%27s%20Chief%20Inspector%20of%20Education,%20Children%27s%20Services%20and%20Skills%202011-12.pdf&refer=1" target="_blank">Ofsted Annual Report</a>, while for a more international flavour try UNICEF’s <a href="http://www.unicef.org/sowc2012/pdfs/SOWC-2012-Main-Report_EN_21Dec2011.pdf" target="_blank"><i>State of the World’s Children 2012</i></a> or the OECD’s <a href="http://www.oecd.org/edu/EAG%202012_e-book_EN_200912.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Education at a Glance</i></a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A few themes seemed to emerge when looking back at publications from the last year: certainly the cost of childcare for families was discussed in a number of reports by different organisations, such as the Resolution Foundation's <a href="http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/media/media/downloads/Counting_the_costs_of_childcare_1.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Counting the Costs of Childcare</i></a>, CPAG's <a href="http://www.cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/CPAG%20Cost%20of%20a%20Child%202012_0.pdf" target="_blank"><i>The Cost of a Child in the Twenty-First Century</i></a>, and the Family & Parenting Institute's <a href="http://www.familyandparenting.org/Resources/FPI/Documents/FPI_1715_Publication_WEB%20pdf%20%283%29.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Families on the FrontLine</i></a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Linked to this is the never ending stream of reports into child poverty – just a few that were published this year were Save the Children’s <a href="http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/child_poverty_2012.pdf" target="_blank"><i>It Shouldn’t Happen Here</i></a>, CPAG’s <a href="http://www.cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/CPAG-Ending-child-poverty-by-2020-progress-made-lessons-learned-0612.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Ending Child Poverty by 2020</i></a>, and UNICEF’s <a href="http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publications/RC10-measuring-child-poverty.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Measuring Child Poverty</i></a>, which compared the situation in the UK with other developed nations.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Another theme was the growing interest in outdoor play and the benefits which this can have for children. In March the National Trust’s <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/servlet/file/store5/item823323/version1/Natural%20Childhood%20Brochure.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Natural Childhood</i></a> report made a big contribution to this debate, or you can read this <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/outdoor-play-learning.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> from September which provides links to plenty of the recent research in this area.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And a personal selection of interesting / useful stories and publications from the last year… Back in January the Children’s Society published the <a href="http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/tcs/good_childhood_report_2012_final.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Good Childhood Report 2012</i></a>; in June the <a href="http://www.savechildhood.net/" target="_blank"><i>Save Childhood</i></a> movement was launched; also in June the <a href="http://www.managementthinking.eiu.com/sites/default/files/downloads/Starting%20Well.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Starting Well: Benchmarking Early Education Across the World</i></a> report was published; and November saw the publication of <a href="http://issuu.com/leyf/docs/leyf-research-report-men-working-in-childcare-2012?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222" target="_blank"><i>Men Working in Childcare</i></a>, a useful contribution to a topic about which I get a lot of enquiries.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A bit more? For research ideas you could do a lot worse than look at <a href="http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/SERC01/SERC01.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Education on the Web</i></a>, an excellent research guide from the NFER. Or you could look at this post on <i><a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/open-access-research-for-childhood.html" target="_blank">Open Access Research for Childhood / Education</a></i>, which has attracted a lot of site visitors from search engines in recent months. Or you could look at <a href="http://www.kathybrodie.com/articles/social-bookmarking-an-essential-tool-for-dissertation-students/" target="_blank"><i>Social Bookmarking: an Essential Tool for Dissertation Students</i></a>, an article published on Kathy Brodie’s website back in June (you may recognise the author!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If there’s anything significant from the last 12 months that you think I’ve missed, do leave a comment below to let other site users know about it. If you’re a regular visitor here you’ll know I’m a fan of archive films, so get in the festive spirit by enjoying the short clip below from 1946, which includes sleeping children, toys that come alive, and… oh, just watch it! Merry Christmas…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZFHvRiLJiIM" width="420"></iframe>

Review of 2012

If it’s nearly Christmas, it must be time for the annual round-up of major developments and new research published in the children’s sector ...

7:45 AM

#EYTalking

#EYTalking

Since I joined Twitter I've found it an invaluable way of getting in touch with early years practitioners and for staying up-to-date wit...

2:07 AM

Social Welfare Portal

Social Welfare Portal

The British Library has just launched its Social Welfare Portal , which aims to provide quick and easy access to high quality research and p...

5:35 AM

European Education Systems

European Education Systems

A lot of students ask for information about childcare / education in other countries, so today's featured link should be useful to some ...

2:45 AM

Here we are racing to the end of another calendar year.  The miles just keep speeding past as we navigate the race of life.  I wonder how many runners have come to mile 12 in a half-marathon and wished he had prepared better?  That was certainly my feeling the first half-marathon I ran a couple of years ago.  I'm not sure what I would have done more to prepare, but surely there was something I missed.  That last mile seemed endless and my knees and hips felt like they were becoming disembodied. <br />Most of us who are approaching the 'later years,' probably have a few thoughts about what we wished we would have done to prepare.  For example, I sometimes wished I <i>had</i> continued on to medical school and become a doctor.  Maybe I would have been able to save more money for retirement!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRF6ETfNV0DKZit9CJdQ4582WWOE6GRQeT77a-24x7Yy6K1VbpmNm8rnpdQ-mPAhLzcs8KjdW078QRwR_8oG6HAAQx-xcx2BC0v3-XyUVQ_rnZZsmYqa8OkM0CDkQV8f_z9u8022FaHfU/s1600/Utah+Valley+6-11+-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRF6ETfNV0DKZit9CJdQ4582WWOE6GRQeT77a-24x7Yy6K1VbpmNm8rnpdQ-mPAhLzcs8KjdW078QRwR_8oG6HAAQx-xcx2BC0v3-XyUVQ_rnZZsmYqa8OkM0CDkQV8f_z9u8022FaHfU/s320/Utah+Valley+6-11+-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Early childhood educators have the opportunity to help prepare children for a future that we can just imagine at this point.  We can arm them with thinking skills that will help them in a world that will include many things that have not even been invented yet.  Building the brain connections in young people should be a top priority because it will increase their capacity for the future.  I recently told some students that I wished my early childhood teachers would have stretched my thinking capacity more so that I could understand statistics a bit better.  I said it as a joke, but I certainly hope to never hear that 'joke' from one of <i>my</i> former students.  It surely contains more truth than humor.

Here we are racing to the end of another calendar year. The miles just keep speeding past as we navigate the race of life. I wonder how ma...

3:08 PM

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile Handbook

Some important documents have just appeared on the Department of Education website, and if you have any involvement with the Early Years Foundation Stage then you should probably take a look.<br /><br />First of all there's the new <i>EYFS Profile Handbook</i>, which replaces the previous 2008 version. The Handbook is designed to help practitioners make accurate judgements about a child's attainment. Like the EYFS itself and other supporting documents, hard copies are not available but you can download the new Handbook from <a href="http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/2/2013_eyfs_handbook.pdf" target="_blank">this link</a>.<br /><br />Also new are 'exemplification materials', which set out the national standard for the level of learning and development expected at the end of the EYFS. These are designed to meet provide guidance on each of the 17 revised early learning goals, and can be used by "any stakeholders who wish to evaluate children's learning and development." You can download them as zip files on the right hand side of <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/assessment/eyfs/b00217443/eyfs-exemplification" target="_blank">this page</a>.<br /><br />For further supporting information on the new EYFS, have a look at this <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/support-materials-for-new-eyfs.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh_tan/2903192937/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Child 1 by Tony Tráº§n, on Flickr"><img alt="Child 1" height="200" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3186/2903192937_d6e7d809e4_m.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile Handbook

Some important documents have just appeared on the Department of Education website, and if you have any involvement with the Early Years Fou...

5:50 AM

Ofsted Annual Report 2011/12

Ofsted Annual Report 2011/12

Ofsted has just published its latest annual report, the first since Michael Wilshaw was appointed as Chief Inspector. The report looks at al...

2:11 AM

New Research

A quick round-up of various new reports:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publications/UNICEFUK_2012CRCimplentationreport.pdf" target="_blank"><i>The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: a Study of Legal Implementation in 12 Countries</i> </a>is a new publication from UNICEF which examines how the UK compares to other countries in providing for children's rights at national level.</li><li><a href="http://www.cbi.org.uk/campaigns/education-campaign-ambition-for-all/first-steps-read-the-report-online/" target="_blank"><i>First Steps</i></a> is a report from the CBI which sets out an agenda for education reform from a business perspective.</li><li><a href="http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/FacingtheScreenDilemma.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, Technology and Early Education</i></a> examines how new technologies could be having an effect on children's development.</li><li><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR235.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Pupils not Claiming Free School Meals</i></a> has just been published by the Department of Education, and attempts to establish how many children who are entitled to free school dinners are not taking advantage.</li><li><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR238.pdf" target="_blank"><i>What is the Research Evidence on Writing?</i></a> gathers together literature on pupils' writing ability, with the authors claiming that this is an area which receives less attention than reading ability.</li></ul>

New Research

A quick round-up of various new reports: The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: a Study of Legal Implementation in 12 Countries is a...

8:43 AM

Anti-Bullying Week

19 - 23 November is <a href="http://www.antibullyingweek.co.uk/" target="_blank">Anti-Bullying Week</a>, an annual event established in 2006 by the <a href="http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/" target="_blank">Anti-Bullying Alliance</a>. The theme for this year's Week is <i>We're Better without Bullying</i>, with a focus on how bullying can impact on achievement at school. Already a piece of research commissioned for the event has made headlines by suggesting that some <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20355996" target="_blank">children hide their talents</a> for fear of being bullied, while Eurydice has released a new briefing entitled <a href="http://www.nfer.ac.uk/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=09F2CF13-C29E-AD4D-0855-E0C5DD51968F&siteName=nfer" target="_blank"><i>Strategies to Counter Bullying</i></a>, which examines how other countries tackle the issue.<br /><br />For further information on bullying, you can view previous relevant posts on this site by clicking on 'Bullying' in the Hot Topics menu on the right of the page. Alternatively, you may want to look through <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/davidrenfree/bullying" target="_blank">my bookmarks</a> on this topic, which will give you 25 links to get started!<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="286" id="flashObj" width="380"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/56142273001?isVid=1&publisherID=28920547001" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=57303803001&linkBaseURL=http://www.parentchannel.tv/video/bullying-5-9-advice&playerID=72319835001&domain=embed&" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/56142273001?isVid=1&publisherID=28920547001" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=57303803001&linkBaseURL=http://www.parentchannel.tv/video/bullying-5-9-advice&playerID=72319835001&domain=embed&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="380" height="286" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>

Anti-Bullying Week

19 - 23 November is Anti-Bullying Week , an annual event established in 2006 by the Anti-Bullying Alliance . The theme for this year's W...

5:56 AM

Men In Childcare

Men In Childcare

One of the most common enquiries I've had in recent years is for information on men working in childcare, so a new publication from the ...

4:11 AM

Decoding Learning

Decoding Learning

A new report claims that expensive technology in schools often goes to waste because teachers have not been trained to use it . The report, ...

6:37 AM

EYES Search

Possibly as a result of a mention in <a href="http://www.kathybrodie.com/viewpoint/more-sources-of-information/" target="_blank">this article</a> on Kathy Brodie's website - thanks Kathy! - more people have recently begun to use the EYES search box on the right-hand side of this site. I've no way of checking who you are or whether you're finding it useful (unless you get in touch to let me know...) but for those who've never used the service before, here's how it works:<br /><br />One of the most frustrating things about doing a Google search is the  amount of irrelevant or non-academic material which appears in your  results. EYES - named because it  stands for '<b>E</b>arly <b>Y</b>ears, <b>E</b>ducation and <b>S</b>ocial policy', and also because  it looks for things - tries to get around this problem by only searching through almost 100 relevant websites which I've handpicked for  the quality and reliability of the information that they provide. It's still using Google software to order the results, but will only show material from the sites I've selected, so in theory should be much more likely to find you something suitable for research purposes.<br /><br />To test it for yourself, try doing a search for an essay topic in 'normal' Google, then do the same search in EYES and compare the results. See the difference? I don't pretend EYES is perfect, but I'm confident that in most cases it will point you towards useful information that you may not otherwise have found. Further information about the service is <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_1_DXfzcBJ8MDk2YmJmOTYtMGRkNi00Zjg5LThjNmItMmZiZGY1ZDhiNTc1/edit?hl=en" target="_blank">available here</a>, and feedback with suggestions for improvements is always welcome - email me at: <a href="mailto:D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk">D.Renfree@ucb.ac.uk</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm1ldSQHCDi4ZAXa-SjAiEMRg3HZGjUlq-2Zqkam45YuKwCBBh3nIyElsdCv3BZUf20E9pD9nrslgexPPhhx5CbSs3BNhyphenhyphentF9vrerBqXx6IOihbQv_6Ht7wgmyN0eAsu17U4NyJdQ0Q/s1600/GoogleEYES.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm1ldSQHCDi4ZAXa-SjAiEMRg3HZGjUlq-2Zqkam45YuKwCBBh3nIyElsdCv3BZUf20E9pD9nrslgexPPhhx5CbSs3BNhyphenhyphentF9vrerBqXx6IOihbQv_6Ht7wgmyN0eAsu17U4NyJdQ0Q/s320/GoogleEYES.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Comparison of Google (on left) vs EYES (on right) search results - click on image for larger version </span>

EYES Search

Possibly as a result of a mention in this article on Kathy Brodie's website - thanks Kathy! - more people have recently begun to use th...

4:12 AM

Evaluating Wikipedia

A slightly controversial subject today with regards to students... Back in the summer I presented a paper which argued that Wikipedia could, within limits, be a better source of information than its reputation suggests - most lecturers are reluctant to accept student work which cites Wikipedia for a number of reasons, the main one being that the site can be edited by anyone and so is open to abuse. There is good material to be found on Wikipedia, but separating the high quality from the poor is not always easy, and students would usually be advised to use it only as a starting point for learning about a topic.<br /><br />To assist with using the site sensibly, you can now access an 8 page booklet entitled <i>Evaluating Wikipedia Article Quality</i>. This contains simple, easy-to-follow advice on how to assess whether pages on the site are likely to be accurate or well-researched, and teaches you how to follow the development of an article to see how it has evolved. While it's not definitive, it should help you to start considering some of the critical judgments you need to make when using Wikipedia, so that if you are going to visit the site, you can at least be more confident in choosing what material may be useful, and what pages should be avoided.<br /><br />To view the booklet, <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Evaluating_Wikipedia_article_quality_2010-11-26_%28web%29.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQ9aPVVTM1Z-tGsKL4ftmfn-NYgP6-IS0F0JbuCveCVDF8K7T-4iTsGY1pROm3ppZpPQ1m79N3X8WqFwCzPUtKF252WnzKx8JjWKEF_DvI8MjqaZJfZMNeXEr5-jAJuud2MNiw8PQCw/s1600/WikipediaPost.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQ9aPVVTM1Z-tGsKL4ftmfn-NYgP6-IS0F0JbuCveCVDF8K7T-4iTsGY1pROm3ppZpPQ1m79N3X8WqFwCzPUtKF252WnzKx8JjWKEF_DvI8MjqaZJfZMNeXEr5-jAJuud2MNiw8PQCw/s320/WikipediaPost.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />(Image taken from <a href="http://xkcd.com/903/" target="_blank">http://xkcd.com/903/</a> under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/" target="_blank">Creative Commons terms</a> - click on image for a larger version)

Evaluating Wikipedia

A slightly controversial subject today with regards to students... Back in the summer I presented a paper which argued that Wikipedia could,...

3:45 AM

The Safety and Security of Consistency

I was working with one of my student teachers recently and she expressed to me her exasperation with her cooperating site teacher.  They currently have a child who is in foster care in their class.  The little first grader has learned how to manipulate situations and refuses to cooperate with classroom rules.  My student teacher is frustrated because when she follows through on classroom procedures with the girl, and she is required to receive the consequences of her actions, the site teacher pulls the girl aside and gives her candy!  Ugh!<br />I know that the site teacher thinks she is being supportive and comforting to this little girl.  The student teacher feels like she is forced into the "bad guy" role in the classroom. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOjqiiIL3Wq1g_5imwM-JDNCQacIPepnKL5Bm4H1fQnYDGKPhR-ypw3xt0vAhRDD8Ymcit86kC5O_eVJzn-X3OKKEJAjapPGoiXObTzyvLHrBVA7-trK7hyFHohUrQzEKFLgGknk_dN4/s1600/Classroom+Shots+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOjqiiIL3Wq1g_5imwM-JDNCQacIPepnKL5Bm4H1fQnYDGKPhR-ypw3xt0vAhRDD8Ymcit86kC5O_eVJzn-X3OKKEJAjapPGoiXObTzyvLHrBVA7-trK7hyFHohUrQzEKFLgGknk_dN4/s320/Classroom+Shots+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I was explaining to both teachers that the most secure and helpful procedure they could follow is being consistent with their expectations for the little girl.  While I understand that she needs extra support because of her unfortunately situation, the best support they can give is to be consistent in their expectations and procedures.  The best security we can provide for at-risk children is to surround them with the safety net of knowing what to expect when they come into the classroom each day.  By having clear rules and guidelines, clear consequences for inappropriate behavior, plus a loving and supporting classroom atmosphere, the small child will be supported in the best possible way.  The worst thing we can do for children in a classroom, especially at-risk kids, is not provide the security of consistency.  It is unfair and scary in a world that has already treated them unfairly.

The Safety and Security of Consistency

I was working with one of my student teachers recently and she expressed to me her exasperation with her cooperating site teacher. They cur...

5:10 AM

Bernard van Leer Foundation

The <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/" target="_blank">Bernard van Leer Foundation</a> is an international organisation with a mission to "improve opportunities for children up to age 8 who are growing up in socially and economically difficult circumstances." While I've previously linked to the occasional report on their site, I thought that as it's a slow news day, it might be worth drawing attention to some of the resources available on their website, all of which are free to access.<br /><br /> From a research point of view, the most interesting part of the site is the <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/English/Home/Publications.html" target="_blank">Publications</a> area. You can search or browse through the various documents in a number of ways, though my personal preference would be to browse by series. Among the series that the Foundation publishes are a collection of <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/English/Home/Publications/Browse_by_series.html?ps_page=1&getSeries=10" target="_blank">Working Papers</a> - recent topics covered include <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Childrens-right-to-play-An-examination-of-the-importance-of-play-in-the-lives-of-children-worldwide?pubnr=1274&download=1"><i>Children's Right to Play</i></a> and <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Fostering_language_acquisition_in_daycare_settings_What_does_the_research_tell_us?pubnr=628&download=1"><i>Fostering Language Acquisition in Daycare Settings</i></a> - and <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/English/Home/Publications/Browse_by_series.html?ps_page=1&getSeries=3" target="_blank">Early Childhood in Focus</a>, which is published in collaboration with the Open University, and examines recent research on key policy issues. Recent titles in this series include <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Supporting_parenting?pubnr=1141&download=1"><i>Supporting Parenting</i></a> and <i><a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Effective_Early_Childhood_Programmes?pubnr=758&download=1">Effective Early Childhood Programmes</a></i>. The biannual journal <a href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/English/Home/Publications/Browse_by_series.html?ps_page=1&getSeries=4" target="_blank"><i>Early Childhood Matters</i></a> is also worth a look.<br /><br />If you'd prefer printed versions of the Foundation's publications, you may order up to five copies free of charge.

Bernard van Leer Foundation

The Bernard van Leer Foundation is an international organisation with a mission to "improve opportunities for children up to age 8 who...

9:40 AM

Counting the Costs of Childcare

Counting the Costs of Childcare

The affordability of childcare has been a hot political topic in recent years and now a new report is adding to the debate by claiming that ...

9:24 AM

Social and Emotional Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Wellbeing

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has just published a guidance document entitled Social and Emotional Wellbe...

6:58 AM

Children & Media

Children & Media

Ofcom has just published Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes , which examines how young people interact with different media types...

9:05 AM

International Education

If you're looking for information on education in other countries, a really good starting point is the <a href="http://libguides.ioe.ac.uk/inted" target="_blank">International Education</a> Libguide from the IOE. The site serves as a gateway with links to useful education websites all around the world, and while some of the content is specific to users of the IOE Library, there is still plenty here to make it worth bookmarking for when you're researching an assignment on learning in Finland... or Singapore... or Angola...<br /><br />Don't forget that you can view previous posts on here relating to international issues by clicking on the 'International Resources' link in the Hot Topics menu on the right. I also have a collection of <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/davidrenfree/international" target="_blank">bookmarks on international education</a> which you may find useful.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeD95C5DQkXNUZx3OX_DHtGjJnvLVlmw1GTGusKRvFGQZcYQabuF5joUMLJeYoZ0fN9LMGNz0lQXwyWXtI-z6aYj30a7qzfqASM6RciDJwccoA1MNn73cEzaPN3kmDYTXRzDm_JiAzA/s1600/GlobePic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeD95C5DQkXNUZx3OX_DHtGjJnvLVlmw1GTGusKRvFGQZcYQabuF5joUMLJeYoZ0fN9LMGNz0lQXwyWXtI-z6aYj30a7qzfqASM6RciDJwccoA1MNn73cEzaPN3kmDYTXRzDm_JiAzA/s200/GlobePic.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />

International Education

If you're looking for information on education in other countries, a really good starting point is the International Education Libguide...

5:25 AM

Child Protection in Birmingham

Child Protection in Birmingham

Birmingham City Council is unfortunately in the headlines for the wrong reasons after a recent surprise Ofsted inspection judged their child...

1:44 AM

Double Dutch

Today the <a href="http://www.ippr.org/" target="_blank">Institute for Public Policy Research</a> (IPPR) has published <i>Double Dutch: The Case Against Deregulation & Demand-Led Funding in Childcare</i>. This paper is partly a response to <a href="http://www.centreforum.org/assets/pubs/affordable-quality.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Affordable Quality: New Approaches to Childcare</i></a> which was published in May and argued that the childcare structure used by the Netherlands should be adopted in the UK. In contrast, the new report suggests that there should be a <a href="http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1075025/report-advocates-universal-national-entitlement-care?WT.rss_f=News&WT.rss_a=Report+advocates+universal+%27national+entitlement%27+to+early+years+care" target="_blank">universal 'national entitlement' to early years care</a>, modelled more closely on the <a href="http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1154989/Denmark-holds-key-affordable-childcare-think-tank-argues/" target="_blank">Danish model</a>.<br /><br />To read the full text of <i>Double Dutch</i>, <a href="http://www.ippr.org/images/media/files/publication/2012/10/double-dutch-childcare_Oct2012_9763.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>. You may also want to listen to <a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/1007972-17-160-a-year-just-so-i-can-go-back-to-work" target="_blank">this snippet</a> from yesterday's World at One programme, which examined the costs of childcare.

Double Dutch

Today the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has published Double Dutch: The Case Against Deregulation & Demand-Led Funding in...

7:56 AM

Research for Teachers

Research for Teachers

One for the PGCE students today... Back when the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) was still around, they published a series of re...

2:43 AM

Helping Children Bloom

We are getting ready to say goodbye to our flowers for the season.  In our area, flowers disappear with the first frost.  Although a little early, we lost a few vines this past week, but we are still enjoying the flowers.  However, I understand that we must enjoy them today because they will be gone tomorrow.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLx17JNl28XOD079yfRs0J62Xjlu1uLhU53nII_hmYWU1z4yMMjPdHfcV9Blc5zNcBzjiYKaSQWjIchmY6J2dsDA-gsWjumkuRXp6ktujVZ5asrBzRTlEnvDq0pp6t325_mjfeXmXO1o/s1600/geraniums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLx17JNl28XOD079yfRs0J62Xjlu1uLhU53nII_hmYWU1z4yMMjPdHfcV9Blc5zNcBzjiYKaSQWjIchmY6J2dsDA-gsWjumkuRXp6ktujVZ5asrBzRTlEnvDq0pp6t325_mjfeXmXO1o/s320/geraniums.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I was looking at my geraniums and thinking how different each plant can be.  Not only are the colors of the flowers different, the leaves and the plant patterns vary from mound to mound.  It is like having different children in our classrooms.  If we are working with 5 year olds, they are all 5 year-olds.  Fortunately, they all have different patterns, different leaves, and variegated colors.  Like all of my geraniums, children need different things to flourish and make the most of their development and accomplishments.  I had a geranium this season that needed constant monitoring with additional plant food and water.  Because I took the time to do this, that plant did well and provided many beautiful blooms during the summer.  Other plants seemed to grow like weeds, without much additional care.  The children in our classrooms are so much like that.  Some need extra care and consideration to make the same progress other children seem to make automatically.  The key is to provide that extra nourishment.  Children who need extra care are sometimes the ones that fight it and seem to rebuff that extra attention.  That means we teachers must make it  a priority to provide the necessary care.  If the child is going to bloom, we must be willing to provide the necessary support.  As early childhood community, we need to work to make sure every child blooms.

Helping Children Bloom

We are getting ready to say goodbye to our flowers for the season. In our area, flowers disappear with the first frost. Although a little ...

9:51 AM

Education on the Web

I normally try very hard to stay impartial when posting information here, by just describing what an item is and posting a link to it, and then leaving it to the reader to decide whether or not it's useful or accurate in what it says. That said, today's post deals with a new publication which I really think is excellent, and should be of use to any education student or professional who is carrying out research.<br /><br /><i>Education on the Web: a Tool-Kit to Help you Search Effectively for Information on Education</i> is a new publication from the <a href="http://www.nfer.ac.uk/" target="_blank">NFER</a> which describes itself as "an essential companion for any busy education professional undertaking their own research." The 7 chapters of the book cover topics such as how to carry out your literature search, the top websites in different areas of education, advice on using Web 2.0 to further your research, and there's also a glossary and advice on how to plan your searches. If I was to write an in-depth guide for students on how to carry out online research, I hope it would end up looking something like this!<br /><br />That's the sales talk over... You can access the book in full by <a href="http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/SERC01/SERC01.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.<br /><br />If you find the NFER's toolkit useful, two other publications which you may also like are the National Children's  Bureau's <a href="http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/434791/guidelines_for_research_with_cyp.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Guidelines for Research with Children and Young People</i></a>, and BERA's <a href="http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1t9gr/BERAEthicalGuideline/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.yudu.com%25252Fitem%25252Fdetails%25252F375952%25252FBERA-Ethical-Guidelines-2011" target="_blank"><i>Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research</i></a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0CJXgeiKFqvVXMdG5utsfXOr2rbsGWdyxJfJ47i8hSPiMhyrpw7ADXXaM-3y1WFgpnpksQdU82xuuFh5NrHfEROToyus6pyX-cnKKNq-15uCkoII9xRzqe3fzinesHQSZMq5U6Mr9A/s1600/InternetResearchPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0CJXgeiKFqvVXMdG5utsfXOr2rbsGWdyxJfJ47i8hSPiMhyrpw7ADXXaM-3y1WFgpnpksQdU82xuuFh5NrHfEROToyus6pyX-cnKKNq-15uCkoII9xRzqe3fzinesHQSZMq5U6Mr9A/s320/InternetResearchPic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />

Education on the Web

I normally try very hard to stay impartial when posting information here, by just describing what an item is and posting a link to it, and t...

6:59 AM

The Cost of A Child in the Twenty-First Century

The Cost of A Child in the Twenty-First Century

I'm about a month behind with today's post, but better late than never... The Child Poverty Action Group recently published The Cost...

4:06 AM

New from DfE

The Department for Education has just released its latest batch of research reports, and this month there are quite a few! If you're a glutton for punishment then you can read all of the latest reports by <a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/AllPublications/Page1" target="_blank">clicking here</a>, but what I've tried to do is provide links to the ones which are particularly relevant to this site's users.<br /><br />One item which should be of interest to most readers is the <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d001088/osr18-2012.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2011</i></a> (despite the title it is new!) - a summary of the main findings is <a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RB240.pdf" target="_blank">also available</a>.<br /><br />There are also two new reports compiled by the <a href="http://www.cwrc.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre</a>:<br /><ul><li><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/Children%27s%20voices%20on%20wellbeing.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Children’s and Young People’s Voices on their Wellbeing</i></a></li><li><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR245%20Main%20report.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Implementing Evidence-Based Programmes in Children’s Services: Key Issues for Success</i></a></li></ul> And three reports from the Longitudinal Study of Early Years Professional Status:<br /><ul><li><i><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DfE-RR239b%20report.pdf" target="_blank">Listening to Children’s Perspectives: Improving the Quality of Provision in Early Years Settings</a></i></li><li><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DfE-RR239a%20report.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Second National Survey of Practitioners with Early Years Professional Status</i></a></li><li><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DfE-RR239c%20report.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Longitudinal Study of Early Years Professional Status: an Exploration of Progress, Leadership and Impact: Final Report</i></a></li></ul>

New from DfE

The Department for Education has just released its latest batch of research reports, and this month there are quite a few! If you're a g...

7:22 AM

Outdoor Play & Learning

Today the <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Trust</a> is holding an event entitled the Natural Childhood Summit and has marked the occasion by releasing a new booklet called <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application/pdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1349108059875&ssbinary=true" target="_blank"><i>Reconnecting Children with Nature</i></a>, which summarises the findings of the <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/document-1355766991839/" target="_blank"><i>Natural Childhood</i></a> report which was published earlier this year. This seems to be a popular area of interest at the moment as I've also had several dissertation students in recent months requesting information on outdoor play and learning. Which seems as good an excuse as any to make that the topic of today's post...<br /><br />Once you've worked your way through the links above, it's worth acquainting yourself with the work of Tim Gill. His 2007 report <a href="http://www.gulbenkian.org.uk/pdffiles/--item-1266-223-No-fear-19-12-07.pdf" target="_blank"><i>No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk Averse Society</i></a> examines many of the issues related to the safety of playing outdoors, while he was also the author of last year's <a href="http://www.londonsdc.org/documents/Sowing%20the%20Seeds%20-%20Full%20Report.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Sowing the Seeds</i></a> report, which argued the importance of allowing children to connect with nature. These themes are explored further in his <a href="http://rethinkingchildhood.com/" target="_blank"><i>Rethinking Childhood</i></a> website, which is updated regularly.<br /><br />There are a number of other research reports and literature reviews which are available. <a href="http://www.tgescapes.co.uk/sites/default/files/the-outdoor-environment.pdf" target="_blank"><i>The Outdoor Environment: How can our Children Learn to Care about their Futures?</i></a> is a brief report which was published in July this year, while <a href="http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/images/Children%20in%20the%20outdoors%20literature%20review_tcm4-597028.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Children in the Outdoors: a Literature Review</i></a> was published in 2009 by the Sustainable Development Research Centre. <a href="http://www.bath.ac.uk/cree/resources/OCR.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Engaging and Learning with the Outdoors</i></a> is a 2005 report from the NFER, while <a href="http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/124866/no.10__children_s_play_in_natural_environments.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Children’s Play in Natural Environments</i></a> is a factsheet from the National Children's Bureau which summarises findings from various projects, and provides suggestions for further reading.<br /><br />Forest Schools are an area which have attracted much interest in recent years, and are a way of combining children's exposure to nature with education - some of the benefits of forest schools are explored in the 2006 report <a href="http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fr0112forestschoolsreport.pdf/$FILE/fr0112forestschoolsreport.pdf" target="_blank"><i>A Marvellous Opportunity for Children to Learn</i></a>. If this is a topic that interests you, it's also worth seeking out the work of Sara Knight who has written a couple of books on the subject - available online is a brief paper she has written entitled <a href="http://www.tactyc.org.uk/pdfs/Reflection-Knight.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Can Forest School Act as a Spur to Better Quality Outdoor Experiences?</i></a> which will also provide suggestions for further reading.<br /><br />And to finish, an honorary mention of two projects which encourage children to get outside and messy! <i><a href="http://loveoutdoorplay.net/" target="_blank">Love Outdoor Play</a></i> is a campaign from Play England which forms part of their broader aim to allow children to have the freedom and space to play, while <a href="https://www.50things.org.uk/" target="_blank"><i>50 Things to do Before You're 11 3/4</i></a> provides ideas for activities for children to do outdoors and is managed by the National Trust. Which is where we came in...<br /><br />If it's too wet to go outside today (it happens!), you may be interested in seeing how children in other countries are helped to relate to the outdoors with the video below entitled <i>Outdoor PreSchool - Norway</i>:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="236" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Fp4Nny_rIiw" width="420"></iframe>

Outdoor Play & Learning

Today the National Trust is holding an event entitled the Natural Childhood Summit and has marked the occasion by releasing a new booklet c...

2:41 AM

Literacy in the Sand Table

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GUQxvrgKsHYtfnTsVq_iQ1Ua_cLd_ZVsq004IptWPPKoCZ3CyJoPyW4JW2bDBLyzawCsyR9__wvPhGnlTjRS9zt_MGUjGkJkdXsqfAA4yM-5y6No4gffgkGvYgMd8vi0CYDODgUZMro/s1600/Seth-+sand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GUQxvrgKsHYtfnTsVq_iQ1Ua_cLd_ZVsq004IptWPPKoCZ3CyJoPyW4JW2bDBLyzawCsyR9__wvPhGnlTjRS9zt_MGUjGkJkdXsqfAA4yM-5y6No4gffgkGvYgMd8vi0CYDODgUZMro/s320/Seth-+sand.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I had the opportunity to present a workshop at the North Carolina AEYC Conference this past week.    It was a joy to meet with wonderful early childhood teachers in North Carolina. I always love visiting that beautiful state.  No matter where I visit in the United States, there are early childhood teachers who want to provide the best possible experience for their children.  Last week was no exception.  The early childhood community continues to look for innovative and engaging ways to help children learn.  Our group discussed using the sand and sensory tables to promote and support language and literacy development.  I firmly believe that the sensory tables are not used enough in our classrooms.  Some of the language and literacy ideas we discussed include:<br /><br /><ul><li>Forming letters of the alphabet with wet sand or dough</li><li>Allowing children to create parts of stories using sand and props</li><li>Having children use a scoop to find sponge letters floating in water</li><li>Using a magnet wand to find magnetic letters hidden in sand</li><li>Using dough to create another ending for a story</li><li>Using sand on a cookie sheet or tray to form alphabet letters with your finger</li></ul><div>The list was quite extensive and included many activities for use in the sensory table or center.  These types of workshops serve as a reminder about how critical it is to engage children and keep learning exciting.  </div>

Literacy in the Sand Table

I had the opportunity to present a workshop at the North Carolina AEYC Conference this past week. It was a joy to meet with wonderful ear...

5:34 AM

Open Access Research for Childhood / Education

Almost all of the posts on this site link to free resources (usually research reports or similar) which those with an interest in childhood & education will hopefully find useful. However, it still remains the case that much high quality peer-reviewed research is inaccessible to many - you either need to hope that the institution you work for or study at has a subscription to an item that you're interested in, or be willing to pay to get hold of it via an inter-library loan or direct from the publisher.<br /><br />Fortunately there is a growing movement to ensure that peer-reviewed research gains a wider audience by making it easier and free to access - in particular, many Universities are now insisting that if one of their academics publishes an article, then a version of it must also be deposited in an institutional repository. So today's post will cover a few of the places where you can find such items or other useful documents, and read them in full. If a particular article or even book chapter you want is not available to you via the 'usual' channels, it's increasingly worth seeing if a version of it exists in the sites mentioned below.<br /><br />The <a href="http://core.kmi.open.ac.uk/" target="_blank">CORE</a> site is a fantastic service which allows you to search across and access the contents of 176 different repositories in the UK. It covers all academic subjects, but there is plenty of childhood / education material which you can read in there. You can even download an Android or iPhone app to use the site while on the move!<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.ioe.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Institute of Education</a> (IOE) offers access to two collections of material. <a href="http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/" target="_blank">IOE EPrints</a> is an index of material authored by IOE staff, and while full access isn't available to every citation it contains, there is enough available to make it worth a visit. The IOE also manages the <a href="http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Digital Education Resource Archive (DERA)</a>, which offers a permanent home to various official government documents, ensuring that they can still be found if there are changes to departmental websites etc.<br /><br />There are a number of online-only journals which offer free access to all visitors. <a href="http://www.symposium-journals.co.uk/" target="_blank">Symposium Journals</a> publish 9 different education journals, offering access via a 'moving window' - eg articles become available to all once they are more than 3 years old. <a href="http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/" target="_blank"><i>Early Childhood Research & Practice</i></a> is a longstanding online journal from the USA which offers free access to all of its content, while the <a href="http://www.doaj.org/doaj?func=subject&cpid=127&uiLanguage=en" target="_blank">Education Section</a> of the Directory of Open Access Journals lists 545 freely available titles. Oddly I haven't had chance to vet them all!<br /><br />And finally: for any information on child development, it's almost certain that the peer-reviewed <a href="http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/en-ca/home.html" target="_blank"><i>Encyclopedia on on Early Child Development</i></a> will cover what you need to know. Or if you're a user of <a href="http://www.eric.ed.gov/" target="_blank">ERIC</a>, the world's largest education database, then there is an option in the Advanced Search which allows you to tick a box to ensure that only items available in full-text will be returned in your results.

Open Access Research for Childhood / Education

Almost all of the posts on this site link to free resources (usually research reports or similar) which those with an interest in childhood ...

8:48 AM

Education At A Glance 2012

Today sees the publication of the OECD's annual <i>Education At A Glance</i> report. This is a huge document, comparing a mass of information on education provision in dozens of different countries, from preschool right up to University level.<br /><br />The full report can be <a href="http://www.oecd.org/edu/EAG%202012_e-book_EN_200912.pdf" target="_blank">downloaded here</a>, though you'd be forgiven for heading straight for the <a href="http://www.oecd.org/edu/highlights.pdf" target="_blank">summary version</a>. In addition, there's an <a href="http://www.oecd.org/edu/EAG2012%20-%20Country%20note%20-%20United%20Kingdom.pdf" target="_blank"><i>United Kingdom Country Note</i></a> available, which provides a shorter analysis of education in the UK, and how it compares to other countries. Or for simple information on the headlines generated by the research, try looking at <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/sep/11/education-compared-oecd-country-pisa" target="_blank">this <i>Guardian</i> article</a> or <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19548597" target="_blank">this BBC article</a>.<br /><br />For further information about education systems in different countries, the <a href="http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/index_en.php" target="_blank">Eurydice</a> and <a href="http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en.html" target="_blank">International Bureau of Education</a> sites are well worth a visit.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="236" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j44Uup5iYCE" width="420"></iframe>

Education At A Glance 2012

Today sees the publication of the OECD's annual Education At A Glance report. This is a huge document, comparing a mass of information ...

3:06 AM

Children's Reading Today

The <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Literacy Trust</a> has just published the findings from it's latest annual survey. The report explores children's attitudes towards reading, what they  read, the different media they read on and the amount of time they spend  reading, while issues such as gender and ethnicity are also considered. One of the headline findings from this year's survey is the suggestion that children are <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19511825" target="_blank">reading less due to time spent on other activities</a>.<br /><br />To read the full text of the report, entitled <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0001/4450/Young_people_s_reading_-_FINAL_REPORT.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Children's Reading Today</i></a>, click here.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzsr16KZMv3LCN-LeE3m2eVw1C02HqfRwAgRi5QeBFCrP1pK6Sr-ESM6_L6NGnxmNQLcQes3UtZg8BYteV234nTDyRERmHMKA2T8GsbYPEQd0u3stlaQxnrU9zison68vhEX05TLyRg/s1600/ReadingPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzsr16KZMv3LCN-LeE3m2eVw1C02HqfRwAgRi5QeBFCrP1pK6Sr-ESM6_L6NGnxmNQLcQes3UtZg8BYteV234nTDyRERmHMKA2T8GsbYPEQd0u3stlaQxnrU9zison68vhEX05TLyRg/s320/ReadingPic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />

Children's Reading Today

The National Literacy Trust has just published the findings from it's latest annual survey. The report explores children's attitude...

5:24 AM

It Shouldn't Happen Here

It Shouldn't Happen Here

Save the Children has just published a new report entitled Child Poverty in 2012: It Shouldn’t Happen Here , to mark their first ever fundra...

3:27 AM

Support Materials for the New EYFS

This week sees the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) come into effect across the children's sector. I've covered this topic before on the blog, so here's a quick list of need-to-know material relating to the new regulations<i>: </i><br /><ul><li>The central document is the <i><a href="https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/EYFS%20Statutory%20Framework%20March%202012.pdf" target="_blank">Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage</a></i></li></ul><i></i><ul><li>Early Education have produced <a href="http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Development-Matters-in-the-Early-Years-Foundation-Stage.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)</i></a>, which is designed to support practitioners in implementing the new regulations</li></ul><ul><li>Further support is provided by a National Children's Bureau publication entitled: <a href="http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/A-Know-How-Guide.pdf" target="_blank"><i>A Know How Guide: The EYFS Progress Check at Age Two</i></a><i> </i></li></ul>It's also well worth paying regular visits to the <a href="http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/" target="_blank">Foundation Years</a> website, which has plenty of information on the new EYFS and other issues relating to the early years sector. You may also want to have a look at <a href="http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/1014512/BIG-ISSUE-Review-Early-Years-Foundation-Stage/" target="_blank">this collection</a> of <i>Nursery World</i> articles around the subject of the new EYFS, most of which are free to access. And you can list all previous posts on this site relating to the Foundation Stage by <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Foundation%20Stage" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2Sn7CIfFvB4zEPur6cuRGtwUz2ujQi1fUT_L6X_XgzXHGx91VwpGinyx8BCaSjcM-WhXqY9UC7cC9ogCOxFY8aOYcwNJBrAxsEPDB7ac0dujvNoY48qgCIvQ9dRpu0j87NnOl2bsFw/s1600/FSPost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2Sn7CIfFvB4zEPur6cuRGtwUz2ujQi1fUT_L6X_XgzXHGx91VwpGinyx8BCaSjcM-WhXqY9UC7cC9ogCOxFY8aOYcwNJBrAxsEPDB7ac0dujvNoY48qgCIvQ9dRpu0j87NnOl2bsFw/s320/FSPost.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />

Support Materials for the New EYFS

This week sees the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) come into effect across the children's sector. I've covered this topic be...

3:20 AM

The Right Choice for Dual Disorders Addiction

<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Everyone who abuse substances certainly have reasons their own so they can be stuck in traps of drugs or alcohol. Often we know the people who suffer addiction effected over one disease. In medical language, it calls dual diagnosis. Patients had mental disorders or behavioral problems and also suffer from addiction or substance abuse issues. The good news is, with the advancement of medical science is very effective addiction and mental health treatment has come, which can cure the patient completely. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Recently, dual diagnosis has become common style. According to a recent study has revealed that most people who are drug addicts suffer from a mental disorder as well. Most drug rehabilitation programs only concentrate on the treatment of addiction, they do not treat the root of the addiction. But there are some health care centers are specialized in the treatment of dual diagnosis. Center dual diagnosis treatment centers emphasize both addiction treatment and mental health through which patients can be completely cured. According to medical experts, perfect addiction treatment is not possible to do without treatment combinations. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">There are some dual diagnosis treatment centers available out there offering dual diagnosis programs. Online media will help you to find a wide choice of information on care and treatment centers to aid your loved ones suffering from addiction to substances in restoring mental and physical health. <a href="http://www.dualdiagnosis-treatmentcenter.com/"><b style="color: black;">Click here</b></a> to find the right diagnosis treatment center double for them. Treatment programs offered at these centers can help peoples addicted to have increased control over their desire to use a variety of harmful substances. Although at the time the program can makes some complications and requires special treatment and attention. You can offer the necessary assistance to patients with their move to dual diagnosis rehab centers and allow them to get the necessary treatment recovery from an experienced physician. Dual diagnosis treatment center is the best place for drug addicts suffering from both addiction and mental disorders.</div>

The Right Choice for Dual Disorders Addiction

Everyone who abuse substances certainly have reasons their own so they can be stuck in traps of drugs or alcohol. Often we know the peopl...

12:51 AM

And School Begins...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2a-FioOvFMuCOjnQnFVG9WEL7euSNHSJ9xxjiExltcvMzFtsiRrlY-8yEz9BmAh7O57Qz1k6X2JvQy8bw3Ey0_QZonBJCS1TkTNj35ZIy_fzDikCVjs3lKPsxqQivvGIPKe2Nr36TT6c/s1600/Classroom+Shots+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2a-FioOvFMuCOjnQnFVG9WEL7euSNHSJ9xxjiExltcvMzFtsiRrlY-8yEz9BmAh7O57Qz1k6X2JvQy8bw3Ey0_QZonBJCS1TkTNj35ZIy_fzDikCVjs3lKPsxqQivvGIPKe2Nr36TT6c/s320/Classroom+Shots+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It is that season again when most school systems begin a new academic year.  We started classes at the university last Monday, but most of the public school districts in our area begin in the next few days.  I took the opportunity last week to visit my student teaching candidates as they were helping their site teachers with classroom setup.  The old "beginning of the year" excitement was very evident in every school I visited.  I remember that excitement well as I enjoyed setting up my classroom every fall for almost 25 years.  Later this week, I will meet with my candidates and begin our semester-long course on classroom management.  To me, effectively managing a classroom is the key to <i>everything</i> for the year.  A teacher cannot teach successfully, or children learn successfully, without an effective classroom routine.  Research tells us that it is the attitude of the teacher that is the key factor in teaching reading, math, and other academic subjects.  My job this semester is to model for my student teachers how human development should be the foundation of that classroom management.  Our educational system is so focused on academic teaching that teachers don't receive a lot of support for meeting the needs of their students using developmental principles.  Those principles are the key to understanding how students function.  It is not just early childhood children who should reap the benefits of developmentally appropriate practice.  Understanding the developmental stage of a 9 year-old will be a tremendous help for the teacher in a fourth grade classroom.  My job is to help my group of future teachers understand those principles.

And School Begins...

It is that season again when most school systems begin a new academic year. We started classes at the university last Monday, but most of t...

5:32 AM

Summon

Summon

Just a quick notice for UCB students: the Summon search service will be undergoing essential maintenance over the next few days. We will at...

5:43 AM

The Education Debates

The Education Debates

Required listening over the next couple of weeks: John Humphrys is presenting a 3 part series on Radio 4 entitled The Education Debates , in...

7:03 AM

Charley Junior's School Days

Charley Junior's School Days

Just a little something to keep site users going over the summer (there doesn't seem to be a lot of news at the moment!)... The film bel...

6:09 AM

The Role of PCT Therapy in Bodybuilding

For practitioners and athletic fitness, increase muscle mass
and strength quickly is one of the most desirable state. The various elements
it needs to exist at the same time to get maximum muscle growth. When anabolic
androgenic steroid users complete the cycle, the natural production of
hormones, especially testosterone is suppressed. It is important to restore
these hormones to their home countries to reduce some side effects post cycle.
Side effects like a lot, including losing weight and strength, inability to
maintain muscle mass gained during the cycle and depression. To avoid this, the
PCT may be useful bodybuilding.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Some bodybuilders use drugs such as anabolic steroids to increase their muscle
strength, which basically increases the size of muscle cells. This drug does
this by increasing protein synthesis in cells. Increase protein synthesis led
to the buildup of cellular tissue, especially in muscles. Steroids post cycle
therapy is a method that uses drugs to try and restore and stabilize hormone
users when the cycle has stopped suppressing androgenic steroids. The main goal
is to bring the hormones back to normal. This therapy also helps users to
maintain overall health and maintain muscle tissue.<br />
<br />
Time to start therapy can vary from one person to another, as quoted in this <a href="http://store.bodybuildingfactory.com/article-pct-post-cycle-therapy.html"><b style="color: black;">article</b></a>. But this largely depends on
the compound administered during the cycle. Before starting this therapy,
someone suggested to go for steroids during a certain time to allow the body to
recover. Started therapy when androgen levels are still high in the body may
make therapy less efficient. Combining this therapy with proper exercise and
nutrition special could go a long way in helping the PCT bodybuilding. It is
also important to have adequate rest. These include healing and sleep between
workouts. By doing so it loses power, weight loss and depression will be
minimized. Body will also be able to maintain that muscle mass is obtained
during the cycle.</div>

The Role of PCT Therapy in Bodybuilding

For practitioners and athletic fitness, increase muscle mass and strength quickly is one of the most desirable state. The various elements i...

12:31 PM

Literacy / Language

First post in nearly a month! Well it is the summer...<br /><br />The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in Ireland (a rough equivalent of our DfE) has recently published two reports which site users may find useful. The reports are entitled <a href="http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Early_Childhood_and_Primary_Education/Primary_School_Curriculum/Language_Curriculum_Research_Reports_/litreport.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education (3-8 years)</i></a> and <a href="http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Early_Childhood_and_Primary_Education/Primary_School_Curriculum/Language_Curriculum_Research_Reports_/orallangreport.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Oral Language in Early Childhood and Primary Education (3-8 years)</i></a>, and contain in-depth information on their respective topics.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidINNXFDZQFi8X1TcpmTjYDFQwPPZYhyphenhyphenhT2vqcKY5fBm3ADE5VZ6arH0DYRCkWeQVGMrKVr9Il-qp13ANb8-eTwuCZBLVDfaT7hqhs-t5XVnhbNWEBftuKrzo1_SLm5Fjj0H8Wr6dZAQ/s1600/ChildReading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidINNXFDZQFi8X1TcpmTjYDFQwPPZYhyphenhyphenhT2vqcKY5fBm3ADE5VZ6arH0DYRCkWeQVGMrKVr9Il-qp13ANb8-eTwuCZBLVDfaT7hqhs-t5XVnhbNWEBftuKrzo1_SLm5Fjj0H8Wr6dZAQ/s200/ChildReading.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />

Literacy / Language

First post in nearly a month! Well it is the summer... The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in Ireland (a rough equivalent of ...

2:57 AM

Rehabilitation centers for alcohol addicts

<br />

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Alcohol is one of the most abused
substances in modern society. Most people are drinking alcohol to relieve
stress or cool down. Alcohol has a long-term effect. Taking excessive alcohol
increases the risk of addiction. This led to addicts began to suffer physical
and mental effects of alcohol. At this stage, the addict is likely to
experience any withdrawal if he suddenly stopped consuming alcohol. Before
treatment for addictions, junkies should accept having problems.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many people are addicted to alcohol
are having a lot of difficulty in handling their addiction. In most cases,
professional help from a rehabilitation center is required to provide effective
recovery program for alcoholics. With some care, lifestyle changes and plan a
long-term commitment, alcoholics can achieve complete recovery that will lead
them to healthy living.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><a href="http://www.soberliving.com/" style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rehabilitation centers</span></b></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> were established to help alcoholics overcome their
addiction. Through the care they provide, alcoholics will prevent further
damage in their bodies and in their lives. Treatment programs in rehabilitation
center that is designed to meet the needs of every physical and psychological
patient. The main aim of rehabilitation center is to help an alcoholic to stop
the urge to drink alcohol and to teach them to deal with their problems in a
healthy way. However, it is important for the alcoholic to have willpower and
determination to become conscious before treatment can begin. Cooperation in
therapy is crucial to the success of the treatment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rehabilitation
facilities make safe individuals who struggle with alcohol addiction from all
bad influences from the outside world while they undergo treatment. It is very
important to get the attention of patients and focused on the treatment.
Doctors and other health professionals who specialize in the treatment of
alcoholism are always available to provide support. Alcoholics are not tempted
to drink alcohol anymore because access to alcohol is eliminated which promotes
a faster recovery.</span></div>

Rehabilitation centers for alcohol addicts

Alcohol is one of the most abused substances in modern society. Most people are drinking alcohol to relieve stress or cool down. Alc...

12:04 PM