Publications international
Making the road as we go.
Parents and professionals as partners managing diversity in early childhood education. Fuusje de Graaff and Anke van Keulen. The Bernard van Leer Foundation Practice and Reflections (P&R) series no. 24, in press 2008.
This report shows that partnerships between parents and professionals for improved childcare do not come about automatically. The Dutch project Parents and Diversity has developed new approaches and methods for giving concrete form to such partnerships in day-to-day contacts and by respecting the diversity among parents such that all types of parents know they are welcome and have a voice.
The literature shows that, until now, research has mainly focused on parents’ contribution as service providers, board members, co-educators and as target groups for social intervention. Researchers have rarely considered partnership as a social function of childcare within the childcare centres. In this sense the project has filled a gap by putting pedagogic partnership on the agenda not just of professionals and boards of directors of the centres that participated in the project, but also on the agendas of other childcare providers, educational courses, and national groups representing the interests of parents and childcare providers.
The subject is now being discussed at national and European symposia with resolutions being made and laid down in the policies and plans of childcare organisations. The project has also informed discussions about the future training curricula for educators.
See www.bernardvanleer.org
The social lives of young children.
Play, conflict and moral learning in day-care groups. Elly Singer, Dorian de Haan, contributions A. van Keulen. Amsterdam: SWP, 2007
This publication gives a vivid picture of young children’s lives in day care groups. How do they make friends and how do they develop a sense of togetherness? The clashes and frictions between pre-schoolers reveal the social questions they are grappling with. In the discussion of these social questios attention is always given to the teacher or educator. How can they help children te learn basic social values, rules and skills through play?The book contains numerous descriptions of children’s interactions, illustrated and analysed with the help of new psychological insights.
MUTANT provides training courses and training of trainer courses based in this publication, using films of daily practice as assignments. (See Training)
Young children aren't biased, are they?!
How to handle diversity in early childhood education and school. A. van Keulen (ed). Amsterdam: SWP, 2004
The first time young children come across diversity in society is often in a child care centre or at school. It is there that they first experience appreciation or rejection by that environment, which can lead to exclusion and discrimination. In many European countries, much work is being done on programmes about 'diversity and equity', also known as 'anti-bias work' or 'education without prejudice', programmes that serve to make children acquainted with these processes of exclusion and discrimination at a young age. Both children and adults benefit from these programmes, whatever their ethnic and cultural background, their religion, language or their sex might be. The point of departure is inclusiveness (everyone belongs)
and understanding for the backgrouns of all involved. This collection aims at informing the readers about developments on diversity and equity and also about theoretical concepts, practical examples and projects. The book is meant for teachers, trainers, students and professionals (staff and coaches) in child care and early childhood education. The authors are from various European countries, from the US and from Australie. Each chapter can be read separately and can be put to practical used by educationalists.
Diversity and Equity in Early Childhood Training in Europe.
Examples of training practices in the DECET network. A. van Keulen, D. Malleval, M. Mony, C. Murray. DECET network, 2004 (www.decet.org)
This training manual aims at being a useful guide for professionals in initial training institutions, for trainers, managers and policymakers in early childhood services.
This guide consists of a informative part on the European context and on concepts, and a part with training examples in different countries and settings.
Networking for respect for diversity.
Experiences in the DECET network. Peter Lee, Anke van Keulen In: Early Childhood matters. Bernard van Leer Foundation, The Hague, June 2007. (www.bernardvanleer.org)