Full Description
Investments in young children--by caregivers, educators, and civic leaders--have grown enormously since the late twentieth century. Alongside this trend, deeply human questions have become hotly debated. How do we best nurture young children? Which adults and what settings best foster the early learning and social vitality of our youngest kids?
Debating Childhood and Preschool tackles these essential issues, clarifying the philosophical divides and examining popular beliefs about child-rearing and early education. Bringing five decades of experience--as parent, teacher, and policy activist--Bruce Fuller unpacks the contested ideological roots of child-rearing and how they surface in preschool. He confronts guiding mythologies, such as "learning through play" and "free pre-K will narrow disparities," inviting parents and teachers to question their own assumptions about how we nurture and shape young children. By sharpening philosophical stances and deftly reviewing decades of empirical evidence, Fuller details how families, educators, and policy advocates can fine-tune their essential work in raising the next generation.
Contents
Preface
Introduction: Defining the Field - Early Education
Chapter 1: Imagining Childhood - Differing Notions of Early Learning
Chapter 2: Raising Kids Right - Competing Tales from Gurus, Scientists, and Advocates
Chapter 3: Nurturing Markets and Institutions
Chapter 4: Raising Preschool Quality - Warm Ties, Rich Activities
--with Rebecca Cheung
Chapter 5: Debating Preschool Benefits
Chapter 6: Playing the Field - Centering on Children
References
