Continuity in Children’s Worlds: Choices and Consequences for Early Childhood Settings (Early Childhood Education Series)

Children’s experiences when they transition from home to school, from classroom to classroom, and from school to school raise issues of continuity that permeate every aspect of early childhood education. This book uses practitioner stories to investigate beliefs about continuity and discontinuity and how these beliefs are enacted in contexts for young children from birth to age 8. The authors examine a range of continuities and discontinuities, including the experiences children, teachers, and families have with programs; the interactions between families and schools; and the ways in which programs and schools relate to one another. They also raise questions about primary caregiving, cultural responsiveness, assessment practices, and congruity between institutions. Discussions of each story include the authors’ interpretations, references to relevant theory, questions for reflection, and implications for intentional and thoughtful practice. Book Features: Represents the first comprehensive volume to unpack the complex topic of continuity. Provides a critical analysis of continuity based on real stories from practitioners and parents. Illuminates the work of early childhood educators on the individual, group, organizational, and systems levels. Encourages readers to carefully consider their roles as educators of young children.