Elinor Goldschmied made a unique contribution to our understanding of the experience of very young children. She was keenly interested in their cognitive development and introduced major innovations in early years practice - notably the Treasure Basket and Heuristic Play (Nursery World, 9 April, pp 26-27). But Elinor was equally concerned with children's emotional well-being.
Her special gift was to translate the theories of writers like Freud and John Bowlby into practical everyday action. Above all, she was realistic. So much advice for childcare practitioners seems to be aimed at people in an ideal situation which rarely, if ever, exists. Elinor started from things as they are and considered how they could be made better.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
