Reviewed by Jennie Lindon, psychologist and early years consultant
In her concluding chapter, Nicola Yelland writes that the contributors each provide 'examples of what it means to be an inspired educator'. Only some chapters of this uneven collection could help readers towards this goal.
Liz Brooker's observations of a London reception class highlight the differing perceptions of teachers and some families. Nicola Yelland herself offers contrasting ways of promoting mathematical understanding and use of ICT. Some chapters, such as that by Sheralyn Campbell, are dependent on the author's interpretation of young children's behaviour. The approach is valid, so long as readers feel confident to challenge it with an alternative analysis.
The editor is clear that the book is aimed at practitioners, not exclusively academic readers. Yet potentially interesting ideas - for instance, Richard Johnson's plan to challenge 'multicultural pretend play props' - are buried under unexplained terminology and generous, but very brief, references to other work. How many early years professionals regularly use words like postmodern, poststructural, hegemonic or discourse? Inequality is created when authors are allowed to presume all readers share a specialist vocabulary. A few definitions are scattered through the book, but respect for readers demands more coherent explanation or a glossary.
It is ironic that authors who make such an issue of the symbolic nature of language fail to challenge accepted truisms enshrined in the word 'pre-school'. This term, heavy with assumptions, appears regularly through this book and there are at least two examples of referring to young children themselves as 'pre-schoolers'.
They are aimed at helping 'gifted children flourish and all children benefit from imaginative approaches to learning.'
