This book is the result of an ambitious project, providing comprehensive and critical reviews of national research on the transition to the first year of compulsory school, over the first quarter of the 21st century. It has been written by more than 90 authors from 39 different countries, with each chapter outlining a range of educational contexts and services and offering a diversity of perspectives on contemporary achievements and challenges. The book concludes with a critical synthesis ...

Journey back to the post-war Black Country with Bob Perry as he recalls his childhood in a changing world. Born into a typical estate, Bob's story mirrors that of countless Baby Boomers. From his close-knit community to the bustling town streets, Bob navigates a world rebuilding itself after war. Amid historic events, Bob's narrative intertwines his journey with the broader tapestry of his time, showcasing the events that shaped his generation. As the world evolves, Bob and his peers confr...

Structured around Bishop’s six fundamental mathematical activities, this book brings together examples of mathematics education from a range of countries to help readers broaden their view on maths and its interrelationship to other aspects of life.Considering different educational traditions and diverse contexts, and illustrating theory through the use of real-life vignettes throughout, this book encourages readers to review, reflect on, and critique their own practice when conduc...

Transition to school represents a time of great change for all involved. Many transition to school programs have been developed to support positive transitions to school. While these programs have involved complex planning and implementation, often they have not been evaluated in rigorous or systematic ways. This book brings together Australian and international perspectives on research and practice to explore approaches to evaluating transition to school programs.For children, sch...

The chapters in this book investigate and reflect on many of the issues and challenges raised by the current trends and tensions in early childhood mathematics education. They emanate from seven countries – Australia, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.Ever since Fröbel invented the kindergarten, mathematics has been a part of early childhood pedagogy. Mathematics is an important part of children’s daily life, which helps them to understand the world...

After hitting rock bottom through addiction, bowling legend Bob Perry learned that religion is for people who don't want to go to hell. Spirituality is for people who have already been there. Perry tells his heart-wrenching, inspiring story of bowling for the mob and drug and alcohol addiction in his new book, Redemption Alley.Perry, considered by many to be one of the most naturally-talented bowlers in the history of the sport, had potential to become one of the best even...

This book reports initiatives to listen to parents and families, to ascertain what families believe and do as they seek to engage collaboratively with their children’s educators, and what educators and educational systems might do to facilitate and/or establish barriers to such engagement.Parental engagement in children’s learning and development has many positive benefits. However, in the current environments of accountability and performativity which are pervading early childhood...

This book brings together an international group of researchers reporting on their work about play and early childhood education across 13 countries – Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Germany, Hong Kong, United States of America, India, The Maldives, Sri Lanka, Singapore, China and Australia. It contributes to growing international conversations about play and the role of play in early childhood education.Each of the chapters in this anthology reflects different directions in rese...

This edited book brings together for the first time an international collection of work focused on two important aspects of any young child’s life – learning mathematics and starting primary or elementary school. The chapters take a variety of perspectives, and integrate these two components in sometimes explicit and sometimes more subtle ways.The key issues and themes explored in this book are:the mathematical and other strengths that all participants in the transiti...

Reflecting the importance of drawing on children’s perspectives to shape professional practice, this book offers a nuanced approach to understanding the aims, implications and practicalities of accessing and incorporating children’s perspectives in pedagogial practices relating to transitions. Listening to Children’s Advice about Starting School and School Age Care:emphasises the importance of listening to and respecting children’s perspectives at the time ...

This book showcases the quality work that Latin American researchers have done on transition to school in Latin American countries by offering the English-speaking world, first-hand access to some Latin American transitions research, practices, and policies. This book shows the work carried out in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Cuba, and Mexico with regards to the way in which the transition to primary school is experienced from different stakeholders' perspectives, and how Latin America...

This book provides an important compilation and synthesis of current work in transition to school research. The book focuses strongly on the theoretical underpinnings of research in transition to school. It outlines key theoretical positions and connects those to the implications for policy and practice, thereby challenging readers to re-conceptualize their understandings, expectations and perceptions of transition to school. The exploration of this range of theoretical perspectives and th...