Classroom organisation and the learning environment

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to: discuss the key factors to consider when providing for an appropriate learning environment; consider how theory and research impact on how the learning environment is designed; reflect critically on learning environments you have observed on placement and question assumed practice; examine how your own values and attitudes as a teacher can impact on the learning environment and the children's learning

The role of the teacher and other adults

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to: discuss the many roles of the teacher in the education and care of children; examine how teachers work with other adults within and beyond the classroom to develop effective practice that will impact on children's achievement; consider how positive relationships between adults and children can impact on their learning; reflect critically on the values and philosophies you hold regarding the education of children

Book review: Inside role play in early childhood education: researching young children’s perspectives, by Sue Rogers and Julie Evans

This is a multi-faceted book which manages to do many things. It looks at play in the Reception class in a way that teachers of this age range will immediately recognise. While children and their play are not idolised or idealised, the authors are at pains to ensure that the child’s developmental needs are their starting point. These children are then placed in the context of our education system and the values that this system espouses. From the outset, the book brings in to focus the tensions and dilemmas of a play-based approach to early learning in a school context; this is addressed through a useful exploration of the way our society values different aspects of children’s learning and the lack of real value placed on play, especially when it appears relatively unstructured and unrelated to the more traditional and higher profile elements such as phonics, reading, writing or maths

Opportunity agriculture. The next decade: towards a sustainably competitive industry

Report provided and presented at the Oxford Farming Conferenc