Overview

This book challenges the assumption that creativity is culture-free. Fostering creativity in the young has gained unprecedented attention in China, one of the most vigorous world economies today. Using grounded data, this book examines Chinese kindergarten teachers' interpretations of creativity in relation to their ideas of children s learning and cognition. It discusses how their practice is influenced by their social and cultural environment, schooling experiences and professional training, and how these determine their interpretations of creativity and children s learning.The case studies presented here exemplify the ways in which Western pedagogy, believed to be effective in fostering creativity in children, is being implemented in parts of China. They show how the pedagogy is not merely transplanted but is interpreted and transformed according to Chinese social and cultural values. The relationship is explored between different pedagogical strategies and the development of cognition, abilities and skills in the next Chinese generation.This book is for early years teachers, teacher educators and those interested in understanding the past and current pedagogies in teaching young children in China.

Full Product Details

9781858564043

Table of Contents

Reviews

The book raises important and thought provoking questions about the role of culture in shaping our knowledge and understanding of children's creativity and socialisation. It is a stark reminder of the agency of practitioners in their role as interpreters and maintainers of their own educational practices. The book provides valuable reading for early years students, educators, and all professionals who work on a daily basis with children, and offers a useful starting point for understanding more about the pedagogical approaches and philosophies of early years education in a non-Western country. -- Lyn Ang International Journal of Early Years Education, 17:3, 237-246 At a time when Early Years education in the UK is in danger of losing its autonomy to the edicts of politicians, we need to look to china to realize that our colleagues there are fighting to gain what we may well lose. Professor Eve Gregory, Goldsmiths College, University of London

The book raises important and thought provoking questions about the role of culture in shaping our knowledge and understanding of children's creativity and socialisation. It is a stark reminder of the agency of practitioners in their role as interpreters and maintainers of their own educational practices. The book provides valuable reading for early years students, educators, and all professionals who work on a daily basis with children, and offers a useful starting point for understanding more about the pedagogical approaches and philosophies of early years education in a non-Western country. -- Lyn Ang * International Journal of Early Years Education, 17:3, 237-246 * At a time when Early Years education in the UK is in danger of losing its autonomy to the edicts of politicians, we need to look to china to realize that our colleagues there are fighting to gain what we may well lose. * Professor Eve Gregory, Goldsmiths College, University of London *

Author Information

Keang-leng (Peggy) Vong earned her degrees in the US and the UK. The consultant for a kindergarten in China for seven years, she now teaches and researches at the Faculty of Education, University of Macau, with a special interest in Child Development and Early Childhood Education.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available