Early education : practice & reflection

Abstract

Papers included in this book also focus on the analysis of teachers’ reflective practice. The present scientific paradigms acknowledge teachers’ right to be investigators of their own activity, allow for free experimentation, introduction of author’s innovations, critical expression and reflective design of the learning environment. The analysis of the problem field, outlined in the book title, should thus be started with the answer to the major questions: what is reflection? and what may be the consequences of its implementation into educational practice? It should be explained here that the term “reflection” means deeper consideration, analyzing the problem, thinking over a certain idea (Polish Language Dictionary 1981). In pedagogic literature, reflection is understood as critical searching for the solutions while acting practically, or as a quest connected with the analysis and estimation of consequences of conditions influencing education. That is why reflection as defined in this book is always related to action (practice) and oriented towards a solution of the actual problems. Deriving inspiration from so defined theoretical and methodical dimension, the authors concentrate their considerations on the following topics: – tradition and modernity in theory and practice of early school education (these questions are presented by Nada Babicz); – theoretical sources of early school education practice (analyzed by Bożena Muchacka, Éva Bakosi Kovácsné, Jánosné Hovánszki and Korbuly Kissné Katalin); – inspirations and quests for new ways in methodology of research on childhood (these issues are outlined by Aldona Kopik, Barbara Walasek- -Jarosz and Jan Kochanowski, Bożena Grzeszkiewicz, Ewa Lewandowska and Mateusz Muchacki); – consequences of changes in the educational policy (a topic undertaken by Jolanta Andrzejewska, Joanna Sosnowska, Aldona Kopik, Barbara Walasek-Jarosz, Jan Kochanowski and Radmila Burkovičova); – contexts and conditions of reflection on the child and childhood (this subject is considered by Iwona Czaja-Chudyba, Lucyna Smółka, Zbigniew Baran, Robert Haraszkiewicz and Hanna Młodożeniec); – initiatives and searching for new directions in the practice of early school child education (proposed by Urszula Jolanta Szuścik, Celestyna Grzywniak, Marta Mosiołek, Kornelia Solich and Elżbieta Płóciennik).