pt. 1. A short history of early childhood education. The legacy of history : Early childhood education in the UK: a brief history ; Foundation stones: some key figures whose work has influenced thinking and development of provision for young children
Into the twenty-first century: twenty-five years of policy change : Understanding recent history: 1988-2013 ; Into the future, learning from the past
pt. 2. The pioneers: their lives and works. Socrates
Jan Amos Komensky (Comenius)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Robert Owen
Friedrich Froebel
Charles Dickens
Charlotte Mason
Rudolf Steiner
Sigmund Freud
Rachel McMillan
John Dewey
Margaret McMillan
Maria Montessori
Alexander Sutherland Neill (A.S. Neill)
Susan Sutherland Isaacs
Louis Christian Schiller
Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky
Donald Woods Winnicott
Jean Piaget
Erik Erikson
Carl Rogers
Robin Tanner
Burrhus Fredrick Skinner
Sir Alexander Bradshaw Clegg (Alec Clegg)
Loris Malaguzzi
Chris Athey
pt. 3. Talking of early childhood education: nine conversations. 1. So, who needs history? / Peter Clough and Cathy Nutbrown
2. Why early childhood education? / Robert Owen and Cathy Nutbrown
3. What motivates young children to learn? / Susan Sutherland Isaacs with Peter Clough
4. How do young children learn? / Johann Heinrich Pestolozzi, Jean Piaget and Friedrich Froebel
5. A policy of creativity / Alec Clegg with Peter Clough
6. Looking back to 'education' and 'care' ... challenging current policy through history / Susan Isaacs, Maria Montessori and Margaret McMillan
7. Literacy in the early years: a pedagogy of patience? / Rudolf Steiner with Cathy Nutbrown
8. Children's rights and early learning / Charlotte Mason with Cathy Nutbrown
9. From God and church to awe and wonder: spirituality and creativity in early childhood education / Cathy Nutbrown with Peter Clough
pt. 4. Linking the past with the present. Children's rights
The arts and creativity
Literacy
Play, learning and pedagogy
Early intervention
Home learning and parental involvement in early education
Inclusion
Professional development and training.