How to Use Work Group Supervision to Improve Early Years Practice

Stella Louis is an Early Years Consultant and Author based in the UK.

"This book is a tour de force. Not only does it include major literature which illuminates the subject in accessible ways, but it demonstrates powerfully key aspects important for developing practice. The author is a respected Froebelian practitioner/trainer. Bringing together in a integrated way the theoretical and the practitioner perspectives so that there is impact for children’s lives is rarely achieved. This book is to be valued for this reason." - Tina Bruce CBE, Honorary Professor, University of Roehampton"This is a key text which underlines the complexity of the roles of the Early Years educator. It addresses the need of group supervision for Early Years educators and how Work Group supervision can help develop professional practice. The hidden challenges of observing children alongside the notion of children's play is examined with useful and practical examples. The application of amongst others: Froebel, Vygotsky, Piaget and Freud to Early Years education gives this work theoretical depth. A must read book for undergraduate, postgraduate students and professional practitioners working and interested in both Education and Early Childhood Studies." - Dr. Richard Race, Senior Lecturer in Education, Roehampton University, UK

• About this book Introduction 1 Theorists of child observations 2 The role of the Early Years educator and observation 3 What do we see when children play? 4 Schemas – the key to patterns of behaviour 5 What is supervision? 6 Implementing Work Group Supervision and Bringing observational practice into focus using Work Group Supervision 7 Group consultation 8 Work Group Supervision in practice – Developing pedagogy, self-understanding and team work 9 Using observation to tune into children – and its challenges 10 Respectful interactions are everything 11 Developing professional practice through Work Group Supervision