Category: Uncategorized

Foregrounding racial equalities in the Birth to 5 Matters guidance – Dec 20

This is a piece of writing by Liz Pemberton and myself that considers the need to address racial equalities as part of the broader equalities drive within the forthcoming alternative EYFS guidance. I enjoyed writing this with Liz, it feels fair and well-balanced. Enjoy 🙂 In this article, we share our thoughts around equalities in … Continue reading Foregrounding racial equalities in the Birth to 5 Matters guidance – Dec 20 →

Journal article: ‘Hang on, she just used that word like it’s totally easy’: Encountering ordinary racial affects in early childhood education and care

Hi all, My latest journal article is available here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1468796820963960 Here’s the abstract: At a time when racism remains prevalent in educational spaces, this paper addresses what else we can know about the ways in which race and racism manifest and are experienced in practice. This paper draws on continual mobilisations of affect and new … Continue reading Journal article: ‘Hang on, she just used that word like it’s totally easy’: Encountering ordinary racial affects in early childhood education and care →

Journal Article: Black educators in (white) settings: Making racial identity visible in Early Childhood Education and Care in England, UK

Hi all, I'm very excited to share details of my first journal article. You can access it within the Journal of Early Childhood Research here. Here is the abstract: The participation of Black educators in the UK’s education system has been a source of much debate in recent years. Research indicates having a teaching force … Continue reading Journal Article: Black educators in (white) settings: Making racial identity visible in Early Childhood Education and Care in England, UK →

EYS Feature – Feb 2020

I wrote a short piece for Early Years Scotland on 'Keeping LGBT+ Inequality on the Agenda' in their Spring 2020 Magazine for Early Years Professionals. You can subscribe to the magazine here and read my piece below. Given the increasing attention paid to challenging gender stereotypes and promoting gender diversity, it’s important that we keep … Continue reading EYS Feature – Feb 2020 →

Men in Early Years Seminar – Sept 2019

In September this year, I delivered a talk at the Men in Early Years Seminar. This was part of Scotland’s Gender Action Plan, which includes supporting more men to work in childcare as part of an aim to challenge gender stereotypes and promote gender diversity in Scottish early learning and childcare and the wider society. I spoke … Continue reading Men in Early Years Seminar – Sept 2019 →

Remaining Critical about Cultural Capital

Cultural capital has been subject of increased interest over the past few months, following Ofsted’s decision to include the term within their revised inspection framework. I have seen articles written for and against the term across social media in recent weeks, each offering different perspectives on the value of using Bourdieu’s concept in the educational … Continue reading Remaining Critical about Cultural Capital →

Book Review – The Gendered Brain: The new neuroscience that shatters the myth of the female brain.

The Gendered Brain By Gina Rippon, Professor of cognitive neuroimaging at the Aston Brain Centre, Aston University, Birmingham. Published by the Bodly Head, 2019. In The Gendered Brain, Gina Rippon take us back to the roots of where we are today, tracing our earliest attempts to measure brain difference between the sexes. Scientists have had … Continue reading Book Review – The Gendered Brain: The new neuroscience that shatters the myth of the female brain. →

My Transcript from #ACareerInEarlyYears Event

This blog offers an abbreviated transcript of my panel talk at the #ACareerInEarlyYears event I was invited to speak at. I spoke for the need of a highly qualified profession, critically attuned to the challenges we face in wider society today. Thank you to Early Years Scotland for the invitation. My name is Shaddai, I am first year PhD student at the University of the West of Scotland, having recently moved up from Bristol.  I am a former Early Years Practitioner … Continue reading My Transcript from #ACareerInEarlyYears Event →

Book Review – Is Gender Fluid?

Is Gender Fluid? By Sally Hines, Associate Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at the University of Leeds. Published by Thames and Hudson, 2018. We have come some way towards addressing equalities since the rise of the second-wave feminist movement in the 1970’s. The gains made by women’s movements are undeniable, both in winning political … Continue reading Book Review – Is Gender Fluid? →

Book Review: Men in Early Years Settings

David Wright is an experienced early years teacher and director of Paint Pots Nurseries. He is a seminal advocate for the engagement of more men into the early years profession and together with Simon Brownhill, Lecturer in Education at the University of Bristol and publisher of numerous books including Men, Masculinities and Teaching in Early … Continue reading Book Review: Men in Early Years Settings →

Reflections on my day at #EqualPlay

Hi all, The excruciatingly expensive prices at London City Airport could not dampen my mood as I sat down to reflect on an excellent day at City Hall to discuss what gender equality means within childhood. This event was part of the Mayer's campaign to tackle gender stereotyping early so every child can reach their … Continue reading Reflections on my day at #EqualPlay →