This is a short article I wrote for the Early Education Journal back for their Autumn 2023 issue. It’s a piece I like as it outlines some key aspects of a critical pedagogy, drawn from Paolo Freire’s work.

As part of project on ‘Diversity in Unity: Developing an anti-racist framework within Froebelian pedagogy’, Simon and I have produced this guide for educators working with young children.

Dr Shaddai and Nesta’s Simran Motiani explored how to successfully implement anti-discriminatory practices in early years settings so that every child feels valued and supported.

In light of ongoing inequalities within society, the role of social justice leadership in educational spaces remains a central arena amongst research and practice…

In 2019, I delivered a presentation on the role of gender diversity in the early years. It seems that the language of gender diversity, over a more simplistic usage of gender balance, has been implemented within these recommendations - a positive impact!

Fifi Benham and Shaddai Tembo introduce the concept of heteronormativity within the context of early education and explain how practitioners can best promote inclusive practice.

Recent data from the Department for Education suggests only 2% of the people who work in early years education in England are male. This episode of the Froebel Trust podcast asks - why does early childhood education continue to have one of the most gender imbalanced workforces? And what would Froebel, inventor of kindergarten, have made of this? Presenter Colin Kelly and his panel of guests consider how nursery school and early years setting leaders could support more men to work in early education.

Early years work can be joyous and fulfilling, but it can also be demanding. Speakers in this webinar explore a variety of topics relating to wellbeing in the early years while recognising the wider social context.

Details and an abstract from my doctoral thesis on ‘Affective sociomaterialisation: an inquiry into early childhood subjectivities within outdoor early childhood provision in Scotland, UK’ - completed in 2018-2022 at the University of the West of Scotland.

This paper examines the formation of children’s subjectivities, related to the metaphysical conditions of being and becoming a subject, within outdoor early childhood provision in Scotland.

In this article, we consider the academic literature regarding how racial discrimination is prefigured in societal norms and habits in early learning and childcare in Scotland and England. Specifically, we outline what we see as a salient opportunity to strengthen the existing knowledge base, namely how race and racism are understood in young children’s relational habits and play prior to explicit acts.

The role of anti-racism in early childhood remains a salient concern for many educators working with young children. Yet to what extent, and through what socio-political paradigms, government guidance supports proactive engagement remains an area to be mapped and explored. In this article, through a critical scoping review we aim to consider the context and policy landscape for anti-racist practice in Scotland and England and examine confluences and divergences between each country.

Early years work can be joyous and fulfilling, but it can also be demanding. Speakers in this webinar explore a variety of topics relating to wellbeing in the early years while recognising the wider social context.

Shaddai Tembo and Laura Henry-Allain MBE return for the final episode of this series of the TTS Talking Early Years podcast, to discuss the importance of recognising the uniqueness and diversity of every family.

Why does heteronormativity matter in the Early Years?

Heteronormativity is premised on a binary understanding of gender and relationships:that the only two genders are ‘men’ and ‘women’, and that relationships should typically be between one person from each of those groups.

It is harmful to LGBTQ+ people as it means that they have to work against an assumed reality, as opposed to more diverse concepts of gender and relationships being accepted as possibilities.

Although heteronormativity grants cisgender heterosexual people a significant level of privilege, it can also cause them harm through the expectation of distinct gender roles both in relationships and in wider society.