Education for Sustainable Development in the Early Years

It is in early childhood that the foundations of many of our fundamental attitudes and values are first put into place. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is all about the future and it is young children who have the greatest stake as citizens in the future. This book provides an introduction to education for sustainability in the field of early childhood. Written by leading experts and including the very latest international thinking on the subject, it clearly describes how the idea of ESD emerged, and shows how today it includes an integration of social, environmental and economic aspects of life and society. The authors look at what is already being done in early years settings and provides practical support for practitioners to develop this further drawing on best practice from around the world. Presenting a wide range of examples of projects carried out with young children, this timely book aims to offer practitioners inspiration for further development of Education for Sustainable Development in the early years. It will also be a rich source of information for those concerned with policy development.

Introduction; 1. An Introduction to Education for Sustainable Development; 2. Child Development and Learning for Sustainability); 3. A Sustainable Curriculum for Early Childhood; 4. Appropriate Pedagogies for Sustainable Development; 5. The International Policy Context; 6. The Environmental Pillar; 7. The Social and Cultural Pillar; 8. The Economic Pillar; 9. Developing good practice: The Way Forward; References Further Reading and Support; Summaries and Contact Details for Supporting Agencies

John Siraj-Blatchford is an honorary Professor at the University of Swansea and has written widely on science, design and technology in early childhood. Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson is the current OMEP World President and she holds a UNESCO Chair in Early Childhood Education and Sustainable Development.