Robin Duckett and Mary Jane Drummond 

How do we translate our values and beliefs into practice?
Action-research narratives and reflections on establishing creative, reflective early childhood pedagogy: early childhood educators and creative enablers describe their collaborative work for others who want to explore and grow.

• When we say we value children as competent, sociable, imaginative and expressive learners, what do we do about it in practice?
• When we say we need to be critical, reflective and creative in our practice, how do we realise these aspirations?
• When we try to create environments of enquiry, with space for children's fascinations, what will help - or hinder - us in doing so?

Are you looking for ways in which your children can explore their world through music and movement?

This slideshow/video summarises our 2-year project with a nursery and primary school in Kendal. Discover what we did, what we learned, what obstacles we faced and how the children engaged.

Production has been supported by Youth Music, and so we are able to make this free to download.

Working with Children in a Natural Environment, Early Childhood Educators Re-evaluate their Theory and Practice

This film documents research undertaken by Walkergate Early Years Centre and Sightlines Initiative into the best way to support young children's learning.

The dvd also includes extra professional development material on downloadable pdf files.

This booklet tracks the development of one of the many ideas that the children conceived. Lots of theories and stories emerged through the inspiration the natural evviroment had of the children's creative and curious minds. An interplay between staff and children, the environment and the imagination.

Have you ever wondered what would happen

• if children were given day-long, year-long opportunities to be in nature and explore wildness?
• if educators recognised how daring and imaginative children become in the wild outdoors?
• if educators and children, working together, used their classroom as a studio for the exploration and exchange of fascinatig ideas and questions?

In this book you will find some answers to these questions - and to many more.  [ downloadable flyer ] 

Robin Duckett & Mary Jane Drummond

A collection of articles exploring movement and dance in early years education:

• A Dancing Journey - Rachel Kurts, BareToed Dance Co.
• Talking in Children's First Language -  Jasmine Pasch
• A Tool to Liberate - Angela Kennedy
• Expertise? Guy Dartnell, Oogly boogly
• Footsteps to Exuberance - Maria Mernin
• Making Moves - Ruth Nichols
• Don't Move Just Sit - Ruth Spencer
• Moving in Time; The Many Messages of a Body Dancing - Prof. Colwyn Trevarthen

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles include:

• 'Everything is a Beginning'  by Mary Jane Drummond
• 'In the Jungle with the Children of Adderley' by Debi Keyte-Hartland
• 'The Racing Car Boys' by Jude Noble, Nicola Balfour, Chris Holmes
• 'Practically Speaking' by Emma Pace
• 'The Four Beasts and the one Dad with No Child' by Sasha Laskey and Ed Harker
• 'Focus on Cambridge' by Mary Jane Drummond and Sue Bainbridge
• 'Dedicated to Loris Malaguzzi, the town of Reggio Emilia and its Schools' by Peter Moss

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles include:

• 'Woodland Kids' by Linda Lines
• 'Making Learning Intriguing' by Ed Harker
• 'Bilston Nursery School' by Catherine Webb
• 'Practically speaking - Clay reigns supreme' by Elaine Mason
• 'Creature Worlds' by Chris Holmes and Elaine Mason
• 'The Life of an Idea' by Robin Dickett and Elaine Mason
• 'A knowledge building project about birds' by Ann Aberg
• 'In the Best Interests of Children' by Jenny Brain

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles include:

• 'At the beginning of the beginning' by Sally Jaeckle
• 'Teachers as researchers' by Carlina Rinaldi
• 'The role and responsibility of documentation' by Elaine Mason
• 'A new literacy for children and educators' by Christine Merrick
• 'Risk and Trust' by Allenscroft Children's Centre
• 'Practically Speaking' by Debi Keyte-Hartland
• 'Crostini, tagliatelle, attachers, fixers and Joiners' by Ian Lakin. Madeley Nursery School
• 'Focus on Manchester'  by Kathy Coates Mohammed
• 'Memory, and peace for the future' by June Holmes

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles Include:

• ' Learning from Laos: Children and environments' by Architect John Waldron
•  'ReMida Denmark: The function of materials in places of imagination' by  Karen Eskesen
• 'Danish Preschools UK Study Week reviews' by Sarah McGahern, Sue Cleaver and Tricia Yates
• 'Focus on Herefordshire' by Sue Peasgood
• 'Elemental materials'  by Robin Duckett 
• The Drama of Clay'  by artist Sally Brown
• 'Open Space, Open Air, Open Minds' by (Kingswood Centre) by Rachel Wells
• 'Sophie's Story' by Trish Prescott and Wendy Lowe

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

 Articles include:

• 'The House of Objects' by  Elaine Mason
• The 'Inside-Out' Project: Can the physical environment be a 'teacher' in itself?' by Mary Featherstone
• 'Focus on Buckinghamshire' by  Yvonne Davies
• 'Learning Journeys: Green Croft Children's Centre'  by Catherine Davenport
• 'Uncertainty and Knowing' by Annette Poulson and Cath Dennis
• 'Placing and Arranging, No Glue' by Solveig Morris
• 'The Role of the Educator is to Stir Things Up'  by Marika Gedin
• 'Threads: The Real and Hidden World of Nature' by Linda Lines

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles include:

• 'Professional Amnesia: A suitable case for treatment'  by  Mary Jane Drummond
• 'Acting Up: Leadership and responsibility'  by Peter Dixon
• 'Playing and Learning Outdoors'  by Jan White
• 'Pedagogical Documentation' by Chris Holmes and Chris Merrick
• 'Community of Enquiry: Do hedgehogs dream?' by Adam Turner
• 'The Energy of Conviviality and Imagination: Exploring and developing ideas through dance and music' by Maria Mernin and Cath Reding
• 'Acting up: Leadership and Responsibility' by Peter Dixon

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles Include:

• 'When Pedagogy and Atelier Meet'  by Claudia Guidici 
• 'From Display to Visable Thinking' by  Debi Keyte Hartland
• 'Making Art: Beauty, Metaphor and Relationships'  by Jess Tomlinson
• 'Rethinking Resources'  by  Emma Pace
• 'Non-Verbal Storytelling' by Mike Akers and Sandra Barefoot
• 'Everyday Creativity''  by  Melodie Glass and Eloise Robinson
• 'With Inclusion and Creativity in Mind'  by Louise Jackson

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles Include:

• The Fascinator Trap - Jane Bravery
• Exploring in a Cambridge Forest - Ruth Sapsed and Filipa Pereira-Stubbs
• What's the problem, guys? - Mariette Heaney
• Exchange and dialogue with Sweden - Emma Pace
• Ready-packaged or well-rooted? - Annica Wennstrom
• The Wonder of Learning: The Cultural Challenge from Reggio - Speech by Harold Gothson
• Interview with Jan Millikan - Lella Gandini, Elin Swedenmark and Judith Allen Kaminsky
• Spirals - Kirsty Liljegren

ReFocus is the UK network of early childhood educators, artists and others influenced in their practice by the preschools of Reggio Emilia

Articles Include:

• Conversations with Loris Malaguzzi - Jorn Moestrup and Karin Eskesen 
• A Generous Environment - Diane Rich, Mary Jane Drummond and Cathy Myer
• On an education for being -Jacqui Cousins
• A Place to Be - Review - Emma Pace
• Reflecting on the Refelective Cycle - Deborah Aguirre Jones and Liz Elders
• Careless talk costs lives - Robin Duckett
• What's in a name ? - Mick Waters