Against Race And Class-Based Pedagogy In Early Childhood Education

This book examines differing classroom pedagogies in two early childhood programs serving vulnerable populations in Chicago, one program Reggio Emilia-inspired, while the other uses a more didactic pedagogy. The structure of classroom pedagogies is defined using Basil Bernstein’s theories of visible and invisible pedagogy.

“In descriptive style, Smith uses direct classroom observations to bring to life some of the mechanisms by which the less visible curricula of a progressive approach can be successfully implemented with low-income minority children. This timely book revives still-relevant questions, while echoing findings of curriculum comparison studies of the 1960s and 1970s that demonstrated the effectiveness of using child-initiated, non-didactic approaches in high-poverty preschool settings. A must-read catalyst for expanding this important and unfinished conversation.” – Kristen Kemple, Professor of Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida, USA