Loose Parts 3: Inspiring Culturally Sustainable Environments

by Miriam Beloglovsky, Lisa Daly

Overview

Loose parts cross the boundaries of gender, age, abilities, and socioeconomic challenges. Loose Parts 3, the newest addition to the wildly popular Loose Parts series, helps teachers make a conscious effort to create culturally sustainable environments that allow children to grow and to conquer a dynamic world.

Over 400 full—color photographs beautifully illustrate the ongoing need for educational pedagogy that

creates a sense of belonging

supports children's identities

is culturally responsive and sustainable

Loose Parts 3 contains inspiration and guidance on how to create culturally sensitive and culturally sustainable early childhood environments through six key terms: aesthetic, authenticity, equity, dynamic, praxis, and critical reflection. Use your environment to promote a sense of wonder, curiosity and joy, and allow children to explore their identities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605544663
Publisher:	Redleaf Press
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Series:	Loose Parts Series
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Miriam Beloglovsky, MA, is a professor of early childhood education at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, California. She has over 26 years of experience as an early childhood educator, child and family advocate, and parent educator.

Lisa Daly, MA, is a professor of early childhood education at Folsom Lake College in Folsom, California. She has over 30 years of experience as an early childhood teacher, director, and educator. She has served on community and AEYC boards, including the statewide Child Development Training Consortium advisory board.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Preface Part 1: Introduction to Culturally Sustainable Environments Part 2: The Arts Chapter 1: Art Chapter 2: Language and Literacy Chapter 3: Music Part 3: Inquiry Chapter 4: Engineering Chapter 5: Science and Math Chapter 6: Sensory Experiences Part 4: Daily Living Chapter 7: Cooking Spaces Chapter 8: Imaginative Play Chapter 9: Nurturing, Empathy and Caring Part 5: Child, Family, Community Chapter 10: Children’s Identity Chapter 11: Family, School Traditions Chapter 12: Community Appendix A: About Our Advisory Committee Glossary References

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“When all cultures are visible then we can see ourselves as belonging in community—sharing similarities and differences. Children learn this best by manipulating tangible items in their environment. Lisa’s and Miriam’s creative vision and cultural research and Jenna’s artful photos give us examples about how we can include cultural materials in our classrooms in meaningful ways, making this latest Loose Parts another valuable resource for us all.” —Joyce Daniels, MEd Early Child Education

"These carefully selected photographs elicit creative and critical evaluations of our place in the global landscape. Readers are offered imaginative ways to nurture their own and, more importantly, young children’s inclination to share their existence with others.” —Patrick Pieng, PhD

“Once again, Daly and Beloglovsky offer beautiful photographs and prose to help bridge the home and community within early childhood settings. They illustrate a framework that is both achievable and thought provoking in how a teacher can create simple environments that remain true to children’s cultural values that capture and honor identities through play and exploration that is both soulful and creative.” —Cindy Linhares, MA, ED

Editorial Reviews

"Sometimes there’s a book that invites a deep dive—the urge to engage in every activity, to touch every material, and to work in every environment. While true of all three books in the Loose Parts series, Part 3 explodes with inspiration. Exquisite photographs coupled with meaningful, deliberate, and focused prose invite, educate, and ignite enthusiasm for the tools, materials, and environments that every program can replicate with attention and determination. . . Loose Parts 3 combines visual appeal with sound practice—respectful of every culture and tradition—to improve not only early childhood education but also the lives of individual children and their families irrespective of cultural history.”—Texas Child Care Quarterly

“[Loose Parts 3] makes an important and convincing argument for deepening the ‘loose parts’ concept through principles of culturally responsive teaching. Educators seeking creative ideas for STEAM integration for children ages four and older are likely to find inspiration.” —School Library Journal

“When all cultures are visible then we can see ourselves as belonging in community—sharing similarities and differences. Children learn this best by manipulating tangible items in their environment. Lisa’s and Miriam’s creative vision and cultural research and Jenna’s artful photos give us examples about how we can include cultural materials in our classrooms in meaningful ways, making this latest Loose Parts another valuable resource for us all.” —Joyce Daniels, MEd Early Child Education

"These carefully selected photographs elicit creative and critical evaluations of our place in the global landscape. Readers are offered imaginative ways to nurture their own and, more importantly, young children’s inclination to share their existence with others.” —Patrick Pieng, PhD

“Once again, Daly and Beloglovsky offer beautiful photographs and prose to help bridge the home and community within early childhood settings. They illustrate a framework that is both achievable and thought provoking in how a teacher can create simple environments that remain true to children’s cultural values that capture and honor identities through play and exploration that is both soulful and creative.” —Cindy Linhares, MA, ED

"Words like imaginative, creative, honoring, culturally appropriate are beautiful ‘place holders’ for delving into Loose Parts 3 It’s a magical joyful adventure in what can be created in early childhood environments. The photographs offer one an experience similar to looking through a treasured family album, one of remembering our own delightful childhood play.” —Lorraine Lima MA, Head Start consultant

"Loose Parts 3: Insporing Culturally Sustainable Environments is playfully engaging for teachers, parents, and children. Each Chapter is powerfully constructed and entices the viewer to engage creatively with self—reflection, self— acceptance, and self—empowerment. Jenna’s photographs persuade imaginative curiosity and an awakened awareness of our cultural similarities.” —Tu Bears, Native American author, poet, artist and storyteller

Loose Parts 2: Inspiring Play with Infants and Toddlers "Each page in this oversize volume abounds with gorgeous, full—color photographs of toddlers at work. Muffin tins, paint rollers, and kitchen sieves offer hours of exploration, encouraging creativity that far exceeds the possibilities of manufactured toys...this lovely book is rich in visual appeal and thus sure to inspire as designed. For all early child development and parenting collections."— Library Journal, Starred Review

From the Publisher