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Early Childhood Identity: Construction, Culture, and the Self

UW-L Author: Wen-chiang Rita Chen, Ph.D.
Educational Studies
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing

Chen, Rita. Early Childhood Identity: Construction, Culture, and the Self. New York, NY: Peter Lang, 2009.

Using information gathered from a combined first and second grade classroom over two years, this book explores the students routine actions in school, including their views about different literacy activities, their favorite part of school life, peer culture in both the boys and the girls worlds, issues of gender power, the integration of the teachers official discourses and the childrens unofficial culture, and the kind of school life children wish to have. Focusing on children's voices and perceptions, this book provides insight that will help educators preserve an accurate view of school culture and create effective policies in education.

About the Author

Rita Chen is Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Dr. Chen graduated from Indiana University-Bloomington. Her teaching experience and research include second language education in K-12, early childhood literacy, critical literacy and teacher education. She has a number of publications in process addressing children's identity construction, teacher's knowledge base and critical pedagogy.

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