Observing Harry

“the book shows quite powerfully ...how a well-resourced and flexible learning environment can be exploited by children to channel their interests and expand their understanding… As well as contributing to our understanding of learning, it should also serve… to inform debate about gaining children’s consent in the research process.” Early Years

 This book is about Harry, a determined little boy, who is intrinsically motivated to explore his world from an early age. His parents and grandparents find him so fascinating that they keep a written and video diary of Harry's play from when he is 8 months to five years. The author offers theories about how children learn and applies the theories to the observations of Harry.

The book demonstrates how effectively Harry accesses each area of the curriculum through his interests. It shows how Harry develops coping strategies when the family experiences major changes. It also highlights the contribution made by Harry's parents and his early years educators to his early education. Much of what we learn about Harry's early learning can be applied to many other young children.

This book about one child's early development and learning will be of interest to all who are fascinated by how young children learn - nursery practitioners, early years teachers, parents, students and advisers.