Standardized Childhood: The Political and Cultural Struggle over Early Education (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Guaranteed to raise the hackles of some, while applauded by others, Standardized Childhood is fascinating reading. Brilliantly argued, this is the definitive word on universal preschool.”—Susan B. Neuman, Former Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education and Professor of Educational Studies, University of Michigan

“Standardized Childhood takes on one of the most important and least-understood issues of our day: does preschool do any good, and can we, or should we, make it available to every child? Vivid, clear, and provocative, full of firsthand reporting from states and cities that are experimenting with universal preschool, this is the most complete and interesting treatment of this issue I have ever seen. It tells a story, rather than disgorging another load of academic jargon. Everyone who talks about preschool is henceforth going to have to quote from Fuller's book.”—Jay Mathews, Washington Post

“This book uncovers the complexity of the issues facing early care and education today. Based on the values of individual initiative, attention to cultural difference, and respect for organizational pluralism, Bruce Fuller’s analysis calls into question the belief in ‘a one best system of early education.’ The book is written in a clear and uncompromising way that will both enlighten and infuriate policymakers and practitioners committed to Universal Pre-K.”—Samuel J. Meisels, President, Erikson Institute

Product Description

"Standardized Childhood takes on one of the most important and least-understood issues of our day: Does preschool do any good, and can we, or should we, make it available to every child? Vivid, clear, and provocative, full of firsthand reporting from states and cities that are experimenting with universal preschool, this is the most complete and interesting treatment of this issue I have ever seen. It tells a story, rather than disgorging another load of academic jargon. Everyone who talks about preschool is henceforth going to have to quote from Fuller's book."
--Jay Mathews, Washington Post

"Standardized Childhood is fascinating reading. Brilliantly argued, this is the definitive word on universal preschool."
--Susan B. Neuman, Former Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education and Professor of Educational Studies, University of Michigan

A colorful array of childcare and preschool options blossomed in the 1970s as the feminist movement spurred mothers into careers and community organizations nurtured new programs. Now a small circle of activists aim to bring more order to childhood. Their battle cry, heard in a growing number of state capitals and school reform circles, seeks to create a more standard, state-run preschool system. For young children already facing the rigors of play dates and harried parents juggling the strains of work and family, government is moving in to standardize childhood.

Sociologist Bruce Fuller traveled the country--sitting in preschool classrooms, delving into the birth of universal preschool in California and Oklahoma, and interviewing this robust movement's eager leaders--to understand the ideologies of childhood and the raw political forces at play. He details how these new progressives earnestly seek to extend the rigors of public schooling down into the lives of very young children. Fuller then illuminates the stiff resistance by some children's activists, ethnic leaders, and conservatives, who hold less trust in government solutions and more faith in nonprofits and local groups in contributing to the upbringing of young children.

The call for universal preschool is a new front in the culture wars, raising sharp questions about American families, cultural diversity, and the appropriate role of the state in the lives of our young children. How are state governments variably shaping universal preschool? Why does the state want to standardize childhood? Which children benefit from quality preschool? Will civic organizations grow weak as the state comes to run and regulate early education?

Drawing on the voices of teachers, community activists, and political leaders actively shaping this debate, Standardized Childhood shows why the universal preschool movement is attracting such robust support--and strident opposition--nationwide.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press; 1 edition (March 29, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804755795
• ISBN-13: 978-0804755795
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #460,784 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Standardized Childhood, December 28, 2008

By	Jennifer Thames "J.T." - See all my reviews

This review is from: Standardized Childhood: The Political and Cultural Struggle over Early Education (Paperback)

Though the summary makes it sound like a reactionary screed, "Standardized Childhood" is actually a thoughtful, well-researched, and provocative book. It examines the UPK (Universal Pre-Kindergarten) or "preschool for all" movement, a proposal which sounds excellent in theory but which seems to be warping into a push to extend "No Child Left Behind" to four year-olds. Issues of economics, race, and class are in the spotlight. Who decides how young children will be taught? Shall it be "child-led learning" a la Piaget as often favored by middle-class whites, or "skill and drill" to prepare for "real school" as preferred by some recent immigrant families? In examining the politics and on-the-ground reality of early education, Fuller posits a divide between "institutional liberals" such as the UPK backers and "progessive" community-based organizations such as the co-op preschools founded by feminist thinkers in the early 70s. Fascinating reading for anyone interested in the history and current politics of American early education, and its legal and personal implications for children and families.