This exciting book offers an informed and insightful approach to the wealth of theories and figures that underpin current practice in early childhood care and education. From the earliest pioneers to more current approaches, Linda Pound explores the thinking and ideas behind a range of well known early years figures, key theorists and movements and shows how they have influenced the development of early childhood education. As well as placing them in an historical context the author identifies connections between them in order to build a complete picture of the development of early childhood education and influential theories and approaches to learning in the early years. Included are chapters on: Robert Owen Friederich Froebel Margaret McMillan Rudolf Steiner Maria Montessori Susan Isaacs Sigmund Freud John Bowlby Burrhus Skinner Jean Piaget Lev Vygotsky In addition, the book considers more recent developments such as postmodern analyses, the deconstruction of developmental theories and place of neuroscience. This book helps early childhood practitioners gain an in-depth understanding of the key influences on early childhood education particularly through the Reflective Questions designed to challenge different levels of thinking. Book jacket.