Cambridge Scholars Publishing Perspectives on Childhood

This collection brings together various cutting-edge and accessible perspectives and insights into the rich, complex and intriguing stage of life that is childhood. Contributions here relate specifically to the Irish context, with many seamless connections also made to the universal themes of childhood and their relevance within the international context. The chapters are organised into four themes: (1) Children and families in education and special education settings; (2) Children’s environment and play spaces; (3) Children’s voice in research, classrooms and non-traditional settings; and (4) Children’s experiences in STEM education. Across the chapters, the authors identify current best practices and place them within the overall context of current trends in research into childhood. There is a complementary balance of theoretical and practical knowledge presented throughout the volume. Given the variety of perspectives and contributions presented here, it will be of interest to those working in professional practice, such as educators, psychologists, sociologists, and the more general public, including parents and policymakers. About the Author Aisling Leavy is the Head of the Department of STEM Education at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, and is a mathematics and statistics educator. Her research interests include children’s mathematical thinking, the development of statistical reasoning, the mathematics preparation of pre-service teachers, and approaches to support the development of conceptual understanding of statistics, mathematics and STEM in primary classrooms. Margaret Nohilly lectures in the area of Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Wellbeing at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, where she also co-ordinates the Professional Master of Education (PME) programme. Her research interests include child protection, wellbeing and SPHE-related areas.