Julie Fisher

There are moments in life that don't go exactly to plan - and raising a teenager is one of them. When your child lives with a disability, it can be extra challenging. This is the story of Julie Fisher and her family as they navigate the adolescent years with their son Darcy who lives with Down syndrome. Throughout this book, she shares the things they've learned, and the steps they've taken to support Darcy as he grows. Watching our kids step into independence is both exciting and overwhelming. Some days are easy, others are hard. But rather than focusing on the struggles, Julie's family choose to embrace the beauty in every stage. From finding the right resources to preparing for the future, every decision they make is about helping their son thrive and shine. By sharing their journey, Julie hopes she can help others feel less alone and more prepared. Every teenager is different, and every family's path is unique, but one thing remains the same. They all deserve to be supported, valued and given the best chance to thrive. Having a child with Down syndrome is like taking the scenic route. You still get where you are going. It may take a little longer, but it will be well worth the trip Unknown

Join Darcy and his mum in their adventure at Big School.You will see Darcy is a little different ... but is he?See the fun unfold as Darcy meets new friends and learns at the school his brothers went to.A story to warm your heart and put a smile on your face.www.juliefisher.com.au

The fifth edition of Starting from the Child? reintroduces a question mark in its title. It explores whether, in light of increasing pressures from inspection, assessment and government reforms, it is still possible to plan a curriculum and pedagogy ‘starting from the child’. Julie Fisher’s overwhelming message is positive. Whilst acknowledging the challenges, she demonstrates in highly practical, principled and realistic ways how and why the young child must always be at the centre of good early years practice.

When you enter the world of disability with your child or anyone you care for, it can be a scary time of the unknown. Your idea of what life was going to be like suddenly changes in an instant. From the moment of discovery, even the language in which many doctors, nurses and practitioners use to tell you the news of being diagnosed with Down syndrome can be very cold and negative, which leaves you feeling lost, lonely and empty. During this time of uncertainty, connecting with other families and sharing each other's journeys provides you with the love and support you need to get through these difficult and unexpected times. In this heart warming book, Julie Fisher shares 13 deeply personal stories from mums around the world of their lives with loved ones who live with Down syndrome. You will discover how these mums navigated the path from diagnosis to present day, and how with love and guidance, this new world of disability has led them into a world of support from people they never imagined possible. These inspiring stories from the hearts of mums show the true beauty of disability, and how embracing it helps us all to shine. Different not LessandDown Right Beautiful Unknown

Inclusion isn't something that anyone should have to fight for - but for many, this is an everyday battle that feels like it will never end.It's time to make a stand Have you ever thought what it would be like if your child, or someone you care for, was made to feel like they shouldn't be somewhere or shouldn't do something that others take for granted? If you took your child to a play centre, park or the movies and they were excluded by others, just because they looked or behaved differently?Unfortunately, this happens every day, to so many children and their families. It happens far too often to children with a disability, but it also happens to many children without disabilities too.Why does this happen? Why do people think it is okay to do this?As a mum of a young boy with Down Syndrome, Julie Fisher knows firsthand the heartbreak of seeing your child be made to feel like they don't belong. She has also experienced the flipside, where acceptance and inclusion made magic happen, and has made it her passion to educate others on the profound impact even the smallest acts of inclusion can have on the lives of others.In this inspiring book, Julie shares real-life stories that demonstrate why we must promote inclusion not just in groups, clubs, and organisations, but also in our everyday interactions with others. The Magic of Inclusion shows us how the simple act of including others can be life-changing. 'Diversity is inviting new people to the party - inclusion is asking them to dance.'Verna Myers

Moving On to Key Stage 1 has been highly influential in developing innovative, developmentally appropriate KS1 practice in schools across the country. This new edition offers teachers further powerful and persuasive arguments for continuing play-based learning into Year 1 and 2. This new edition contains:•Brand new research identifying the current concerns of teachers in KS1 and setting these in the context of the current ‘school readiness’ agenda•An updated chapter on how children learn most naturally age 5-7 years and how to capitalise on this •A revised chapter on play, which draws on teacher views about its benefits for KS1 children and the barriers they face in incorporating it into their practice•A new chapter offering messages from headteachers advocating a play-based approach, and providing examples of how it has raised standards•A fresh consideration of how to balance adult-led and child-led learning and the role of the teacher in supporting both The author has a deep understanding of the challenges facing teachers in developing this fusion of pedagogies, and this book offers every reader principled and inspiring ways of meeting these challenges with success. Julie Fisher is an independent Early Years Adviser and Visiting Professor of Early Childhood Education at Oxford Brookes University, UK. She has been Headteacher of two schools, a University lecturer and a Local Authority Lead Adviser for Early Years.

High quality interactions are recognised as fundamental to the achievement of outstanding teaching and learning in the early years. If you are working with children from six months to six years this authoritative new book from leading author Julie Fisher encourages you to reflect deeply on the quality and impact of interactions in your setting.Drawing on research undertaken in baby rooms, nurseries and classrooms over four years the book challenges prevailing orthodoxies and offers specific practical guidance on how to improve the quality of interactions on a day-to-day basis. With its illuminating examples, the book shows how you can best tune into and respond effectively to young children’s conversations. It exemplifies how interactions are most effectively sustained and how developing high quality interactions can better scaffold and support children’s learning and development.'Interacting or Interfering?'• Identifies the key components of effective interactions and how implementing these can improve the quality of children’s learning • Contains transcripts of interactions from baby rooms through to Year 2 classes which exemplify key messages• Provides prompts you can use to analyse and improve your own practiceWritten in the author’s exceptionally clear and accessible style, this book is indispensable reading for all students and practitioners working and studying in the early years."There is a tendency for adult talk to dominate nurseries and schools in an attempt to manage, organise and interrogate children’s learning; this closes down children’s own investigation and capacity for thought. Fisher points out how ‘the very act of “being an educator” can sometimes distort the nature of an interaction so much that it inhibits the very learning it is trying to promote’. In this timely, thought-provoking and very readable book she prompts us to think more deeply about interactions and adapt new strategies to encourage all young children to engage in meaningful and enriching talk."TACTYC, March, 2016"The prompts and points for reflection encourage practitioners to critically consider their role and function, noting where their work is affirmed and where there is scope for further development ... This book is both relevant, though provoking and extremely useful for all involved in early childhood - an excellent tool for professional development."Marion Dowling, Early Education Journal, No 79/ Summer 2016

There is ample literature detailing the general lack of interest that girls show in computing, particularly in their later teen years, along with the subsequent decline in the number of women who enter the information technology (IT) workforce. In 2007, to address this problem, a new and revolutionary program was designed by Australian researchers to excite girls' interest in IT. The program was called 'Digital Divas' and it was unique because it ran in schools as part of the school curriculum. The underlying philosophy of 'Digital Divas' was to provide educationally sound materials that tapped into the interest of girls, delivered in all-girl classes within the school curriculum so as to change girls' perceptions of IT careers. The pilot program was a success and this led to the design of a larger project, the outcomes of which are the subject of this book. A significant amount of pre- and post- qualitative and quantitative data was collected from both teachers and students. A number of focus groups were conducted, one or two years after the girls had undertaken 'Digital Divas'. As a result, the researchers were able to conclusively demonstrate, among other things, that such a program can increase girls' self-efficacy with IT, change their stereotypical image of IT being for men and boys only, and have them seriously consider IT as a career option. The book details the rationale and motivation for developing 'Digital Divas', the evaluation planning and framework which underpinned both the design of the program and the research, the research approach and data gathered, and the results. The wider impact of the program is also discussed. *** Librarians: ebook available (Series: Education) Subject: Education, Computer Technology, Gender Studies, Youth Studies]

Starting from the Child supports early years practitioners to be advocates for young children and their learning needs. In the fourth edition of this highly influential and inspirational book, Julie Fisher outlines the important theories and research which should underpin best early years practice. She takes a robust and principled stand against downward pressure to formalise young children’s learning too soon, and offers practical and meaningful ways to develop high quality learning and teaching in the early years.Starting from the Child challenges all early years practitioners to consider:How to build on children’s innate desire to learn and their competence and autonomy as effective early learnersHow to plan environments indoors and out that make learning irresistibleHow to plan for high quality child-initiated learning to take place seamlessly alongside learning that is adult-initiatedThe role of the adult in supporting and extending young children’s learningHow daily observation of children informs and underpins planning for their individual and unique learning needsRevised and updated throughout, this fourth edition includes the latest research on early brain development and reference to recent government initiatives including the revised Early Years Foundation Stage. Starting from the Child is essential reading, not only for early years practitioners, but for all those who manage and make decisions about early learning.“Julie draws on her extensive work with practitioners to present the everyday realities and complexities of their practice, and to sound welcome notes of caution about the ways in which policy frameworks are used... The book also reflects deeply held convictions about the moral and ethical responsibilities we have to teach young children in ways that respect their extraordinary enthusiasm for learning.”Professor Elizabeth Wood, University of Sheffield, UK“The title says it all. Julie takes the reader by the hand and says ‘Look and listen, give these children your full and respectful attention and they will teach you how to be with them.’ All the practical ideas in the book support practitioners in using their skills and knowledge to recognise early childhood as valuable in its own right - to be relished and enjoyed, not to be rushed through or seen merely as preparation for the next stage.”Helen Moylett, Early Years Consultant and writer “Julie Fisher’s work has been a staple of Early Childhood Education since the first edition of Starting from the Child in 1996. Her fourth edition does not disappoint, and is a welcome development of her thinking... This is a book for students, teachers and other early years workers seeking to find their way through the conflicting needs of a rapidly changing area of work.”Nick Swarbrick, Programme Lead for the Undergraduate Modular Programme in the School of Education, Oxford Brookes University, UK

BIOS Instant Notes Chemistry for Biologists, Third Edition, is the perfect text for undergraduates looking for a concise introduction to the subject, or a study guide to use before examinations. Each topic begins with a summary of essential facts-an ideal revision checklist-followed by a description of the subject that focuses on core information, with clear, simple diagrams that are easy for students to understand and recall in essays and exams. BIOS Instant Notes Chemistry for Biologists, Third Edition, is fully up-to-date and covers:The elementsChemical bonds and molecular shapeWater- the biological solventCarbon, the basis for life on Earth3D-molecular structure of organic compoundsSmall inorganic molecules of biological importanceSome metals in biologyMolecular interactionsCommon reaction types of carbon based compoundsOrganic compounds by chemical classAromatic compunds Chemical synthesis of biological molecules Important biological macromolecules by classAqueous behaviourElementary thermodynamics KineticsSpectroscopyUnits and calculations

"This timely book will help teachers in KS1 to implement authoritative recommendations on transition from recent reviews of primary education, and convince senior managers and parents of the value of starting from the child. Its well-grounded arguments coupled with practical guidance will foster the development of principled and confident professional judgement."Wendy Scott, President, TACTYC"Julie is an excellent writer, leading her reader through the difficult arguments about what really matters in our work with young children. She explores the tensions around the different 'drivers' in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One teaching with sensitivity but with the same clear vision she shows in her earlier books. This is an important book for students, lecturers and teachers - and a must for heads and subject co-ordinators."Nick Swarbrick, Westminster Institute of Education, Oxford Brookes University, UK "Your common-sense, authoritative, warm and inspirational words...remind me beyond all doubt of why I went into teaching."Key Stage 1 teacher"Julie Fisher's newest contribution to the debate on transitions in England is written in her usual clear and accessible style, and with the breadth and confidence which all readers have come to expect of her."Liz Brooker, Institute of Education, University of London, UK This practical book offers a series of strategies for promoting learning that meets the needs and interests of Key Stage 1 pupils, ensuring that the move from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1 is a positive one. It includes:Descriptions and case studies of good practice that stem from established principles of learning and teachingReflective practice prompts at the end of each chapter Julie Fisher considers recent evidence about how children learn and questions whether current practice in Key Stage 1 optimises these ways of learning. Challenging the reliance on teacher-directed activity, she asks whether introducing more child-initiated learning could offer children a more appropriate balance of learning opportunities. Key issues include: The place of play in Key Stage 1Organising the learning day to include child-initiated activity Observation and assessmentPlanningThe role of the teacherThis essential book is indispensable reading for students and practitioners in both the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.

Fisher expertly describes and analyzes the growing non-governmental movement throughout the Third World in relation to the global issue of sustainable development, highlighted by the recent Rio Conference. An estimated 200,000 or more indigenous NGOs (non-governmental organizations) at both the grassroots and intermediary levels help fill the void created by the failure of governments to adequately address the escalating, intertwined crises of poverty, environmental degradation, and population. NGOs, a number of which Fisher examines in detail, address the myriad problems associated with dire poverty, environmental destruction, pervasive unemployment, and the grinding exploitation of women. The stimulus to action and group effort is typically the basic need for life's fundamentals--food, shelter, and safety. Fisher points out, however, that NGOs focusing on population have grown less rapidly than those concentrating on enterprise development and/or environmental degradation.Fisher identifies the core abilities within and among NGOs that help them develop effective short-term strategies and also enhance their institutional sustainability in the long run. She demonstrates that this grassroots movement is a vital, growing force in the vast majority of Third World countries, with the potential to undermine the politics of repression and inequality. The international importance of NGOs is increasingly evident, given their ability to network and support one another. Fisher offers a comprehensive, insightful, and substantive assessment of what may be the most hopeful institutional resource available for the sustainable development of the Third World and, therefore, our ultimate survival as a species.

Fisher expertly describes and analyzes the growing non-governmental movement throughout the Third World in relation to the global issue of sustainable development, highlighted by the recent Rio Conference. An estimated 200,000 or more indigenous NGOs (non-governmental organizations) at both the grassroots and intermediary levels help fill the void created by the failure of governments to adequately address the escalating, intertwined crises of poverty, environmental degradation, and population. NGOs, a number of which Fisher examines in detail, address the myriad problems associated with dire poverty, environmental destruction, pervasive unemployment, and the grinding exploitation of women. The stimulus to action and group effort is typically the basic need for life's fundamentals--food, shelter, and safety. Fisher points out, however, that NGOs focusing on population have grown less rapidly than those concentrating on enterprise development and/or environmental degradation.Fisher identifies the core abilities within and among NGOs that help them develop effective short-term strategies and also enhance their institutional sustainability in the long run. She demonstrates that this grassroots movement is a vital, growing force in the vast majority of Third World countries, with the potential to undermine the politics of repression and inequality. The international importance of NGOs is increasingly evident, given their ability to network and support one another. Fisher offers a comprehensive, insightful, and substantive assessment of what may be the most hopeful institutional resource available for the sustainable development of the Third World and, therefore, our ultimate survival as a species.