Dr Amanda Norman

Biography

Dr Amanda Norman has worked in the field of early childhood education for several years and has a wide range of experiences caring for children, teacher training and play therapy roles. Amanda is currently Senior Lecturer (Early Years) and leads several modules including infant pedagogies, historical and contemporary play, development and research. Prior to this she was part of the Early Childhood Programme team at a London university (7 years) teaching a range of professional and learning related modules at UG and PG level.

She has also played a key role, leading further and higher education programmes in Psychology, Health and Early Years (FDeg and Top up) within several further education (FE) colleges. She was a senior personal tutor and lead for the early years vocational programmes.

Amanda's professional experience has included working in health and social services contexts and opening and managing a successful day care nursery, for children from birth to four years old. During her appointment at the nursery she led a team of staff through curriculum delivery and several OFSTED inspections. She specialised and trained as a practicing psychologist, Assessor, PGCE/ FE, EYP,  Therapeutic Play Specialist (PG PT), SG lead, SENCO, ENCO, and TEFL supporting her professional practice as part of the senior managment team.

Her subject specialism is early years, child psychology, quality and emotional care pedagogies. 

Publications

Sole Author Book Publications

Norman, A. (2024) MotherLand: Community groups with new Mothers. US. Lived Places.

Norman, A. (2024) The Baby Room: Person centred Approach working with babies in fomal day care. US. Lived Places.

Norman, A (2023) Person Centred approach to Early years Practice. London. Routledge.

Norman, A (2023) Transitional Objects in Early Childhood. London. Routledge.

Norman, A (2022) Historical Perspectives on Infant care. London. Bloomsbury.

Norman, A (2019) Conception to Two: Development and Practice. London. Taylor and Francis.

Chapter Publications

Norman, A. (2024) Transional Objects. NZ Early Years. Early Years and Education Series.

Norman, A (2022) Infant Care. In Wall, K., Arnott, L. & Hall, E. (2022) Theory and Practice of Voice in Early Childhood: A Guide for the Early Years. Palgrave McMillian.

Norman, A (2023) Working with Infants. In Hayes, C. (2022) Practitioner SEFDEY Handbook. London. Routledge.

Norman, A (2022) Spiritual Humanism and Motherhood (an auto-ethnographical approach). In Bennett, Y. (2021) Women and Religion in Britain Today. Palgrave McMillan.

Norman, A (2019) Title: The value of obituaries in understanding lives. In Parnell, J. (2019) New and Alternative Ways of Writing lives Biographical research approaches. London. Palgrave McMillan.

Article Publications

A. Scherer and Norman, A. (2023) Sleep Healthcare Books: Autobiography perspectives. European Journal of Life Writing. Vo12

Norman, a (2022) Person Centred Approach to Prent Partnerships in Early Years. Chartered College. Early Years Hub.

Norman, A. (2023a) Museaums and Early Years. Early Years Educator.

Norman, A. (2023b) Museums and Early Years. Part 2. Eraly Years Educator.

Norman, A (2022) Narratives through Nature Early Years Educator. 23(9).

Norman, A (2022) Narratives through Nature Early Years Educator. 23(8)

Norman, A (2022) A Mentoring Project (part 2) Early Years Educator. 23(8)

Norman, A (2022) A Mentoring Project Early Years Educator. 23 (7) 25-27

Norman, A (2021) Spiritual Childbirth and Trust. Auto/Biography Review.

A.Scherer and A. Norman (2023) The Sleep Voices: Evaluating Parenting books. Children and Society. 37(4)

Norman, A (2020) Creating Calmscapes with Classical music. Early Years Educator. 21(9) 32-34

Byrne, J & A, Norman (2020) A transformative model of continuing professional development in a day nursery: practitioners’ perspectives on the implementation of symbolic gesturing, Professional Development in Education, DOI: 10.1080/19415257.2020.1744687

Norman, A & J, Byrne (2019) Symbolic gesturing: creating opportunities for emotional connections between practitioners and infants in day care, Early Child Development and Care, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2019.1659787

Norman, A (2019) What a Feeling! Early Years Educator. 21 (10) 35-37

Norman, A (2016) Take a risk with Froebel. Early Years Educator. 17 (11) 34-36

Norman, A (2015) Focusing on the details. Early Years Educator. 17 (4) 28-30                   

Norman, A (2015) Rhyming with Froebel. Early Years Educator. 17 (3) 32-34

Norman, A (2015) Signs of the Community. Early Years Educator. 16 (11) 21-23               

Norman, A (2015) Observing discovery play. Early Years Educator. 16 (9) 27-30

Norman, A. (2011) The boy on the beach: building community through play, Cambridge Journal of Education, 41:2, 241-242, DOI: 10.1080/0305764X.2011.575279

Children’s Alliance Reports: Contributing author

Family Care (2023) The Eye View Series

Preconception Care (2023) The Eye View Series

The Family and Community Report (2022)

The Mental Health Report (2022) 

The Health and Well being of children in the Early Years (2021) WG1-EarlyYears-Oct2021.pdf (childrensalliance.org.uk)

The Physical Health Report (2021) WG1-EarlyYears-Oct2021.pdf (childrensalliance.org.uk)

All Party Parliamentary Published Reports

Clark, H., Royal, P., WEST, H., McGlone, P. F., Walker, A. P. S., Devine, S. L., Barlow, J., Albon, D. D., Elfer, D. P., Norman, D. A., Sigman, D. A., Graham, C., Hutchinson, C., Harris, D. G., Upton, L., Thomas, J., Jephcott, M., Whewell, E., Lumsden, E., Revell, E., Hodgson, A., Salt, K., Lochrie, P., Brown, P. F., Murray, D. A., Murray, D. P., Lubrano, M., Day, K. and Gribble, J. (2020) Wellbeing and nurture: physical and emotional security in childhood. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

 Clark, H., Royal, P., WEST, H., Randall, D. V., Silk, P. M., Patnail, D. A., Shahid, S., Yelling, D. M., Coleman, N., Wright, C., Kay, S., Bagnall, P., Sigman, D. A., Adams, S., Albon, D. D., Murray, D. A., Murray, D. P., Hodgson, A., Hill, R., Whewell, E., Palmer, G., Lee, D., Javor, A., Lubrano, M., Salt MBE, K., Lochrie, P., Thomas, J., Jephcott, M., Norman, D. A., Manners, D. L., Pearson, J., Murray, J. and Howells, D. K. (2019) Mental Health Through Movement. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

CLARK, H., ROYAL, P., WEST, H., Jephcott, M., Norman, A.,T HOMAS, J., Glazzard, J., Smith, S., Albon, D., Javor, A., Flint, S., Hutchinson, C., McGlone, F., Day, K., Brown, F., Lewis, L., Salt, K. (2019) Children's mental health beyond the green paper: the role of practice based evidence. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

 CLARK, H., ROYAL, P., WEST, H., Randell, V., Norman, A., et al (2018) Mental health in childhood. APPG Fit and Healthy Childhoods.

Conference Paper Presentations and invited talks

A.Norman (2023) First Years of Life. Childrens Alliance. Annual Conference. Worcester. Uk

A.Norman (2023) Mother and Baby Homes in the 1970s. Annual Conference. SCHCY. Canada

A.Norman (2023) Transitional Objects and Health and Wellbeing. Annual Conference. BECERA. UK

A.Norman (2023) Autoethnographical perspective on a teaching and learning project. Annual Conference. BSA Auto/biography

A.Norman (23/12/2022) Invited speaker. Twin Talk. Steve Harris Breakfast Show. Solent Radio

A.Norman (2022) Invited key speaker. Working with Babies: online course for professionals working with babies. BELMAS.

A.Norman (2022) Experiential Teaching. BSA Auto/Biography. Christmas Conference invite and 10/2023

A.Norman (2022) Beach Babes: An Oral History of childhood and play living on the coast. BSA Auto/Biography Annual Conference. Oxford. UK (accepted July 2022).

A.Norman (2022) Transitional Objects. BSA Auto/Biography Annual Conference. Oxford. UK. (accepted July 2022).

A. Norman (2022) Maternal lives from past to present. Maternal Bodies. Womens History. Foundling Museum. London

A.Norman (04.01.2022) Invited Speaker. Twin Talk. Radio Solent Steve Harris Breakfast Show

A. Norman (2021) Transitional Objects. Paper, poster presentation. Winnicott Trust. UK. Accessible https://winnicott-trust.org.uk/posters/

A. Norman (2021) Troubles lives: maternal letters. Annual Conference. SSCIP. Historical Childhoods International Conference. Sep. 2021. Australia, Paper presentation Accepted

A. Norman (2021) Troubles lives: maternal letters International Auto/Biographical Study group. Annual Conference, July 2021, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman and W. Crocker, (North Western University, Ontario, Canada) (2021) Narratives of Nature: Student voices British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. online, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2019) Practitioner’s narratives using symbolic gesturing though a Froebelian lens. International Auto/Biographical Study group. Annual Conference, July 2019, Oxford, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2019) Narratives of Nature. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman and M. Levereux (2019) A Breath of Fresh Air. Infants and health outdoors.  British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference. Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2018) Past present and Future lives: the obituary in education. International Auto/Biographical Study group. Annual Christmas Conference, London, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2017) Rhyming with Froebel: A way of exploring emotions. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A.Norman and K.Morris (2016) Values in early Years. LT Cornelius Annual Conference. University of Winchester. UK. Paper Presentation.

A. Norman (2016) Taking A risk with Froebel: A way of exploring emotions. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2015) Fairy Stories and Emotional Literacy. ILT. August: Paper presentation

A. Norman (2014) Discovery Play and the role of the practitioner:  Using a non-directive approach while observing children at play. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2012) Symbolic Gesturing: How practitioner’s narratives within research can inform practice. British Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, February 2012, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2010) Symbolic gesturing in early education.  European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, September 2010, Birmingham, UK. Paper presentation.

A. Norman (2011) Enhancing the student experience through peer mentoring relationships across sites of learning, Roehampton RUCert internal conference. London, England. Paper presentation.

A. Norman, C. Griffin, and S. Flannery Quinn (2010) Enhancing the student experience through peer mentoring relationships across sites of learning, Roehampton Annual Learning and Teaching Conference. London, England. Paper presentation.

C. Griffin, S. Flannery Quinn, & A. Norman (2010) Facilitating a Peer Mentoring Programme Using a Community of Learning Model, Staff and Educational Development Teaching and Learning Assessment Conference. Leeds, UK. Paper presentation.

S. Flannery Quinn, C. Griffin, & A. Norman (2010) Understanding the development of professional knowledge and dispositions of students in a university-based early childhood studies peer mentoring programme: Recognising emotion, identity, and learning through informal dialogues in a community of learning, Roehampton Educational Research Conference. London, England. Paper presentation.

Chaired Conferences

A.Norman (2019) Exploring Health and Well Being in childhood. University of Winchester. UK.

A.Norman (2017) International Communities. Early Years Research Centre. University of Winchester. UK.

Reviewer of Journal: Journal of Early Childhood Research