Page 140 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, št. 3-4: K paradigmam raziskovanja vzgoje in izobraževanja, ur. Valerija Vendramin
P. 140
šolsko polje, letnik xxix, številka 3–4
lots of natural light. There are potted plants and artwork of children as
well as toys, books, and piano. Each group has a changing area (wardrobe)
with an assigned spot for each child. The classrooms of the two groups
are relatively small, busy with furniture. There is a lot of natural light,
but artificial lights are also on. On the wall, there are different materi
als: schedule, birthdays, calendar. Play corners are labelled with pictures
and written signs. Children have free access to materials and toys (at low
height). Children’s artwork and info boards for parents are exhibited in
the playroom or in front of it. In both classrooms’ children have a quiet
spot if they need it.
Temporal context. In the groups there is a typical order in which
activities take place, but the exact timing and duration is not specified:
children coming, breakfast – morning circle – structured (education
al) activity followed by free play (gradual transitions deepening on child
interest) – fruit snack – outdoors: structured activity or free play (play
ground, walk) – lunch – rest/sleep – snack – outdoors, children leaving.
Children move in and out of the classroom several times during the day.
The structured activity is based on the theme of the weeks or month, se
lected and prepared by teachers (children’s interests are taken into ac
count). Teachers prepare annually and weekly plans of their work in the
group and goals they plan to achieve with these activities. Activities are
planned in accordance with national document binding for all public pre
schools Kindergarten Curriculum. There are six activity areas: locomo
tion, language, art, society, nature, and mathematics. Children are ex
pected to follow certain rules (e.g. stand in line before leaving the room,
washing hands before meals, not speak loudly).
Art is an integral part of the daily activities. Children mostly draw
but also sing and dance. However, these activities are primarily not in
tended for children to express themselves, but to reach the learning objec
tives from the Curriculum.
Emotional context. Emotions or feelings are not visually exposed in
the classroom nor is there talk on this topic unless a problematic situation
occurs. Children are taught social competence mostly via instructions on
how to behave – regulation of behaviour (e.g. do not pull toys from each
other, be quiet when another is talking). In one group, teachers asked a
child to take another’s child perspective (e.g. how would you feel in an
other’s child place). In one group teacher encouraged children to play with
each other and communicate in a respectful way, which she also was a role
model of. In the other group, there is little two-way communication be
tween children and teachers (teachers mostly instruct).
138
lots of natural light. There are potted plants and artwork of children as
well as toys, books, and piano. Each group has a changing area (wardrobe)
with an assigned spot for each child. The classrooms of the two groups
are relatively small, busy with furniture. There is a lot of natural light,
but artificial lights are also on. On the wall, there are different materi
als: schedule, birthdays, calendar. Play corners are labelled with pictures
and written signs. Children have free access to materials and toys (at low
height). Children’s artwork and info boards for parents are exhibited in
the playroom or in front of it. In both classrooms’ children have a quiet
spot if they need it.
Temporal context. In the groups there is a typical order in which
activities take place, but the exact timing and duration is not specified:
children coming, breakfast – morning circle – structured (education
al) activity followed by free play (gradual transitions deepening on child
interest) – fruit snack – outdoors: structured activity or free play (play
ground, walk) – lunch – rest/sleep – snack – outdoors, children leaving.
Children move in and out of the classroom several times during the day.
The structured activity is based on the theme of the weeks or month, se
lected and prepared by teachers (children’s interests are taken into ac
count). Teachers prepare annually and weekly plans of their work in the
group and goals they plan to achieve with these activities. Activities are
planned in accordance with national document binding for all public pre
schools Kindergarten Curriculum. There are six activity areas: locomo
tion, language, art, society, nature, and mathematics. Children are ex
pected to follow certain rules (e.g. stand in line before leaving the room,
washing hands before meals, not speak loudly).
Art is an integral part of the daily activities. Children mostly draw
but also sing and dance. However, these activities are primarily not in
tended for children to express themselves, but to reach the learning objec
tives from the Curriculum.
Emotional context. Emotions or feelings are not visually exposed in
the classroom nor is there talk on this topic unless a problematic situation
occurs. Children are taught social competence mostly via instructions on
how to behave – regulation of behaviour (e.g. do not pull toys from each
other, be quiet when another is talking). In one group, teachers asked a
child to take another’s child perspective (e.g. how would you feel in an
other’s child place). In one group teacher encouraged children to play with
each other and communicate in a respectful way, which she also was a role
model of. In the other group, there is little two-way communication be
tween children and teachers (teachers mostly instruct).
138