Summary
This article focuses on pedagogical encounters as an important dimension of learning in early childhood education. The discussion is based on an investigation (Johansson, 2003a) into the quality aspects of learning in Swedish preschool amongst toddlers. In the investigation, three main themes were found, which were significant with respect to the pedagogical encounters in preschool created by the teachers;atmosphere, teacher’s view of the child andview of learning. Each of the main-themes was found to contain three sub-themes, which are brought together in this presentation. The results indicate that an interactive atmosphere characterised by proximity to the child’s life-world is often accompanied by a view of the child as a fellow-being and confidence in the child’s capacity to learn. When the atmosphere is unstable, the view of the child is characterised by a perspective from above and a view of learning based on maturity and the child’s (in)competence. Finally, when the atmosphere is controlling, we can discern a view of the child as irrational together with a view of learning based on conditioning.
Résumé
Cet article est centré sur des rendez-vous pédagogiques, dimension importante d’interactions dans l’action pédagogique auprés des enfants. La discussion est fondée sur une étude des aspects qualitatifs des interactions dans l’école maternelle suédoise entre les petits enfants. Trois thémes principaux d’examen distinguent ce qui est significatif pour le rendez-vous pédagogique du professeur créatif en école maternelle: l’atmosphére et, pour le professeur, la maniére de voir des enfants et de provoquer les circonstances pédagogiques. Dans chaque thème principal, on découvre trois sous-thémes dans les trois directions citées. Les résultats montrent qu’une atmosphère interactive, proche du vécu des enfants, ouvre la voie à la confiance et à la capacité à apprendre. Quand l’atmosphère est instable, les effets sont négatifs.
Resumen
Este artículo està concentrado en encuentros pedagógicos como una dimensión importante del aprendizaje en la educación de los niños de la escuela preparatoria. La discusión está basada en una investigación (Johansson, 2003) de los aspectos de calidad en la enseñanza de la escuela preparatoria entre los párvulos suecos. En la investigación, tres temas principales fue tratados, por ser significativos respecto a los encuentros pedagógicos creados por los maestros en la escuela preparatoria;el ambiente, el modo del maestro de ver a los niños y el modo de ver a la pedagogía. Cada uno de los temas principales contenía tres subtemas, los que son relevados en esta investigación. Los resultados indican qué un ambiente interactivo caracterizado por una proximidad al mundo de los niños/as, con frecuencia está acompañado de un modo de ver al niño como un prójimo y de una fe en la capacidad del niño y niña. Cuando el ambiente es inestable, el modo de ver al niño está caracterizado de una perspectiva autoritaria, “desde arriba” y el modo de ver la enseñanza está basado en la inmadurez e incompetencia del niños y niña. En otras palabras, cuando es un ambiente controlado por el adulto, se puede distinguir un modo de ver al niño/a como un ser irracional, junto a un modo de ver a la enseñanza basado en las condiciones ya descritas.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alvestad, M. (2001).Den komplekse planlegginga. Førskoleloerarar om pedagogisk planlegging og praksis [The complex planning: Preschool teachers about pedagogic planning and practice]. (Göteborg Studies in Educational Sciences, no. 165) Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis.
Bae, B. (1988). Voksnes definisjonsmakt og barns selvopplevelse [Adults’ power to define and children’s understanding of self].Norsk pedagogisk tidskrift, 4, 212–227.
Bengtsson. J. (1993).Sammanflätningar. Husserls och Merleau-Pontys fenomenologi [Intertwinings: The phenomenology by Husserl and Merleau-Ponty]. (2nd revision). Göteborg: Daidalos.
Bengtsson, J. (1998).Fenomenologiska utflykter [Phenomenological excursions]. Göteborg: Daidalos.
Bengtsson, J. (2002). The many identities of pedagogics as a challenge. A life-world ontological contribution to the discussion of the philosophy of science of pedagogics. Keynote adress, to the conference International Network of Philosophers of Education in Oslo, 8 August 2002.
Brownlee, J., Bartheldsen D.,_& Boulton-Lewis, G. (2004). Working with toddlers in child care: Personal, epistemologies and practice.European Early Childhood Education Research Journal 12(1), 55–70.
Bruner, J. (1996).The culture of education. Cambridge, Mass.: Harward University Press.
Erikson, E. H. (1950).Childhood and society. New York: Norton.
Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacher-child relationships and the trajectory of children’s school outcomes through eight grade.Child Development 72, 625–638.
Hundeide, K. (2001).Ledet samspill fra spedbarn til skolealder [Guided interaction from infancy to school age]. Besbru: Vett & Veten.
Johansson, E. (1999).Etik i sma» barns värld. Om värden och normer bland de yngsta barnen i förskolan [Ethics in small children’s worlds: Values and norms among the youngest children in preschool]. (Göteborg Studies in Educational Sciences, nr 141). Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis.
Johansson, E. (2001). Morality in children’s worlds: Rationality of thought or values emanating from relations?Studies in Philosophy and Education. An International Quarterly, 20, 345–358.
Johansson, E. (2002). Morality in preschool interaction: Teachers’ strategies for working with children’s morality.Early Child Development and Care, 172, 203–221.
Johansson, E. (2003a).Möten för lärande. Pedagogisk verksamhet för de yngsta barnen i förskolan [Encounters for learning. Pedagogical activities for the youngest children in preschool]. Skolverket, Forskning i fokus no. 6. Stockholm: Fritzes.
Johansson, E. (2003b). Att närma sig barns perspektiv. Forskares och pedagogers möten med barns perspektiv (Approaching children’s perspectives: Research and educational encounters with children’s perspectives].Pedagogisk forskning i Sverige, 8(1–2), 46–61. Issn 1401-6788.
Johansson, E. (2003c). Skapa möten för lärande [To create learning encounters].Förskoletidningen, 28(3), 4–17.
Johansson, E. (2004). Vetenskapligt förhållningssätt [Scientifical approaches].Förskoletidningen, 29(1), 35–41.
Johansson, E., & Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2001). Omsorg en central aspekt av förskolepedagogiken. Exemplet möaltiden [Care an central aspect of early childhood education: The mealtime].Pedagogisk forskning i Sverige, 6(2), 81–101. http://www.ped.gu.se/pedfo/pdf-filer/johpram.pdf
Johansson E., & Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2002). Lek och lärande oskiljaktiga dimensioner i förskolans praktik. In I. Pramling Samuelsson (Ed.),Lek och lärande, pp. 121–142 Konferensrapport från Nätverk för Barnomsorgsforskning: Goteborg university, Department of education, report no. 2002:04.
Johansson, E., & Pramling Samuelsson, I. (Eds.) (2003).Förskolan — barns första skola [Preschool: children’s first school]! Lund: Studentlitteratur.
Lindahl, M. (2002).Vårda-vägleda-lära. Effektstudie av ett interventionsprogram för pedagogers lärande i förskolemiljön [Caring-guiding-learning: Effect-study of an intervention program for educators’ learning in preschool environment]. (Göteborg Studies in Educational Sciences, no. 178). Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis.
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962).Phenomenology of perception. New York, London: Routledge.
Piaget, J. (1932):The Language and Thought of the Child. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co.
Pramling Samuelsson, I., & Asplund, M. (2003).Det lekande lärande barnet. i en utvecklingspedagogisk teori [The playing learning child in a development pedagogical theory]. Stockholm: Liber.
Ricoeur, P. (1988).Från text till handling. En antologi om hermeneutik [From text to action: An antology of hermeneutics). P. Kemp & B. Kristensson Eds. Stockholm: Symposium.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner — How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.
Sheridan, S. (2001).Pedagogical quality in preschool. An issue of perspectives. (Göteborg Studies in Educational Sciences, no 160). Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis.
Skinner, B. F. (1969).Contigencis of reinforcement. A theoretical analysis. Appleton-Century-Crofts: Meredith Corporation.
Smith, A. (1999). Quality childcare and joint attention.International Journal of Early Years Education, (7)1, pp. 85–98.
Sommer, D. (1997):Barndomspsykologi. Utveckling i en förändrad värld. [The psychology of childhood: Development in a different world]. Stockholm: Runa Förlag.
Ministry of Education. (1998)Läroplan för förskolan. Stockholm: Fritzes.
Ministry of Education. (1999). Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in Sweden. Background report prepared for the OECD Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy. Stockholm: Regeringskansliet.
Ödman, P-J. (1992). Interpreting the past.Qualitative Studies in Education, 5(2), 167–184.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johansson, E. Learning encounters in preschool: Interaction between atmosphere, view of children and of learning. IJEC 36, 9–26 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168197
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168197