Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years PDF
Preview Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years
International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development 15 Charlotte Ringsmose Grethe Kragh-Müller E ditors Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development Volume 15 Series Editors Professor Marilyn Fleer, Monash University, Australia Professor Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson, Gothenburg University, Sweden Editorial Board Professor Jane Bone, University of Auckland, Australia Professor Yukiko Matsukawa, Chubu University, Japan Professor Rebeca Mejía Arauz, ITESO, Mexico Professor Nirmala Rao, University of Hong Kong, China Professor Collette Tayler, University of Melbourne, Australia Associate Professor Eva Johansson, University of Stavanger, Norway Professor Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D. Professor Emerita of Early Childhood Education, University of Illinois, USA Early childhood education in many countries has been built upon a strong tradition of a materially rich and active play-based pedagogy and environment. Yet what has become visible within the profession, is, essentially a Western view of childhood, preschool education and school education. It is timely that a series of books be published which present a broader view of early childhood education. This series seeks to provide an international perspective on early childhood education. In particular, the books published in this series will: (cid:129) Examine how learning is organized across a range of cultures, particularly indig- enous communities (cid:129) Make visible a range of ways in which early childhood pedagogy is framed and enacted across countries, including the majority poor countries (cid:129) Critique how particular forms of knowledge are constructed in curriculum within and across countries (cid:129) Explore policy imperatives which shape and have shaped how early childhood education is enacted across countries (cid:129) Examine how early childhood education is researched locally and globally (cid:129) Examine the theoretical informants driving pedagogy and practice, and seek to fi nd alternative perspectives from those that dominate many Western heritage countries (cid:129) Critique assessment practices and consider a broader set of ways of measuring children’s learning (cid:129) Examine concept formation from within the context of country-specifi c peda- gogy and learning outcomes The series covers theoretical works, evidence-based pedagogical research, and international research studies. The series also covers a broad range of countries, including majority poor countries. Classical areas of interest, such as play, the images of childhood, and family studies, will also be examined. However, the focus is critical and international (not Western-centric). More information about this series at h ttp://www.springer.com/series/7601 Charlotte R ingsmose (cid:129) Grethe Kragh-Müller Editors Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years Editors Charlotte Ringsmose Grethe Kragh-Müller The Danish School of Education The Danish School of Education Aarhus University Aarhus University Copenhagen , Denmark Copenhagen , Denmark International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development ISBN 978-3-319-42555-9 ISBN 978-3-319-42557-3 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-42557-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2016956234 © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 T his work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. T he use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. T he publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland We would like to thank the following people for their assistance with reviewing the chapters for our book: Anne Bauer Daniela Cecchin Dion Sommer Dorte Kousholt Faye Stanley Jane Read Jytte Susanne Bang Michelle Cottle Pamela Evanshen Tine Pernille Schaarup v Contents Part I Danish/Nordic Child Care Tradition 1 The Key Characteristics of Danish/Nordic Child Care Culture ................................................................................. 3 Grethe Kragh-Müller 2 Values in Danish Early Childhood Education and Care ..................... 25 Stig Broström , Anders Skriver Jensen , and Ole Henrik Hansen 3 The History of Children’s Engagements in Danish Child Care .............................................................................. 43 Jakob Waag Villadsen and Pernille Hviid 4 Opportunities and Challenges in Icelandic Early Childhood Education .............................................................................. 63 Johanna Einarsdottir 5 Comparative Perspectives on Early Childhood: Choices and Values .................................................................................. 73 Charlotte Ringsmose and Sigrid Brogaard-Clausen Part II Key Characteristics in Nordic Child Care Unfolded 6 The Role of Play in Danish Child Care ................................................. 95 Ditte Alexandra Winther-Lindqvist 7 Outdoor Education in the Nordic Region ............................................. 115 Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter and Olav Bjarne Lysklett 8 Children’s Perspectives on Their Everyday Lives in Child Care in Two Cultures: Denmark and the United States ...................... 133 Grethe Kragh-Müller and Rebecca Isbell vii viii Contents 9 Increasing Pedagogical Attentiveness Towards Children’s Perspectives and Participation in Toddler Child Care ........................ 153 Lone Svinth 10 Children and Pedagogues as Partners in Communication: Focus on Spacious and Narrow Interactional Patterns ....................... 171 Berit Bae 11 How Positive Childhood Experiences Promote Children’s Development of Democratic Skills in Denmark ................................... 189 Charlotte Ringsmose and Grethe Kragh-Müller 12 Re-metaphorizing Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood Education Beyond the Instruction – Social Fostering Divide ............. 205 Niklas Pramling , Elisabet Doverborg , and Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson 13 Collaboration Between Child Care and Parents: Dilemmas and Contradictory Condititions in the Institutional Arrangement of Child Care ................................... 219 Maja Røn Larsen 14 The Professional Identity of the Danish Pedagogue: Historical Root in an Education with Focus on Democracy, Creativity, Dannelse and a ‘Childhood Logic’ ...................................... 237 Sigrid Brogaard-Clausen and Charlotte R ingsmose 15 Leading Pedagogical Quality in the Context of Finnish Child Care ................................................................................................ 253 Elina Fonsén and Janniina Vlasov Introduction to the Nordic Social P edagogical Approach to Early Years There is an increasing focus on early childhood education quality globally, refl ect- ing a growing political awareness that education starts earlier than primary school and that high quality in early years infl uences children’s learning and development in a lifelong perspective. This increased political interest in ECEC internationally can be regarded as a consequence of the now comprehensive research across coun- tries evidencing a correlation between quality learning environments and young children’s development both in the short and long term (Heckman 2006; Bauchmüller et al. 2011; Gupta and Simonsen 2013; Esping-Andersen 2011; EPPSE 2015). It is generally acknowledged that high-quality preschool programs in early childhood are of importance far into adulthood, both for choice of education, work, profes- sional performance, and social and relational competences (Huntsman 2008; Heckmann 2006; Belfi eld 2005). A round the world, philosophies of early childhood education vary. The OECD report”Starting Strong II” (2006) points to two different traditions when it comes to preschools: the Nordic tradition and the French-English tradition – a “social peda- gogical approach” and an “early education approach” or “the readiness for school tradition.” The Nordic tradition is based on a sociocultural theoretical premise that children grow through interaction and communication in shared activities with adults and other children. This social learning approach emphasizes play, relationships, and outdoor life, and learning is presumed to take place through children’s participation in social interaction and processes. T he aim is to study major characteristics in the social pedagogical approach by investigating the key characteristics in the Nordic approach. What are the character- istics of the pedagogue? What are the important features that the Nordic approach develops? What are the relationships with children in different traditions in what is called the French-English tradition or the Anglo-American tradition and the charac- teristics in the Nordic approach? We want to investigate how children can enjoy childhood and at the same time become able to actively participate in society and develop the social and cognitive skills and competencies that individuals require to do well in society. The experiences ix x Introduction to the Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years and learning children gain in preschool centers stay with them for life and form important foundations for the child’s development and learning opportunities. T he book does not intend to represent details in differences between the early year approaches in the Nordic countries nor to present each of the Nordic countries. The book aims to explore what is called the social pedagogical approach and what is distinctive in the Nordic approach to early year education and care. Also it is not intended to provide a full picture of the French-English or Anglo-American tradi- tion but to give some examples of different educational philosophies that strongly infl uence childhoods. T he idea of the book originates from Denmark – and has more chapters by Danish researchers. The Nordic countries share many of the same philosophies and traditions, even though some aspects vary from country to country. The contribu- tions to the book from Iceland and Norway share many of the same elements of what is called the Nordic tradition. Within the Nordic countries, there are variations and cultural differences, but these are not the aim of the book. T his book aims to critically explore how the social pedagogical approach sup- ports children’s learning and development. It takes the Nordic perspective in order to learn from this, maybe before it is too late. There is a concern in many of the chapters as a consequence of the push for learning in early childhood education. The push for learning may affect children’s right to a childhood. Across traditions, children learn, develop, and become ready for school. The Content of the Book The chapters are grouped together in two parts. Part I is D anish / Nordic Child Care Tradition . Part II is K ey Characteristics in Nordic Child Care Unfolded . Part I: D anish/Nordic Child Care Tradition The fi rst fi ve chapters describe and discuss the Nordic tradition in child care – everyday practices, underlying policies, values, and development of the child care sector. In the chapters, there is a concern and discussion about the move away from the Nordic tradition and toward more structured learning approaches. Part II: K ey Characteristics in Nordic Child Care Unfolded These chapters deal with some of the key characteristics of Nordic child care tradi- tion – the importance of play and outdoor life and the importance of children’s participation, rights to have an infl uence on their everyday life, the tradition of lived democracy, relationships between pedagogues and children, the children’s own per- spectives on everyday life in child care, and the traditions in collaboration with parents. The key characteristics of the pedagogue are also discussed. Finally, it dis- cusses how the quality of the child care should be led from the Finnish perspective, during the times of societal changes.
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