Research topic/aim

Teaching is a controversial concept in Swedish preschools. Recent studies show that preschool teachers in Sweden does not see themselves as teaching teachers and they do not use the concept of teaching when describing their pedagogical practice. Despite this, Swedish policy effective in preschool stipulates the usage of the concept of teaching. The aim of this presentation is to discuss the conditions and terms for teaching in preschool appearing when preschool teachers and childcare workers discuss the concept of teaching in preschool. What different experiences as well as visions for the future does the concept of teaching in preschool hold?

Theoretical framework

In order to shed light on the conditions and terms for teaching in preschool that appear in discussions between preschool teachers and childcare workers Priestley, Biesta and Robinson’s (2015) model of teacher agency was used. In their understanding of teacher agency it is something that is achieved through an interplay between context and the individual, where experiences from the past, cultural, structural and material aspects in the here and now, as well as visions for the future, affects the achievement of teacher agency.

Methodological design

A developmental project with focus on teaching in preschool, led by the preschool manager, was followed. Preschool teachers and childcare workers participated, as well as the preschool manager and the preschool manager’s developmental team. Nine months later, discussions led by the researcher involving some of the participants of the developmental project, was conducted. The empirical data consists of a total of 21 hours of sound recordings from these different discussions.

Expected conclusions/findings

Preliminary results indicate a variety regarding the experiences that preschool teachers as well as childcare workers refer to in their discussions. Some refer to many different kinds of experiences, both professional and personal, while others refer only to experiences from their own pedagogical practice in preschool. The different experiences are used as a mirror in order to deepen the understandings of different aspects of the concept of teaching. Visions for the future is closely tied to these experiences. The visions expressed by preschool teachers and childcare workers is strongly influenced by the writings in the preschool curriculum, as well as the interpretation and transformation of steering documents made by the preschool manager. A comparison between the discussions led by the preschool manager and the discussions led by the researcher show that the cultural, structural and material aspects differ. The preschool manager´s interpretations of the steering documents affected what was possible to say during the developmental project, as well as the researcher affecting what was possible to express during the later discussions.

Relevance to Nordic educational research

Like Sweden, many countries tend to have shifted the focus for children under the age of five from care to learning. This presentations is about how staff working with these children can handle these new policies, many times being in sharp contrast of traditions.

Priestley, M., Biesta, G. & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. London: Bloombury Academic.