Kindergarten Teacher's Role

Summary

Finnish Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) prioritizes high-quality teacher-child interactions, focusing on nurturing affectionate relationships that foster children's learning and development. Teachers play an essential role in creating a supportive environment where children actively participate in planning, executing, and evaluating their activities. The Finnish model emphasizes inclusive communities, encouraging children’s sense of belonging, while also stressing the importance of parental involvement. Teachers collaborate closely with parents, valuing their input and recognizing their central role in the child's education. This holistic, child-driven approach is central to Finnish ECEC, ensuring each child’s emotional and educational needs are met.

Takeaways

• 😀 Finnish Early Childhood Education prioritizes pedagogically planned activities, with a focus on quality interactions and relationships.
• 😀 The core responsibility of the kindergarten teacher is to foster high-quality interactions and create a positive atmosphere in the daycare center.
• 😀 Research highlights the importance of quality interactions and relationships over specific activities or physical environments for children's learning and development.
• 😀 Affectionate relationships between teachers and children are crucial, with teachers needing to have the time to listen, understand strengths, and provide support where necessary.
• 😀 Physical closeness is emphasized, with teachers providing opportunities for children to feel emotionally secure, such as sitting on the teacher's lap.
• 😀 Kindergarten teachers also play a vital role in encouraging positive relationships between children, promoting a sense of community and participation.
• 😀 Teachers should ensure that all children can participate according to their individual comfort, interests, and willingness, fostering inclusivity in the group.
• 😀 Finnish Early Childhood Education values child-driven activities, where children actively participate in planning, executing, and evaluating daily activities.
• 😀 Although children are encouraged to take an active role, teachers remain present and support children's activities, guiding them as needed.
• 😀 Parental involvement is emphasized in Finnish Early Childhood Education, with teachers encouraged to listen to and actively seek parents' opinions, reflecting a partnership approach in the child's development.

Q & A

What is the core focus of Finnish Early Childhood Education and Care?

The core focus is on pedagogy. The pedagogy is central to every activity, with a strong emphasis on high-quality interactions and relationships between the teachers and the children.

What is the role of kindergarten teachers in ensuring high-quality interactions?

Kindergarten teachers are responsible for creating an environment that promotes high-quality interactions. They facilitate an atmosphere where the children feel safe, valued, and engaged in meaningful relationships.

Why are interactions and relationships more important than other factors like specific activities or physical environments?

Research shows that the quality of interactions and relationships between teachers and children is more important for children's learning and development than the specifics of activities or the physical environment.

What is meant by 'affectionate relationships' in early childhood education?

Affectionate relationships refer to teachers forming close, emotionally supportive bonds with children. This includes spending quality time with them, listening to their needs, and providing emotional comfort, such as allowing children to sit on a teacher's lap.

How do kindergarten teachers encourage relationships between children?

Teachers encourage relationships between children by fostering a sense of community. They ensure that each child can participate in group activities according to their own preferences, interests, and comfort levels.

What is the role of children in the planning and execution of activities in Finnish early childhood education?

Children play an active role in planning, executing, and evaluating activities. While teachers provide support, children influence the processes and take initiative in the organization of their daily activities.

How are teachers involved in children's play and activities despite the children's active role?

Teachers are highly involved in children's play and activities. While children are encouraged to take the lead, teachers are present to guide, support, and assist when necessary, ensuring the quality of the interactions and learning.

What is emphasized about the parents' role in the new Finnish curriculum for early childhood education?

The new curriculum emphasizes the active role of parents in early childhood education. Teachers are expected to encourage parental involvement, listen to parents' perspectives, and collaborate closely with them.

How do teachers support parents' involvement in their child's early education?

Teachers support parents' involvement by actively seeking their opinions, listening to their views, and ensuring that parents feel their input is valued. Teachers create a collaborative environment that recognizes the parents' knowledge and role in their child's development.

Why is it important for kindergarten teachers to engage with parents?

It is important because parents are seen as having the most knowledge about their child. Teachers work alongside parents to ensure the best outcomes for the child's learning and development, fostering a partnership in the educational process.