Uppeldi og menntun - 01.01.2011, Page 49

Uppeldi og menntUn/icelandic JoUrnal of edUcation 20 (1) 2011 49
anna magnea HreinSdÓttir og JÓHanna einarSdÓttir
It has been noted that stakeholder participation in developing preschool curricula
requires time, dedication and discussion on their part. The results show that staff
participation in developing the school curricula was limited in all of the preschools
and neither parents nor children were invited to influence the curricula. The results
indicate that lack of time and knowledge on behalf of the preschool directors in
involving stakeholders in the development of the preschool curricula hindered a
broad participation in some of the preschools.
There was a considerable difference in how staff practices were described in the
preschools´ curricula. On the one hand, the staff in the Reggio Emilia preschools was
required to listen to the children´s ideas, follow their interests and document their
activities. On the other hand, the staff was required to work according to Hjalli´s
job descriptions. The different approaches also influenced the environment and the
materials that the children were able to use. In the Hjalli preschools the children had
access to open-ended materials only, whereas in the Reggio Emilia preschools the
children had access to open-ended materials and traditional toys. Participants thought
that both structures were good for the children. The way in which the children chose
an area in which to play also differed in the preschools. In one of them the children
were allowed to choose a play area freely without any limitations. In the other three
preschools there was scheduled choice time and limitations applied as to what the
children could choose from. The results also indicate that there was a distinctive frame
into which cooperation with parents was expected to fit and this frame was difficult to
change. Cooperation between parents and staff relies on the premise that parents are
responsible for their children. It is therefore important that the staff help parents find
a way to actively participate on a daily basis in preschool work so that the preschool
can be the support in the upbringing of children that it is supposed to be.
Dahlberg, Moss and Pence (2007) point out that it is difficult to blueprint quality
preschool work, because different approaches can be used to bring about quality in
preschools. They maintain that the quality of preschools depends on the beliefs and
values of parents, staff and children. This research confirms their opinion and shows
that children, parents and preschool staff are not a homogeneous group. It is therefore
important that there should be variations in the pedagogical work carried out in pre-
schools.
Keywords: Preschool, curriculum, ideology, policy