FACTOR GESTIÓN

The beginning of the 1990s saw the creation of ‘part-time preschool’ for 6-year-olds in schools in some municipalities with the intention to free up some places in preschools which were then in full expansion. Two interviewees said that, at that time, the influence of Reggio Emilia grew, changing the pedagogical practices of a growing number of Swedish preschool teachers who adapted a more constructivist approach observed in preschools today.

The 1996 transfer of the responsibility for preschool to the Ministry of Education was a turning point in the relationship. Preschool became part of the education system as the first step in lifelong learning. The change in the conceptualisation of preschool as a social welfare issue to an education issue was significant. One policymaker interviewee stated that the reform ensured a series of policy measures – such as the introduction of preschool curriculum and preschool class in 1998, the integration of teacher education in 2001, and entitlement measures in the early 2000s – which aimed at expanding and strengthening preschool and to reinforce connections between preschool and school.

Two interviewees (one policymaker, one trade union representative) referred to a quiet shift of government orientation regarding the relationship: from the upward extension of preschool influence into school in the 1990s and early 2000s and then the downward extension of

school influence into preschool from around 2006 onwards, which is the year when the conservative government took power in Sweden. A policymaker interviewee remarked:

Until 2006, we said that school should be ready for children. But since then, the government changed and talks more about school readiness - that preschool is an important part of further education and being ready for school. But we still don't have any test. There are pretty strong forces to have tests in preschools – to see that they are ready for school. Usually it is given to detect special needs. It is an issue coming up more and more.

While some trends toward schoolification were reported, some interviewees observed that the preschool sector has largely maintained and even moved to a further development of its specific identity and pedagogical approaches in recent years. In fact, the changes in the policy positions reported above do not coincide with the observation – explicitly stated by three interviewees – that the relationship has shifted from the school readiness approach, dominant before 1998, to the ready school approach, observed in practice today. One assistant principal said:

Maybe it took about 10 years to see some differences after the policy of preschool class in 1998. … I always heard that ‘children must be ready’, ‘children must be ready’. Now, a preschool teacher would say, ‘how you will organise activities for children… they are interested in astronomy, how will you pick it up and take over the responsibility for children…’ so it’s become like this. … you talk more and more ‘what we can do for children’ instead of ‘children should do this and that or should say this and that’. It’s a great development.

Interviewees described developments in preschool practice: there is a stronger pedagogical focus in preschools today. Preschool teachers listen to children more than before, and look at them as much more part of learning, i.e. children as active participants who contribute to shaping the process of learning. There is more dialogue and discussion between teacher and child, based on the view that they can learn from each other, rather than the teacher teaching the child. The child is understood as curious, active and competent, even 1-year-olds are capable of things. Thematic work that interests children can last for a week, a month, or even a year, nurtured, extended and transformed by exchanges and discussions from children and teachers around the particular theme. Unlike the past, preschools also deal with language, mathematics and science – the school subjects – but proposed to children in ways that are playful, concrete and appropriate to young children. One preschool teacher noted:

Now the focus [in the preschool] is on pedagogy and more preparation for society. And we are trying to do in a way that children are learning. So, it is pedagogical and playful at the same time. For example, the circle time, before, it was me who was teaching things, for example, about a flower, but now we trying to learn together, so we have a different way of learning. [Before] children were quiet, teacher was talking; but now we are talking together. Children ask together, if I don't know, we look it up together, ipad, go to library… it is more fun to work like that. Before, we did the same thing all the time. Now it is different, always try to learn from children’s perspectives. The curriculum is always the same but they try to do from children’s perspectives.

Meanwhile, school practices have also changed, according to interviewees, in the following ways: now, it is important to use play in learning; and there is certain openness and space for children; there is more learning together through conversation and interaction; and there is not only the transmitting of knowledge but also the producing of knowledge and how to learn so that application of acquired knowledge is possible.

Next, I take a closer look at changes in governance, curriculum, workforce and research that impacted on the relationship as accounted for by interviewees.