NCNA Study Trip to Queen Maud University and the Kindergartens in Trondheim, Norway March 2011

Background to the trip

• NCNA granted funding from Leargas and Leonardo

• Scotland, Norway and Italy• Who is eligible• Síolta Co-ordinators• Michelle Hart, Aoife O’Gorman, Annette

Kearns, Máire Corbett

Outline of todays Presentation

• Aoife: Framework Plan (Curriculum and Regulation)

• Máire: Outdoor Play and other impressions

• Annette: Risky Play

Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of Kindergartens

NCNA – Queen Maud’s College - Léargas Lifelong Learning Programme

Study Week Trondheim, NorwayApril 2011

Content

• The Kindergarten Act• Overview of the Framework• Aims and Outcomes• ‘The social mandate of

kindergartens’• ‘The content of kindergartens’• ‘Planning and collaboration’• Quality in ECCE Norway

The Kindergarten Act• In 2006, the Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of

Kindergartens became a regulation in the Kindergarten Act.

• Government has overall responsibility for quality development, leadership and financing of the kindergarten sector; allocates funds for the running of kindergartens to municipalities

• The municipalities are responsible for providing and running municipal kindergartens, as well as guidance and supervision in both private and public kindergartens. They also ensure that kindergartens operate within the Kindergarten Act, the regulations, and the Framework Plan.

• A parents council in every kindergarten contributes to and considers the implementation of the Framework Plan in the local annual plan.

• )Part 1- The Social Mandate of Kindergartens

Chapter 1- The purpose, values and tasks of

kindergartens

Mission statements Fundamental values Children and childhood Children’s participation Collaboration with homes of children Kindergartens as pedagogical

undertakings Physical environments An inclusive community with space for

individual children Kindergartens for Sami people

Part 2- The Content of Kindergartens

Chapter 2- Care, play and learning

Chapter 3- Learning Areas

Care and upbringing Play Learning Social competence Linguistic competence Kindergartens as cultural arenas

Communication, language and text Body movement and health Art, culture and creativity Nature, environment and technology Ethics, religion and philosophy Local community and society Numbers, spaces and shapes

Part 3- Planning and Collaboration

Chapter 4- Planning, Documentation and

Assessment

Chapter 5- Collaboration

Planning Documentation as a basis for reflection

and learning Assessment of the kindergartens work

Primary school Child welfare service Mother and child health clinics Pedagogical psychological counselling

service Educational establishments The Sami Parliament Other partners

Aims

The Present The Future

The unique nature of the educational activities of kindergartens

Outcomes

The Social Mandate of Kindergartens

• Activities based on ethical values rooted in Christianity (ex. privately owned kindergartens)

• Fundamental Values- human dignity, equality, intellectual freedom, tolerance, health, appreciation of sustainable development*

• Children and Childhood- holistic, childhood as a life phase with intrinsic value ‘for children who experience a childhood of conflicts, kindergartens must face up to their responsibilities by providing compensatory measures’

• Collaboration with homes of children- two concepts within the law- understanding and collaboration

• Kindergartens as pedagogical undertakings- ‘shall have a head teacher’ ‘must change and develop…constantly developing staff skills and competencies’

• Cultural diversity in Kindergartens: ‘many ways of being Norwegian’

Care, Play and Learning

The Content of Kindergartens

Planning and Collaboration

• Compulsory Annual Plan- must contain content on care, upbringing , play and learning in close

collaboration and cooperation with families

• Must specify work on facilitating the participation of children- ‘direct comments during

conversations on what they like doing at the kindergarten’

• Parents must be given the opportunity to participate actively in the planning of the programme

• ‘Documentation can be a means of finding out about different perceptions, and of encouraging

critical and reflective practice’

• Assessment of the kindergarten’s work- reference to interactions.

• The kindergartens work must be ‘described, analysed and interpreted’

• Assessments as a way of ‘refreshing the approach and organisation of kindergartens’

• Collaboration- primary school, child welfare service, mother and child health clinics, pedagogical-

psychological counselling service, educational establishments, Sámi Parliament, other

Quality in ECCE- Norway

• Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research- White Paper No.41 (2008-2009)

• 3 Goals: ‘Ensuring Equity and High Quality’, ‘Strengthen the kindergarten as a learning arena’, and ‘all children participating in an inclusive community’

• The kindergarten as a learning area:

The Content of Kindergartens Documentation and Evaluation

• Considering whether more distinct goals for the learning areas in the framework plan would beneficial?

• Considering how work on gender equality can be renewed and strengthened

• Offer state grants for development of linguistic competence and confidence on Sámi traditional work

• Conduct a public hearing on introducing a legal entitlement for all kindergartens to share written documentation on children’s interests, play, learning and development with schools

Fundamental Statements from the Framework

‘The plan emphasises the importance of adults’ attitudes, knowledge and ability to relate to and understand children, so that they can bring

up children to participate actively in a democratic society’

‘Christian values are taken to mean empathy or charity, forgiveness, a belief in human worth, equality, communal responsibility, honesty and

fairness. These are values that can be found in most religions and ideologies’

‘Staff must reflect on their own attitudes towards, and on societies expectations of, boys and girls’

‘Seeds of inconsiderate behaviour, bullying and lack of empathy may be found in violations to the child’s self-esteem’

Fundamental Statements from the Framework

‘Parents must feel confident that their child is noticed and respected and that they are participating in a social environment that benefits

them’

‘Kindergartens help to create our culture, and play an important role in promoting cultural values’ and ‘Charity and solidarity are cornerstones

of our culture’

‘Learning about themselves, about other people, about interaction, and about the physical world around them are processes that help

make children’s lives meaningful’

In Summary…

Outdoor Play in Norway

• Being outdoors is integral to children’s education and learning

• Features in Bachelor programme, Physical education modules and Natural Science and Environmental Studies

• Queen Maud College has a Forest Farm• Vocational school training held out side 1 day

per week

Barnehage

• “Indoor” and outdoor barnehage• Outdoor services spend substantial time (5

hours per day) outside and away from the service

• “Indoor” services spend 2 hours per day outside, in the expansive outdoor areas adjacent to the services

“Indoor service”

Norwegian Sleep Room

Learning Outdoors

Outdoor Service

More Outdoor

Statoil Workplace Service

More

Risky PlayRisky Playthe Norwegian Way!the Norwegian Way!

Definition

• Risky play is play that is thrilling and exciting and involves the potential risk of physical injury

• It involves exposing oneself to hazards

Six Categories of Risky Play

These include:– Play with great heights – risk of injury from falling– Play with high speed – uncontrolled speed and pace

that carries a risk of collision with something or someone

– Play with dangerous tools - that can lead to injuries– Play near dangerous elements carrying a risk of falling

into or from something– Rough-and-Tumble play where the children can harm

each other– Play where the children can ‘disappear’/get lost

heightsPlay with Play with great

Different challenges for different levels of abilityDifferent challenges for different levels of ability

Play with Play with high speedhigh speed

Sometimes..... Sometimes.....

you can get double you can get double the thrill!!the thrill!!

Play with dangerous

tools

Play with Play with dangerous dangerous elementselements

Play where children can Play where children can disappear ... disappear ...

... and get lost!

Sometimes that just means going ‘round Sometimes that just means going ‘round the corner and out of sight!the corner and out of sight!

Rough and Tumble PlayRough and Tumble Play

What is happening What is happening when the children when the children engage in risky engage in risky play? play? Emotionally, they Emotionally, they balance on the balance on the edge between edge between excitement and excitement and fear. In that fear. In that inbetween space inbetween space of ‘Scareyfunney’of ‘Scareyfunney’

Benefits of Risky PlayBenefits of Risky Play• It leads to:It leads to:

• Courage and a realistic and sound sense of risk – risk Courage and a realistic and sound sense of risk – risk perception perception (Aldis, 1975; Ball, 2002; Boyensen, 1997).(Aldis, 1975; Ball, 2002; Boyensen, 1997).

• Emotional Competence – experience a range of Emotional Competence – experience a range of contrasting emotionscontrasting emotions..

• Increased physical strength and motor competence Increased physical strength and motor competence (Ball, 2002; Boyensen, 1997; Stutz, 1999)(Ball, 2002; Boyensen, 1997; Stutz, 1999)

• Improved perception of objects, depths, heights, Improved perception of objects, depths, heights, speed and the required reaction/adjustment of speed and the required reaction/adjustment of movements accordingly movements accordingly (Rakison, 2005).(Rakison, 2005).

All leading to Risk Mastery which is the best injury All leading to Risk Mastery which is the best injury prevention and safety precaution available!prevention and safety precaution available!

Scaryfunny...Scaryfunny...• This can be felt when...

– You are cycling very fast and you don’t know if you’ll be able to stop in time

– When you are about to jump from a height and you don’t really know if you have gone too high

– When you are just about to get caught in a game of chasing

– When you are skiing and about to crash into a tree and still you are not able to turn

• This will have a 10 sec video clip

General Reflections

• Men in Childcare• Transitions• Calm children • A place for staff too• Independence• Supervision