Early childhood education and leadership in Finland. Manager of Kindergarten Klaus Rytöhonka ICP2015 Helsinki - The Finnish Day

Transcription

1 Early childhood education and leadership in Finland Manager of Kindergarten Klaus Rytöhonka ICP2015 Helsinki - The Finnish Day

2 The Association of Kindergarten Teachers in Finland The Association of Kindergarten Teachers in Finland (LTOL-BTLF) is a trade union with kindergarten teachers as members ( ). It is a member of the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ), members ( )

3 The Association of Kindergarten Teachers in Finland Kindergarten teachers with teacher training are experts in early childhood education. LTOL s members are kindergarten teachers, special kindergarten teachers, kindergarten directors, guided family day care directors, day care inspectors and other professionals in early childhood education. Nine out of ten kindergarten teachers are employed by local government. The average age of members is ~43,7 (2010)

4 The Finnish early education system

5 The Finnish education system

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7 The guidance of the state ECEC=Early Childhood Education and Care Government Resolution on the National Policy Definition on ECEC, 2002 the main principles of ECEC and the most important issues in developing ECEC a basic to National Curriculum Guidelines National Curriculum Guidelines on ECEC in Finland 2003, 2005 aim to promote the provision of ECEC on equal terms throughout the country to guide the development of the content of related activities (language, playing, physical activities, artistic experiences and self-expression, and exploration) guidelines in municipalities plans in day-care centres plans in groups child s individual ECEC plan

8 Finnish ECEC system in a nutshell Children s day care options are: 1. Municipal day care Day care centres (incl. special day care) Family childcare providers Open day care activities (centres or parks) Afternoon activities for school children 2. Private day care allowance 3. Child home care allowance Pre-school education (for 1 year, children usually 6 years old)

9 Early childhood programmes 0-7 years Administrati on Ministry of Education ( , before Ministry of social affairs and health) Day care centre (Kindergarten) Instituti on Day care centre, for 0-6 years Programm e Centre based integrated educare programm es Staff Director, 3 years/ university degree Director s assistant, one of the teachers, Preschool teacher, 3 years/ university degree Nurse, 2 years/ college degree Ratio 0-3 years, 1:4 3-7 years, 1:7

10 Family day care Administrati on Instituti on Programm e Staff Ratio Ministry of Education ( , before Ministry of social affairs and health) Family day care Family day care programm es Supervisor of family day care or director of day care centre Family day care provider, childminder Qualificati on or 240 h basic training 1:4 plus 1 half-daychild (6-8 years, who is at the preschool or at the school during the morning)

11 Preschool Administr ation Institution Programm e Staff Ratio Ministry of Education Preprimar y school for 6 yars Preschool Preschool teacher, 3 years /University degree School teacher, 4 years/ University degree 1:13

12 Rate of access to regulated day care services 1- to 2- year-olds 30 % 2- to 3-year-olds 53 % 3- to 4-year-olds 68 % 4- to 5-year-olds 75 % 5-6-year-olds 79 % 6-7-year-olds in the pre-school class almost full enrolment (70% of them also attend day care) (THL 2013)

13 What would you do with 2 billion euros?

14 National Curriculum guidelines on Early Childhood Education and Care in Finland

15 Partnership in ECEC Being present, listening, supporting An ECEC partnership combines the knowledge and experiences of parents and ECEC staff, both of which are important influences in the child s life. An individual ECEC plan An invidual ECEC plan is drawn up for each child in day care in collaboration with the parents, while the implementation of the plan is assessed regulary. Ulla Soukainen 15

16 An individual ECEC plan and GROWTH AND LEARNING FOLLOW-UP FORM for pre-school planning and starting of school Daily routines: eating, sleeping, dressing, undressing Motor and sensory skills Linguistic skills and communication Interaction and play Social skills and emotional expression Preschool: Motivation Social skills and interaction Attentiveness and directing of own acitivity Linguistic skills and communication Mathematical skills Motor and sensory skills Ulla Soukainen 16

17 Partnership and discussion with parents Conversation with child to improve his/her self-assessment and thinking skills Partnership and discussion with parents Child s level of development Children s questions and ideas for projects The aims and contents of Early Childhood Education Observations which are the base for evaluating the level of a child's development. The teacher knows the aims of ECE and the methods how to support learning and development of the child - Right questions to help the progress of the learning process - Responsibility to handle the aims and contents of ECE in the context of themes rsien from the children

18 The child s way of acting Playing Children play for the sake of playing, and at best, play can give them deep satisfaction. Although children do not play in order to learn, they learn through play. Moving When engaging in physical activities, children think, experience joy, express their feelings, and learn new things. Physical activity also means experience, moving swiftly, perspiring and getting breathless. Experiencing Art gives the child an opportunity to experience an imaginary world where everything is possible and true in a make-believe way. Exploring Children innately have a sense of exploration and wonder. On exploring, they satisfy their curiosity and have a feeling of belonging in the world and community around them Ulla Soukainen 18

19 Content orientations Analysing, synthesising, integrating In interactions with the environment and people, children process and analyse information using their existing conceptual frameworks, being active learners Ulla Soukainen 19

20 THE SUPPORT ON THREE STAGES BASIC ENCHANCED - SPECIAL BASIC SUPPORT It is meant for every child and it is part of every day activities in the Kindergarten It is drawn up into the individual learning programmes and plans The personnel is responsible for safe and child-focused interaction with children Caring and positive atmosphere aids the development and the learning of children Special Kindergarten teacher gives her support when needed Ulla Soukainen 20

21 ENCHANCED SUPPORT It is utilised, when the means of common support is not enough The support can be needed in different phases of time in child`s physical, kognitive, social or emotional development The co-operation between parents, teachers, nurses and special teachers is important when planning and implementing the support It is also important to co-operate with other experts Small groups and individual guidance are utilized The plans, aims and assesment are documentated in the individual learning programme of the child Ulla Soukainen 21

22 Child - Staff ratios in kindergartens 1 trained adult for every 4 children under age 3 1 trained adult for every 7 children over 3 yrs part time services : 1 trained adult per 13 children Kindergarten have kindergarten teachers, practical nurses (social and health care, upper secondary education) and day care assistants. The percentage of tertiary trained pedagogues (30%) is low compared to Denmark (60%) and Sweden (51%)

23 Client Fees in Daycare Fees are based on the size and income of the family Maximum fee 283 /child/month Maximum fee for the second child 255 /month For each additional child 56,6 /month Free off charge for low income families

24 Key Steering Documents The Act and Degree on Children s Day care (1973) The Government Resolution Concerning the National policy Definition on Early Childhood Education and Care (2002) The National Curriculum Guidelines on Early Childhood Education and Care in Finland (2003, reviewed 2005) The Core Curriculum for Pre-School Education (2000) New Curriculum for Pre-School Education 2014 Pre-School obligation since The Act on ECE 2015 first step

25 Pre-school education

26 Finnish ECEC system in a nutshell Pre-school education 2000 Discussion on the topic stared in the 1960 s Since 2001 municipalities have been obliged to provide parents have a choice to take or to leave, almost all children are participating. For 6 / 7 year-olds one year before primary education. Free of charge. 700 hours annually per child (academic year) In kindergartens or in schools Meals, transportation

27 Transfering from preschool to primary education Succesfull transfer ensures: - sense of security and wellbeing - requirements of development and learning Pre- school and basic education curriculums coming in effect in define the obligation of collaboration. Practical tools of collaboration and information transmission must be described in local curriculums.

28 Collaboration in transitional phase Objective is, that children and their guardians (caretakers) will get to know learning enviroments of the school, activities and personnel before teaching begins. Aim is that all essential information concerning teaching, learning, support and special care will be transferred from preschool to school. Here, we make use of the expertise of previous and upcoming teachers.

29 The quality of Education

30 The quality of Education The qualification requirement for a kindergarten teacher is at least Bachelor of Education including kindergarten teacher education, or Bachelor of Health Care and Social Services (Polytechnic) including studies in early childhood education and care and social pedagogy to the extent as laid down by Government decree (at least 60 credits according to the Bologna agreement). LTOL worked for more than 20 years to achieve university status for the training of kindergarten teachers. LTOL/OAJ works closely with universities and researchers in early childhood education

31 Examples of the teacher statutory salaries in Finland 2013 Vacation Weekly worktime Salary Kindergarden teachers days/ depends of the working years 38 h 15 min (8 % planning time) (starting salary) Preschool teacher Preschool teacher in school Working 190 days / years 23 lessons in week Ritva Semi, OAJ

32 Leadership in Early childhood Education

33 THE DESCRIPTION OF THE MISSION Safetymanagement Programs Performance in the state of emergency Customer collaboration Early support Decisions about individual care Arrangements of the services The contents of ECE and activities Specific ECE objectives; Education, teaching and preschool education Nursing and care Leading finances and objektives Monitoring and evaluation Outcomes and effectivity Functional and economical goals The basic tasks of the Day care center Manager Coordination, networks, co-operation tasks Working conditions and -welfare Work safety Maintaining work ability The management of the human resources Staff planning Emloyment relationship and hiring issues Operating as employers delegate and The professional ability collaborative of the activities personnel Improvement of the personnel The Core area of the Day Care Manager Mäki; Rytöhonka 2015

34 LEADERSHIP in early education means to involve child care workers to take care of and develop early childhood education and take responsibility of developing quality in ECE Hujala, Parrila, Lindberg, Nivala, Tauriainen & Vartiainen (1999)

35 => pedagogical leadership means to take responsibility of the education process and its quality in the schools What is pedagogical leadership: 1) style to be a leader 2) to lead the pedagogy & educational work in centers - purpose is to develop the quality of teaching/child care by organizing pedagogical meetings - to help staff to develop their pedagogical (teaching) and child guidance methods - to assess, evaluate and make documentation of teachers teaching practices

36 Pedagogical leadership: 3) on the organizational level to develop pedagogical mission, vision and strategy for the school or child care center

37 Pedagogical leadership: 4) to take care of the teachers as main resource of the ECE -to motivate teachers to learn and take new challenges -to support teachers to grow as professionals -to activate teachers to develop themselves as team members -to activate teams to create visions for their cooperation -to support teachers to grow as individuals -to strengthen teachers identity as professionals -to support teachers to develop their skills and competencies as teachers

38 Helping Klaus Eeva Hujala PhD, Professor, University of Tampere Timo Mäki Labour Market Advisor, The Trade Union of Education Tarja Ojanen Director of ECE Services, Loppi County Anitta Pakanen President, Association of Kindergarten Teachers Maija-Liisa Rantanen Service Area Director, Education division of Turku City Ritva Semi Special Advisor, The Trade Union of Education Ulla Soukainen Director of ECE Services, Education Division of Turku City

39 Premises and Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education in Helsinki