Ingvill Reese Myhre Hanssen,
Queen Maud University College, Norway.
Early Childhood in Norway, (Η προσχολική Αγωγή στη Νορβηγία)
Queen Maud University College (QMUC) is a private university college situated in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1947 as an independent foundation within the Norwegian State Church. The main aim of the college is to educate teachers within the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC). The college offers several Bachelor Degrees in Early Childhood Education and Care and several postgraduate courses in topics related to ECEC. It works actively to maintain children needs and rights, and also to make children’s perspectives in the society visible. Its goal is to educate competent and reflected kindergarten teachers and leaders that shall meet the children with respect and guide them in their process of formation. The combination of theory and practice is important, and the college wishes to contribute to both professional and personal development, through a good social environment and close follow-up on the students. Each class has 30 students, divided into 6 study groups, and each group has its own contact teacher.
In the current presentation, the following topics of kindergartens in Norway will be discussed: the purpose of the Norwegian kindergartens, the age of children in kindergartens in Norway, and the “Framework plan for the content and tasks of kindergartens”. Additionally, the philosophy of ECEC in Norway will be presented. This philosophy is based on Frobel’s pedagogical thoughts, with focus on play, on the importance of children’s interests and participation, and on the belief that ‘being outside is just as important as being inside’, always taking into account that “there's no bad weather, only bad clothing”.
