Den lärande gruppen
Om reflektion i förskolan
PreschoolReflectionReflective teachingThe learning groupFörskolaReflektionLärandeDen lärande gruppen
Scheduled time for reflective work is common at many Swedish preschools. Reflection is a complex concept that is being used with many different purposes in preschools. The reflective work in Swedish preschools today has its roots in the theories from Vygotskij about how children learn by watching and cooperating with others. Also, many Swedish preschools have taken inspiration from the preschools in Reggio Emilia in Italy, who see the reflective work as something necessary in their work around children?s learning processes. ?The learning group? is a way of seeing children and adults as members of groups who capture knowledge by social interaction, taken from the preschools in Reggio Emilia. In 1998, Swedish preschools got their first curriculum, which also took inspiration from Vygotskij and his visions of children?s learning.The aim of this study is to find out how reflective work can be done at some Swedish preschools, and also to investigate a group of teacher?s thoughts on reflective work. The issues in my study are:What meaning can lie in the concept of reflection in preschools?In what situations can teachers and children in preschools use reflection?What can be the purpose of this reflection?To answer these questions, I did interviews with teachers and observations of meetings and of the work that was being done with the children. The result shows that the term of reflection is ambiguous and is being used with different interpretations in the preschools I have studied. Reflection is for instance retelling events, solving problems, cooperating and curiosity. Teachers and children use reflection in various situations everyday, both at planned and spontaneous activities. The purpose of the reflection at the preschools I have visited was for instance to find a focus in working with the children, to know how to move on and to get deeper into what you do.