Browsing by Author "Nieminen, Markus"

The aim of this study is to describe preschool and first grade teachers' experiences of reasons, execution and challenges of co-operation between preschool and first grade during the transition from preschool setting to primary school setting. The nature of this study was qualitative. The research matter was collected by interviewing three preschool teachers and three first grade teachers by using theme interviews. The collected research matter was analyzed by theory based content analysis. According to this study the experiences of teachers' of co-operation between preschool and first grade were alike. All three preschool teachers and all three first grade teachers described reasons for co-operation between preschool and first grade as beneficial for the kids. The interviewed teachers described their experiences of execution of co-operation between preschool and first grade through quantity, content, ways of practice and planning. First grade teachers described their experiences of the execution through ways to bring preschool and first grade closer together. According to the teachers the challenges for co-operation during the transition from preschool to first grade were mainly differences in legislation, differences in supervising and directional documents and in various resources such as time, room and physical distance between preschool and first grade.