Browsing by Author "Ylönen, Aino"

Participation is one of the rights of every child according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989). National curricula, such as the Finnish core curricula for pre-primary education (2014), are based on this convention. It is not simple to try to define participation of children because there is no one answer what it means and how to research it in kindergartens. In this study, I will examine how participation is seen through one operational method used in Vironniemi kindergarten with preschoolers. The nature of this study is qualitative case study in Vironniemi preschool. In the preschool every child is given an opportunity to draw six wishes of what they want to learn during the preschool year. These wishes work as a basis for the activities and aims of the year. The research material consisted of drawings of 23 preschoolers and an interview of two workers in the group (a kindergarten teacher and a childminder). The aim of the study was to find out how the operational method support the participation of the children from the workers’ point of view. The research material was analyzed by using content analysis, classification and thematic analysis. The results of the study showed that the majority of the wishes of the children were fulfilled by the latter part of the school year (until 8th of May 2015). According to the results, the operational method used in Vironniemi preschool helps children to become participative in the planning of the school year. However, the participation of children in execution or evaluation is little. The interviewees thought that the operational method is working and giving a good way for children to participate. The parents of the children will also get participated in the preschool year through the operational method.