Abstract NERA/NFPF

Malmö 11-13 mars 2010

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“Teacher identity issues in the Swedish preschool class”

Helena Ackesjö

Aims of the research

The purpose with the preschool class in Sweden is to construct a bridge between preschool and primary school, where the two institutions together would create a blended pedagogy that would facilitate the six-year old children’s transition from preschool to compulsory school. Even though the preschool class is included in the curriculum for the primary school, the activities in preschool class should not be school activities but also not mere preschool activities. Little is known about these preschool class teachers. The research topic is; How do the teachers construct their professional identities at this crossroad?

Theoretical framework

The study is built on theories of identity construction, but also on theories that enhances the dilemma of the preschool class being placed at the borderland between preschool and school.

Research design

Fourteen preschool class teachers participated in dialogue seminars, conducted in three small groups. By dialogues, writing texts and presenting metaphoric pictures, the teachers reflected their experiences from their work. Analysis of the teacher’s identity constructions and their identities was made from this empirical material.

Findings/conclusions

The results highlight occasions where the preschool class teachers feel subordinated, excluded and marginalized from the community in school. The teachers feel that they do not have the same opportunity to be part of the school culture as other teachers, because of organizational and working conditions. This can also limit their opportunities for participation and influence in the community at school. The teachers also mark the boundaries between Us and Them, as an effect of their experiences of alienation and their spin-off from the social community at school. All these processes also affect the teachers' professional identity construction. Paradoxically, it seems as if the teachers in preschool class also use the exclusion as an instrument of power. The teachers mark in several cases that they distance themselves from both preschool and school, which results in that they can work freely and undisturbed in the preschool class.

Relevance for Nordic Educational research

This presentation examines the teachers in the preschool class in Sweden, a pedagogic practice which is placed at the crossroads between preschool and primary school. Little is known about the preschool class teachers, and research about this context can develop knowledge about this educational arena, about the teacher’s identities and about policy issues according to the preschool class.