3.Kindergaten observation – Presteheia

26/02/2014

Outdoor Preschools and Kindergartens are unique to Norway. They range from Kindergartens that emphasize the outdoors in their curriculum and have more outdoor field trips, to ones that exist outside all year round, almost every single day, rain or shine.

We had the opportunity to visit Presteheia Kindergarten. It is a few minutes to the city center in Kristiansand. They have a main building where they have different areas like: fire place, game place, kitchen, bathroom or dry room.

The Kindergarten it surrounded by a big forest that they can use to do different activities with the children.

When we arrive there we went to the main building to wait to the children, then we went to a big football field where we did a lot of different activities.

There was a big group of children (100) with different ages (1-5 years old) and also a lot of teachers (15) that took care of them.

The day was raining but this not was a problem for us, everybody was happy and active in spite of the bad weather. Everyone was wearing appropriate clothes so they enjoyed the day a lot (they laid on the wet grass, they jumped in the puddles etc)

The role of the leader was very simple, because they didn’t put a lot of limits to the children. I was surprise how the teacher guided to the kids with a little instructions.

The plan for the day was this:

– Picked up the children from the kindergarten to the football field (it was situated near to the kindergarten)

– Did different kinds of activities:

Games with football balls: the children had 2 or 3 balls, and they can play free with them, not only football.

Carry a potato with a spoon from point A to B: they tried to be faster and explored the best way to transport the potato.

Make a way with a rope: the teacher made a walk in forest area near to the football field. The ground was wet and irregular and the kids had to use the rope to go to final.

Throw to bullseye.

Parachute games and songs.

– Came back to the kindergarten.

They planned this activities but the children were free to choose what to do.

Therefore they used a free teaching methods, free organization with different learning situation. I liked too much that they worked in groups with children with different ages, development and pleasures.

The most important thing is that they didn’t have too much rules, the children could choose where they wanted to go or what they wanted to do.

This program emphasize independence, creativity, motor development and comfort in the outdoors. This means that they themselves discover and freely experience the environment that surrounds them.

The program to children was based on the game, as independent learning by doing. Without any intervention of the teacher

v Personal comments:

This was an incredible experience for me. I’m from Spain and I never have seen how to work this kind of educational system. When I arrived to the kindergarten I felt very impress, there was a lot of different children, the majority smaller than 5 years.

The weather was not so good, because was cold and raining but they were very happy and motivated to go out and spend the day outside.

It is a very important point for me, because they are learning to enjoy the nature with different weather conditions. For instance in Spain, if the weather is bad they are afraid about the children and they don’t go out.

I have to mention the Norwegian culture and the Norwegian educational system. They can say “The Norwegian culture is the Norwegian nature” because they are teaching in a perfect way to show to the kids how to use and enjoy the nature, always with respect.

This is visible when you go to the forest on winter and the little kids are playing and enjoying in the nature all the time (although the weather is not good)

I haven’t seen other kindergarten, but the reasons are visible to say that Presteheia kindergarten has a good organization. We were talking with a teacher, and he said that they have a long list wait because many parents want to take your child there. They have good facilities and also a good localization, but the main thing is the philosophy: learning by doing, learning by playing.

NORWEGIAN ADVENTURE

With Nayara

3.Kindergaten observation – Presteheia

26/02/2014

Outdoor Preschools and Kindergartens are unique to Norway. They range from Kindergartens that emphasize the outdoors in their curriculum and have more outdoor field trips, to ones that exist outside all year round, almost every single day, rain or shine.

We had the opportunity to visit Presteheia Kindergarten. It is a few minutes to the city center in Kristiansand. They have a main building where they have different areas like: fire place, game place, kitchen, bathroom or dry room.

The Kindergarten it surrounded by a big forest that they can use to do different activities with the children.

When we arrive there we went to the main building to wait to the children, then we went to a big football field where we did a lot of different activities.

There was a big group of children (100) with different ages (1-5 years old) and also a lot of teachers (15) that took care of them.

The day was raining but this not was a problem for us, everybody was happy and active in spite of the bad weather. Everyone was wearing appropriate clothes so they enjoyed the day a lot (they laid on the wet grass, they jumped in the puddles etc)

The role of the leader was very simple, because they didn’t put a lot of limits to the children. I was surprise how the teacher guided to the kids with a little instructions.

The plan for the day was this:

– Picked up the children from the kindergarten to the football field (it was situated near to the kindergarten)

– Did different kinds of activities:

Games with football balls: the children had 2 or 3 balls, and they can play free with them, not only football.

Carry a potato with a spoon from point A to B: they tried to be faster and explored the best way to transport the potato.

Make a way with a rope: the teacher made a walk in forest area near to the football field. The ground was wet and irregular and the kids had to use the rope to go to final.

Throw to bullseye.

Parachute games and songs.

– Came back to the kindergarten.

They planned this activities but the children were free to choose what to do.

Therefore they used a free teaching methods, free organization with different learning situation. I liked too much that they worked in groups with children with different ages, development and pleasures.

The most important thing is that they didn’t have too much rules, the children could choose where they wanted to go or what they wanted to do.

This program emphasize independence, creativity, motor development and comfort in the outdoors. This means that they themselves discover and freely experience the environment that surrounds them.

The program to children was based on the game, as independent learning by doing. Without any intervention of the teacher

v Personal comments:

This was an incredible experience for me. I’m from Spain and I never have seen how to work this kind of educational system. When I arrived to the kindergarten I felt very impress, there was a lot of different children, the majority smaller than 5 years.

The weather was not so good, because was cold and raining but they were very happy and motivated to go out and spend the day outside.

It is a very important point for me, because they are learning to enjoy the nature with different weather conditions. For instance in Spain, if the weather is bad they are afraid about the children and they don’t go out.

I have to mention the Norwegian culture and the Norwegian educational system. They can say “The Norwegian culture is the Norwegian nature” because they are teaching in a perfect way to show to the kids how to use and enjoy the nature, always with respect.

This is visible when you go to the forest on winter and the little kids are playing and enjoying in the nature all the time (although the weather is not good)