Abstract
The chapter examines early childhood education and care in Iceland within the framework of Nordic ideology. Values evident in the Icelandic national curriculum are analyzed, and the results of studies on the views of children, parents, and playschool teachers regarding the aims and practices of Icelandic playschools are presented. The findings illustrate democracy, well-being, care, and interpersonal relationships as the main emphases. Children are regarded as active participants, and an emphasis is placed on lived democracy in the playschool as well as on educating children to become democratic citizens. Playschool is considered an important space for practicing interaction with other people, and the responsibility of adults is to create caring relationships and to provide support. Several challenges face Icelandic early childhood education and care today. In an era of increasing globalization, Iceland is faced with academic pushes and pressures to increase accountability. In addition, the society is moving from a homogeneous one to becoming multicultural. Furthermore, there is a shortage of educated playschool teachers and a gap between the parental leave and the time when children may start playschool. These challenges have the potential to become a threat to the Nordic tradition in early childhood education and care in Iceland.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bennett, J. (2005). Curriculum issues in national policy-making. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 13(2), 5–23.
Clark, A., & Moss, P. (2001). Listening to young children: The Mosaic approach. London: National Children‘s Bureau.
Einarsdottir, J. (2005). We can decide what to play! Children’s perception of quality in an Icelandic playschool. Early Education and Development, 16(4), 469–488.
Einarsdottir, J. (2006). Between two continents, between two traditions: Education and care in Icelandic preschools. In J. Einarsdottir & J. Wagner (Eds.), Nordic childhoods and early education: Philosophy, research, policy, and practice in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden (pp. 159–182). Greenwich: Information Age.
Einarsdottir, J. (2007). Research with children: Methodological and ethical challenges. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 15(2), 197–211.
Einarsdottir, J. (2010a). Icelandic parents’ views on the national policy on early childhood education. Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development, 30(3), 229–242.
Einarsdottir, J. (2010b). Icelandic parents’ views on playschool education and the transition to primary school. In M. M. Clark & S. Tucker (Eds.), Early childhoods in a changing world (pp. 9–19). London: Trentham.
Einarsdottir, J. (2011). Reconstructing playschool experiences. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 19(3), 389–404.
Einarsdottir, J. (2012). Minningar úr leikskólanum [Memories from preschool]. In J. Einarsdóttir & B. Garðarsdóttir (Eds.), Raddir barna. Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan.
Einarsdottir, J. (2014). Children’s perspectives on the role of preschool teachers. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22(5), 679–698.
Einarsdottir, J., Puroila, A.-M., Johansson, E., Broström, S., & Emilson, A. (2015). Democracy, caring and competence: Values perspectives in ECEC curricula in the Nordic countries. International Journal of Early Years Education. 23(1), 97–114. doi:10.1080/09669760.2014.970521.
James, A. (2007). Giving voice to children’s voices: Practices and problems, pitfalls and potentials. American Anthropologist, 109(2), 261–272.
Jenks, C. (2004). Constructing childhood sociologically. In M. J. Kehily (Ed.), An introduction to childhood studies (pp. 77–95). Berkshire: Open University Press.
Jónasson, J. T. (2006). Frá gæslu til skóla: Um þróun leikskóla á Íslandi. Reykjavík: Rannsóknarstofa um menntakerfi. Félagsvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands.
Ministry of Education: Science and Culture. (2011). The Icelandic national curriculum guide for preschools. http://www.menntamalaraduneyti.is/namskrar/leikskolar/
OECD. (2001). Starting strong: Early education and care. Paris: OECD.
OECD. (2006). Starting strong II: Early childhood education and care. Paris: OECD.
Østrem, S., Bjar, H., Rønning Føsker, L., Dehnæs Hogsnes, H., Thorsby Jansen, T., Nordtømme, S., et al. (2009). Alle teller mer: En evaluering av hvordan Rammeplan for barnehagens innhold og oppgaver blir innført, brukt og erfart. Tønsberg: Høgskolen i Vestfold.
Pálmadóttir, H. (2015). Communities in play: Young preschool children’s perspectives on relationships, values and roles. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Iceland, Reykjavík.
Pálmadóttir, H., & Thórðardóttir, T. (2005). “Má ég vera með?” Samskipti í leikskóla. Rannsókn og mat á þróunarverkefni í leikskólanum Ásborg 2004–2004. Reykjavík: Rannsóknarstofnun Kennaraháskóla Íslands.
Pramling Samuelsson, I., Sheridan, S., & Williams, P. (2006). Five preschool curricula: Comparative perspective. International Journal of Early Childhood, 38(1), 11–29.
Sandberg, A., & Vuorinen, T. (2008). Preschool–home cooperation in change. International Journal of Early Years Education, 16(2), 151–161.
Statistics Iceland. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.statice.is/
Wagner, J. T. (2006). An outsider’s perspective: Childhoods and early education in the Nordic countries In J. Einarsdottir, & J. T. Wagner (Eds.), Nordic childhoods and early education: Philosophy, research, policy and practice in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden (pp. 289–306). Connecticut: Information Age Publishing.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Einarsdottir, J. (2017). Opportunities and Challenges in Icelandic Early Childhood Education. In: Ringsmose, C., Kragh-Müller, G. (eds) Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years. International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development, vol 15. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42557-3_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42557-3_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-42555-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-42557-3
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)