Preschool teacher’s preparation time

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore how preschools organize teacher’s preparation time and how they prioritize the tasks carried out. The purpose was to see the impact preparation time has on the teacher’s professionalism and the quality of children’s play, learning and communication in the preschools. The article describes a study carried out within the Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education at the University of Iceland for the purpose of following up on a recent change in wage agreements Iceland in 2021 where preschool teachers’ time for planning, preparation and assessment was considerably increased. According to these agreements, preschool teachers have from 7 – 10 hours each week for their preparation. The study seeks support from research and theories on teachers’ professionalism, the quality of preschool activities and ideas about learning communities in schools, where preschool teachers collaborate and learn from each other. In this article, the focus is on answering two research questions: How is preparation time arranged and what are the priorities of projects carried out during preparation? Eight preschools were purposely selected to be represented in the study and the data mainly builds on interviews with one preschool leader, one department head and one preschool teacher in each of the schools: a total of 24 participants. The interviewees were asked to describe how preparation time was organized; what time of day preparation was carried out, how tasks were prioritized and what resources were available to preschool teachers in their preparation. The results reveal preschool teachers’ general satisfaction with having increased time for preparing their work with the children. Nevertheless, diverse opinions appeared towards the way criteria for the preparation time were allocated to preschools. To some extent, the data is influenced by the way preparation time is planned in primary schools, possibly related to the importance of making pre-school teachers’ working hours comparable to those of primary school teachers. The preparation usually took place outside the classroom/department and the preschool teachers’ tasks were frequently done by computer. Facilities for the teachers’ computer use while preparing varied and there was not room for many teachers at the same time. The weekly time teachers chose for their preparation varied. Some took one full day and part of another day; others chose to use a few hours every day to plan their work. Some participants expressed concern about the increased absence of teachers from interacting with the children. The participants considered it most important to prepare daily preschool practice and attend to the learning environment, material and surroundings inside the school. Preschools in Iceland have much in common with preschools in the other Nordic countries. Teachers, through their professionalism, play a central role, and the quality of preschool practice strongly relies on the processes of communication and care in the preschool, how children’s needs are met and in what way their well-being, learning and development is ensured.