Implementing a National Curriculum in Swedish Preschools

• This paper starts with a short presentation of the Swedish preschool, for children aged 1-6 years, and gives a background to the national policy on Early Childhood Education leading up to the first National Curriculum for the Preschool in 1998. Preschool education is considered to be the first important stage within the Educational system of Sweden. The structure of the curriculum is presented as well as the implementation in local municipalities and preschools. I will give some examples about how the concepts of the child, knowledge and learning are defined in the curriculum. Further more, I will illustrate how the curriculum has been implemented in some preschools. A nation-wide evaluation of the reform was presented in spring 2004, showing a very positive attitude to the curriculum and an impressive local achievement. However, the National Agency of Education also points out some crucial challenges; the variations in quality between different preschools, the lack of awareness when allocating resources, the tendency to define local goals in addition to the goals in the national curriculum and the problems arising when assessing small children, thus directing the attention towards the individual child and her/his family instead of towards the educational programme and environment.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

National Curriculum

Swedish preschools

Education

Pedagogik

Child and Youth Science

barn- och ungdomsvetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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