Edutopia - February/March 2008 - (Page 31) go gl bal private international school with the American timetable, I decided to look into why the Swedes wait longer. What’s the Hurry? The Swedish philosophy behind a later start is to give children a longer period of self-generated learning. Educators here believe that this period encourages natural curiosity without requirements and tests. Rather than sitting all of the children down together to learn the alphabet or counting, teachers respond when a child expresses interest. This approach allows children to develop in different areas at their own pace and lets them get a better sense of who they are before they’re judged in relation to others. It also gives children more opportunity to learn from each other, something not to be underestimated. Curiously, the national preschool curriculum (Lfpö 98, thankfully available in English) does not list quantifiable requirements; instead, it places an emphasis on socialization. There is mention of democracy and the foundation of individual responsibility to encourage children to “actively participate in society.” The phrasing is rather utopian, but I have actually seen it applied at my son’s school. Something as simple as asking the children to choose an activity themselves or to vote on which park they will go to gives them both a voice and lets them learn about cooperation and decision making. The curriculum also lists values to be instilled through example, which include “individual freedom and integrity, equal value of all people, gender equality, and solidarity with the weak and vulnerable.” As Swedish society becomes more diverse, tolerance of different races and religions is increasingly important. The fundamental practicality of Swedish preschool education extends to the all-important matter of fees. American friends have told me harrowing tales of day care and preschool fees in the States, so I was astonished to learn that fees here are calculated according to household income, with a maximum fee of 1,260 kroner (about $200) per month per child. As an art historian married to a musician, I was relieved by this discovery, particularly when I considered that the fee is nearly covered by the monthly allowance families receive for each child. The laws not only state that all families with parents that work or study should have access to preschool but also see to it, in concrete ways, that cost is not a discriminating factor. And though preschool is state subsidized and inexpensive, the quality of education remains intimate in scale; the recommended maximum ratio of students to teachers is 5 to 1. I like the concept of my children having more time just to be kids without the pressure of performance-based exercises and tests, though, as someone brought up in the thoroughly American, resultsbased approach to education as practiced in Minnesota, I don’t know if I will ever be without some hesitation about the more relaxed style here in Stockholm. And yet, I can see that a system emphasizing the importance of family life through many months of parental leave, sick leave to care for an ill child, and shorter, less intense days at preschool sends a strong message to children that their needs and wellbeing are significant. When I asked Lena Magnusson, my son’s favorite teacher, to name the most important things she taught, she replied, “To be a good friend and to believe in their own abilities.” This was not the answer I expected, yet I cannot think of two more important building blocks for the rest of my son’s life. Bronwyn Griffith is an art historian and gallery curator. In Sweden, both upper secondary school and university studies are financed by taxes. GETTY IMAGES EDUTOPIA.ORG EDUTOPIA 31 http://EDUTOPIA.ORG
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.