”Jeg ville bestemme alt som går an” : en intervjuundersøkelse om et utvalg barns syn på ”den gode barnehagen”

Abstract

This paper is based on a qualitative interview with six children at the age of 4-6 years old, from two different kindergartens. My purpose with this study is to let the children’s own voices be heard in the debate about the quality of early childhood education in the kindergartens in Norway. The main issue is: What views do a selection of children have on what the ideal kindergarten (“den gode barnehagen”) should be like? Another purpose is to compare the topics that concern the children with a relevant political document. This spring, 2013, Meld St. 24 (2012-2013) (2013) Framtidens barnehage from the Norwegian government, was released. In this study I let the children’s views form the starting point for reading the Meld. St. 24 in search of how this document mentions the topics I identified as the most important ones for the children when they talked about how they wanted the kindergarten to be if they could decide. The study is inspired of the critical hermeneutic phenomenology, and in the second chapter of this paper I explain more about both phenomenology and hermeneutics, and especially the critical hermeneutics. My methodological choices have become a very important part of this study. I have discussed these choices with the purpose of trying to let the children´s voices be heard. Nevertheless it will still be me, the adult and researcher, who has the power. That is why it has been especially important to reflect on ethical dilemmas and the views of how knowledge is produced. A short summary of my findings is that for most of the children it is the opportunity to play and make friends, as well as the esthetical dimension of the physical environment, that makes a good kindergarten. In the political document Meld. St. 24 the employees in the kindergarten are highlighted as the most important element.