WEBVTT Kind: captions; Language: en

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[♫ theme music playing ♫]

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In this video, we take a look 
at pedagogical planning,

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study group formation, and the activities
of groups of children, as well as reflect on

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how we can support the role
of children as active learners.

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The guiding principle is that pedagogical goals
adapted to everyday life support the goal of

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delivering high quality early education, which
is based on a wide range of pedagogical knowledge

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and methodology, as well as cross
disciplinary theory and research.

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The structure and sizes of child groups are
determined with the children's best interest and

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well-being, as well as the promotion
of learning as the primary guidelines.

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[♫ music ♫]

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Finnish play-based and child-centred pedagogy
has been strongly influenced by well-known western

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education philosophers, theorists and pedagogs,
such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Maria Montessori,

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Celestin Freinet, Loris Malaguzzi,
John Dewey, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi,

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Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky,
and especially Friedrich Froebel.

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Today's Finnish early education,
where children are active agents

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in their own learning,
is multidisciplinary.

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Guided by research from, for example, the
field of social sciences and especially

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sociology, health sciences, psychology,
communication studies, information

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technology, and recent
research on leadership.

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Research continuously
provides educational knowledge

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and new evidence in the field of ECEC.

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Research based pre- and in-service teacher
education influences ECEC teachers' professional

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awareness and competence as well as
strengthens pedagogical practises.

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Today, all daily situations
are seen to be relevant

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to growth, learning and well-being.

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Hence, a holistic and integrative
approach guides the pedagogy.

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This framework for pedagogical activities
in early education is defined in the

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national core curriculum for
ECEC and pre-primary education.

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[♫ music ♫]

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(Narrator:) Pedagogical
activities in early education

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are guided by the objectives
of transversal competence

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support for learning processes, which include
thinking and learning, cultural competence,

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interaction, and self-expression, taking
care of oneself and managing daily life,

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multi-literacy and competence in information

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and communication technology,
participation and involvement.

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Transversal competencies can be seen
as key areas of lifelong learning.

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These are supported through
integrative pedagogical activities that form

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multidisciplinary modules for learning
versatile skills simultaneously.

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Rather than being approached as separate
entities, the themes of different learning areas

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are combined and applied according to
children's interests and competencies.

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Children's interests and
questions serve as a key basis for

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planning and implementing the activities.

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This entity of competencies consisting
of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes

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and will are considered to be developmental
preconditions for full membership

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of society and lifelong
learning and sustainability.

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The development of transversal
competence promotes children growth as

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individuals and as members of
their community and society.

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The uniform underlying values and the conception
of the child learning, and the goals of

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transversal competencies in the Finnish
pedagogical and education system safeguard learning

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path that progresses systematically
from the child's point of view.

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In this way, transversal competencies
become an important part of curricula

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in different levels of the Finnish
education system, but the content varies

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according to children age and development.

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The aim is to ensure a logically
progressing educational entity and a smooth

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transition for the child from
early education to basic education.

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[♫ music ♫]

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So how does the curriculum
guide the work of the teacher?

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Clear and concrete policies that are
jointly agreed upon and a communal working

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culture will help to achieve
the goals set by the curriculum.

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As the figure shows, the
pedagogical guidance of a teachers

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work starts at the level of laws.

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However, goal-oriented activities
in line with the curriculum in

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an ECEC centre cannot be carried
out without pedagogical planning,

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documentation, evaluation and development.

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Curriculum preparation at the local level
and the level of actual pedagogical activities

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with children in early education is part
of the pedagogical development of ECEC and

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pre-primary education, which is influenced
by legislation and steering by information

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as well as broader views of
education and instruction.

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(Pia:) Pedagogical planning, practical
implementation and evaluation

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are based on a local curriculum.

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The local curriculum is however
further localised by each ECEC centre

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and multi professional team in
order to promote the uniqueness and

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richness of each centre and child group.

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Although localization is handled by all
ECEC personnel, the main responsibility

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for pedagogical work
remains with ECEC teachers.

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(Narrator:) At these levels, curriculum
work includes translating the national level

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curriculum into practise, the structuring of
education and instruction work in pedagogical

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terms and the systematic
documentation of this work.

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It thus constitutes a strong link in
the national quality management work.

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At the local and unit level the
guarantees of successful curriculum

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work are leadership, commitment
of personnel, and the participation

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of children, guardians,
and other partners.

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[♫ music ♫]

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(Narrator:) Curriculum preparation at all levels
should be seen as a continuous and

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reciprocal process, in which the
community strives to constantly develop

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the curriculum through shared discussions and reflection
and at the same time its' entire working culture.

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In Finnish ECEC, an individual ECEC
plan is drawn up for each child.

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It's prepared in cooperation with
the ECEC teacher, the guardians and

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the child through discussion
and then written down.

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The child's individual ECEC plan
is an opportunity to make each

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child strengths and
individual needs visible.

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Principles and goals for pedagogical
work are agreed together with guardians.

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[children voices] The child's
individual ECEC plan is a pedagogical

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plan for how the child will be taken
into account as an individual in daily

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activities and then
implemented in everyday life.

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Individual forms of pedagogical support
are also integrated into daily life.

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For example, pictograms are used to illustrate
activities and daily routines throughout

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the day, which gives children visual
cues about what will happen next.

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The daily schedule can be built together
with the children in the morning.

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So, children can also
practise their communication

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skills and prepare for the day ahead.

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The purpose of an individual ECEC
plan is to set goals for pedagogical

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work, not for the child, and it
is evaluated commonly once a year.

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In Finland, the children's involvement
in the planning and evaluation

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of their individual early childhood
is strongly highlighted in the

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act of early childhood education and care.

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The evaluation of pedagogical
work together with children can be

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made by, for example, discussing,
reflecting, on, and remembering

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the activities using
pedagogical documentation.

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Positive interaction and positive
reinforcement are important.

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(Narrator:) Preparing a child individual
ECEC plan as part of the curriculum process

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makes visible those pedagogical processes and
practises, by which each child's individual

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growth, development and
learning are supported.

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The preparation of a ECEC plan
comprises pedagogical documentation which

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has direct links to pedagogical work,
children learning, development, and

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participation, as well as
cooperation with guardians.

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[♫ music ♫]

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Successful pedagogical planning
covers three important issues.

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It comprises both the process how
something is done and the content

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of pedagogical activities: - What is done?

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The most important question
for pedagogical planning,

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however, is: - Why something is done?

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(Narrator:) Curriculum implementation
in practise is a combination

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of the needs and wishes of a group
of children and the ECEC personnel's

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goal-oriented learning guidance.

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Children's learning, growth and well-being
are the priority, and the mission

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of early education is to
support this in all respects.

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Children's participation is essential,
as children's voices need to be heard to

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catch their interest and increase
their engagement and motivation.

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Participation and dialogue
in pedagogy also creates space

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for negotiation and creative reflection.

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Thus, educational practises
supporting children participation

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are at the heart of
Finnish early education.

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The child-initiated aspect emphasises
children's natural curiosity and

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desire for learning, which in turn
encourages them to develop themselves

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and see themselves as
actors in their own learning.

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The goals defined in the curricula and
the obligation to take into consideration

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the child's best interests and needs in
the planning and implementation of ECEC and

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pre-primary education are the
foundation for all activities.

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The learning areas, specifying goals for
learning in ECEC and pre-primary education are as

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follows: rich world of languages;
diverse forms of expression; me and our

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community; exploring and interacting with
my environment; I grow, move and develop.

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All areas define broad objectives and
instructions on how ECEC personnel should guide

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and support children developing skills
and their learning of new skills.

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However, the areas do not include
ready-made lesson plans or a set programme

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to be followed, but the implementation
of curriculum and selection of pedagogical

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activities vary between ECEC
centres and child groups.

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This is because the curriculum obligates
that the programme needs to be drawn up

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based on children's needs and interests,
general learning objectives set by the

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curriculum, as well as the enhancement of
transversal competencies, and the facilities

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available nearby the ECEC centre, while
planning pedagogical activities to meet

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the needs of the children in each group.

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Rather than ensuring that children learn
precisely define portions of information,

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the purpose of education and instruction is
to comprehensively support the development

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of their understanding and thinking and
provide them with concrete skills for

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acting in a diversifying society.

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It is commonly understood that children
develop and learn in a holistic way.

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In practise, it means that integrating
academic and non-academic learning

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areas is central in the implementation
of pedagogical activities

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in Finnish ECEC and pre-primary education.

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Learning experiences are usually integrated
around wider topics covering many areas

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that are related to children experiences
and sphere of life, as well as to content

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that expand and structure
children's views of the world.

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As children make meaningful connections
between the things they already

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know, and the new information they
gain, they create patterns which

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help them to understand
the surrounding world.

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In addition, children's skills
are strengthened in versatile

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ways while they participate in activities.

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When children learn, for instance,
mathematics through body movements

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and exercise, different brain areas
work simultaneously, which enhances

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learning of motor and mathematical skills.

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As an example, depth perception
strengthens three body movements,

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and this promotes
learning spatial relations.

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In addition, holistic and integrative learning
promotes motivation and is a foundation

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for joyful, experiential and
exploratory active learning.

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(Narrator:) ECEC teachers have the
pedagogical responsibility for planning

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and implementing goal-oriented
learning activities, that systematically

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promote children's
development and learning.

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In addition, based on their observations
and ongoing evaluation, they develop

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pedagogical practises and
activities on a regular basis.

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Early education becomes a combination
of goal-oriented and systematic

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activities that support children
development and learning.

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These activities are then evaluated
and developed on a regular basis.

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Children wish to learn new
things and also to revise

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and repeat what they have learned.

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In ECEC and pre-primary education children's
previous experiences, as well as their

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interests and competencies are
the starting point for learning.

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In Finnish early education children are
engaged in the planning, implementation

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and evaluation of the activities together
with their peers and ECEC personnel

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and according to their abilities.

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What is essential, is the view of
individuality developing children.

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Hence, there are no performance requirements
for a child, but the focus is on the overall

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well-being of the child and the
child individual learning path.

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[♫ music ♫]

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(Narrator:) It is widely acknowledged
that children learn best, when they can act

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within the zone of proximal development,
which according to Vygotsky, means that

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meaningful education is
a step ahead of development,

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as it helps new functions to
mature and leads to learning new skills.

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In practise, the child strengthens and
practises ones emerging skills with the help

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of a more skilful person who can
be either another child or an adult.

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Understanding the zone of proximal development
in children learning process helps ECEC

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teachers to plan differentiated pedagogical
activities, so that children can act as

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independently as possible, in
order to support their autonomy.

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It also helps planning group
arrangements like dividing children into

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proper smaller groups or
peers during activities.

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Thereby, the teacher can strengthen both skills
and knowledge that children have acquired and

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expand those to new areas with proper
peer support and educators' resources.

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The implementation of pedagogical activities
is supported through the day, and emotional

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security is created by routines
and the structure of activities.

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In this way, the child feels supported
and safe even if the ECEC personnel

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in charge of the small
group changes during the day.

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In principle, the small group size
is seen to strengthen the positive

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interaction between
individuals within the group.

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In practise, this means that the
whole group of children with the three

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ECEC personnel work together
for only a part of the day.

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The rest of the day is
organised in smaller groups.

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Group planning is related to many practical
issues, such as human resources, working

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shifts, facilities, children
individual needs and operational goals.

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The implementation of small group activities,
and how we organise daily transition situations,

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forms the foundation for constructing
a model of the organisation of ECEC.

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Small groups are designed to
be pedagogically appropriate.

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They can be formed of various sizes,
some of the groups can be permanent, or

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they can vary depending on the
situation and children's needs.

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(Narrator:) Well planned pedagogical
activities in a group, both among peers

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and between adults and children,
is a starting point for learning.

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The size of the group is very important.

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Research has shown that the larger the child
groups are, the poorer the socio emotional

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support provided by the personnel and
the organisation of the activities.

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Smaller group settings enabled children to
participate more actively as they have more

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conversational turns and opportunities
to collaborate with each other.

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Smaller group sizes and a better adult
child ratio, in addition to the focus

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on the development of positive social
relationships among children, as well as

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between children and teachers, are
associated with higher social competence,

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better peer relations and
fewer behaviour problems.

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For children, the peer group and the
experience of belonging to a group,

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are key to the child
learning and participation.

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[♫ music ♫]

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Finish early education highlights, that
children's thoughts and opinions should

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be listened to and taken into consideration,
and that they should have the opportunity

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to have a say in matters
related to their everyday lives

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and to be understood
and accepted as they are.

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In daily life it is important to
acknowledge what opportunities the

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child has for decision making
and initiatives during the day,

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and what situations are
directed by the adults.

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In other words, pedagogical justifications
must be found for such solutions.

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In recent decades, following the rise of
childhood studies, children's perspectives

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on their everyday life, relationships
and well-being have gained in importance

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and also attracted the
attention of researchers.

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Listening to children and
talking about their experiences

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requires sensitive working methods.

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There is a range of techniques for
listening to young children: drawing,

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photographing and art and craft
activities are cute methods for children

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to express their views,
emotions and experiences.

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I see the role of art in ECEC
in this as significant, since the

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opportunities for diverse artistic
expressions also promote children,

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social skills and positive self-image.

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The topics also need to
resonate in the world of children

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and correspond to their experience base.

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[♫ music ♫]

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However, children's involvement is
not just separate methods designed

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by the teacher, nor about
adults choosing and using methods

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to engage children by collecting
their opinions and thoughts.

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It can better be described as a socially
sustainable culture of participation, which

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starts with an open discussion and
the cohesion of the whole community.

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The philosophy can be
translated like this.

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The teacher does not just ask
questions, but the questions are found

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together, and the answers
are sought together.

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When children are invited to participate,
it should, for ethical reasons, be ensured,

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that hearing children and acting
with them lead their views being taken

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seriously and where possible
to practical measures.

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Experiencing one's own activities
as meaningful, is one of the

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most important cornerstones
of learning motivation.

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As educators or pedagogical choices
influence what kind of reality and society

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we create, it is crucial that children
feel that their opinions and participation

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have a real impact on
what is important to them.

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(Narrator:) All children are
entitled to gain experiences of success

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and joy in their actions and
of themselves as learners.

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It is the adult's responsibility to,
together with the children, create a

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safe atmosphere for group discussions
that support the participation of all

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those who are present,
adults as well as children.

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Balanced interaction requires reciprocity.

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Children need to feel that they are
appreciated, accepted and competent.

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In practise, this means that step-by-step
the personnel are challenged to distance

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themselves from leading the discussion
and evaluating the responses.

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They must give space for the
children knowledge and support

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the construction of
knowledge within the group.

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Dialogical interaction also has an
evidence-based link to the development

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of children thinking, and self-expression
skills, and identity and to

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better learning outcomes
in basic education.

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It's worth investing in such a
positive learning experience.

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High quality pedagogical work in many
ways positively influences the development

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of children and reduces the
likelihood of subsequent problems.

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It can make a significant contribution to
children as well-being not only in early

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education and school, but also
later in work and family life.

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[♫ music ♫]

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In the spirit of the value base of early
education, evaluation focuses on evaluation at the

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national level, the local level, and self-evaluation
in ECEC centres at the level of pedagogical activities,

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but not on children learning outcomes.

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The aim of such evaluation is to
support the well-being, development,

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and learning of each child
and the whole child group.

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The main goal therefore in
assessment is to support the

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planning and implementation of practises.

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For instance, when learning mathematical
skills, the ECEC teachers provide suitable

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pedagogical activities that strengthened and
enhanced children, developing mathematical

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skills based on their educational knowledge
of the skills development, observations

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of the child group and
individual children.

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During the activities, teachers
assess the implementation by comparing

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children performance to existing
knowledge of their skills.

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This is done to plan further
activities age-appropriately,

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and according to existing or
emerging skills of children.

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ECEC teachers need to
understand how children

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develop their skills to be able to guide learning
appropriately according to individual needs.

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This is also reflected in the
assessment, as such understanding

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guides monitoring children
development and learning.

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Furthermore, such awareness guides
ECEC personnel to plan and implement

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purposeful and holistic learning
experiences, yet meaningful and relevant

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pedagogy leads to the
best learning outcomes.

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By letting a child access his or her own
skills and activities, their teacher receives

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valuable feedback on how to
develop education and teaching.

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Pedagogical documentation like portfolios,
notes, videos, photographs and children's art

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and stories are valuable tools for
collecting information for assessment.

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[♫ music ♫]

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