«Jeg kunne like gjerne vært en assistent» – En studie av nyutdannede barnehagelæreres posisjonering i barnehagen

The purpose of the study is to shed light on how newly qualified kindergarten teachers position themselves in kindergarten. The study investigates how these teachers manage the transition from education to practice, where they encounter established norms and discourses guided by experienced staff. The research focuses on whether the newly qualified kindergarten teachers accept or resist these practices, and how their academic background plays a role in this.

The findings show that the majority of the newly qualified kindergarten teachers adapt to the existing discourses in kindergarten, often with some form of quiet resistance. Many of the newly qualified kindergarten teachers find that their formal education does not give them sufficient authority in practice, and some feel reduced to a role similar to that of an assistant. At the same time, there is a smaller group that actively resists the established norms, and through their specialised knowledge, succeeds in influencing the practice and taking a more equal position in the kindergarten.

The study is based on 30 qualitative semi-structured interviews with newly qualified kindergarten teachers in Norway. The researchers analysed the material using theoretical perspectives, particularly inspired by Hannah Arendt’s theories of freedom and plurality. The reanalysis focused on how the newly qualified teachers interact with the established community in kindergarten.

Halland, S., & Winje, A. K. (2022). «Jeg kunne like gjerne vært en assistent» – En studie av nyutdannede barnehagelæreres posisjonering i barnehagen. Nordisk barnehageforskning, 19(3).