”Förskoleklasslärare som gästarbetare: Gränsmarkeringar via sociala stängningar”.

The purpose of this study is to discuss the structure and establishment of the professional identities of Swedish pre-school teachers (förskoleklasselärares). The purpose of this study is to examine how Swedish pre-school teachers use their professional identities to define their work in relation to the tasks of other child carers and teachers at daycare facilities and schools.

The study shows that teachers in pre-school classes clearly mark their professional boundaries in relation to child carers at daycare facilities and teachers at schools. By putting some distance between pre-school and the other institutions, they want to emphasise that the pre-school class is placed between daycare facilities and schools. Teachers in pre-school classes refer to themselves as being in a ‘borderline territory’. In addition, this study shows teachers in pre-school classes extensively use an 'us against them' rhetoric when they describe their work in the pre-school class. The researcher believes that this indicates that the demarcation to other institutions is significant for teachers in pre-school classes when they are to describe the content of their work. The results also show that pre-school teachers mark the boundaries clearly to protect the content and activities of the pre-school class.

The data material consists of accounts by 14 pre-school class teachers concerning their work in pre-school classes and the relationships they form a part of. The teachers contributed with their accounts in group discussions during dialogue seminars. The discussions were recorded and later transcribed.

Ackesjö, H. (2010). ”Förskoleklasslärare som gästarbetare: Gränsmarkeringar via sociala stängningar”. Nordisk Barnehageforskning, 3(1), 1-16.

Ackesjø, H. (2012). Solidarity - with whom? Perspectives on solidarity in the Borderland between preschool and school. I: Johansson, E. & Berthelsen, D. (red). Spaces for solidarity and individualism in educational contexts (s. 83-99). Göteborgs Universitet. ISBN: 978-91-7346-718-6.