The beginnings of institutional preschool education in Croatia and its basic features

Modernizacijske promjene koje su zahvatile hrvatsko društvo u drugoj polovini 19. stoljeća utjecale su na zapošljavanje velikog broja žena izvan kućanstva. Ta je činjenica uvjetovala otvaranje dječjih zabavišta kao specifičnih ustanova za predškolsku djecu. Prva takva ustanova na našim je prostorima osnovana 1869. godine u Zagrebu. Uslijedilo je njihovo otvaranje i u drugim hrvatskim krajevima. Otvaranje prvih ustanova za predškolsku djecu privuklo je pozornost domaćih pedagogija koji su o toj tematici počeli objavljivati radove. Početak rada prvih zabavišta doveo je i do otvaranja jednogodišnjeg tečaja za obrazovanje zabavišnih učiteljica u šk. god. 1880/81. Sve navedeno ukazuje na činjenicu da je nacionalna predškolska praksa išla ukorak s europskim iskustvima u koncipiranju institucijskog predškolskog odgoja.Modernization changes that started in Croatian society in the second half of 19th century had a huge impact on women employing out of their homes. That fact was the reason of establishing kindergartens as the specific institutions for preschool children. The first of such institutions in Croatia was opened in 1869 in Zagreb. After that they opened even in other parts of Croatia. Establishment of such institutions for preschool children attracted attention of domestic pedagogy that published various thesis about that subject. The beginning of the first kindergartens led to the opening of one-year seminars for preschool teachers in the academic year of 1880/81. All mentioned above indicates the fact that the national pedagogical professional work kept pace with the European experiences of organization of institutional pedagogical education