Subjective theories of educators of preschool children

Penetration of democratization to all aspects of our society as well as comprehension of a child and childhood has had an influence on the changes in education, expressed in The Curriculum for Kindergartens (1999). The realization of the concept of preschool education in practice, however, depends on subjective and personal comprehension of a child through the history from a shortened adult over a child - object of rights and today a child - subject of rights. There is a brief presentation of the international legally binding document about child's rights The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) as well as the changes in attitude towards children which had an influence on its formation. The research discusses the matching of the subjective theories of educators of preschool children with the principles of the Slovenian national curriculum which promotes democratization and because of this the following principles are introduced: the principle of choice, the principle of multiculturalism and the principle of active learning and playing. There is also a detailed presentation of the subjective theories of educators of preschool children and the findings about the subjective theories of Slovenian educators of preschool children. Based on the analysis of the gained results I can conclude that the standpoints of the educators of preschool children largely match with the principles of choice and multiculturalism and that the educators in general support the democratic concept of preschool education. At the same time the results also show the need of more profound learning about being different. Ignorance about this topic (in our case homosexuality) can induce prejudice and intolerance to being different. The results also confirm the correct comprehension of the principle of active learning and of course the principle of playing, as introduced in the concept of preschool education. Based on the gained results I can conclude that the matching between the standpoints of educators of preschool children and the principles of the curriculum indicates the increase in the quality of work in kindergartens included in the sample and educators' commitment to a democratic concept of preschool education