The relationship between the factors and conditions of the autonomy of preschool teachers and fostering the autonomy of preschool children in kindergarten

Avtorji v prispevku zagovarjajo tezo, da spodbujanje avtonomije otrok v vrtcu prispeva k pozitivnim učinkom avtonomije posameznika v poznejšem obdobju. Različni viri utemeljujejo predpostavko, da obstaja razmerje med avtonomijo otrok in avtonomijo vzgojiteljev. V prispevku so avtorji ugotavljali in raziskovali, kako vzgojiteljice in vzgojitelji vrednotijo dejavnike lastne strokovne avtonomije, dejavnike in pogoje, ki po njihovem mnenju spodbujajo avtonomijo predšolskih otrok, ter ali ocena obojih dejavnikov in pogojev vpliva na dejansko stanje spodbujanja avtonomije otrok v vrtcu. Ko govorimo o spodbujanju avtonomije otrok, imamo v mislih participacijo otrok, omogočanje možnosti otrokom, da se igrajo in učijo ter manipulirajo z materiali, učnimi pripomočki na svoj način, da vzgojitelji in vzgojiteljice nudijo otrokom možnost izbire, upoštevajo njihova čustva in perspektivo otrok ter jim dajejo racionalne povratne informacije. Izsledki raziskave kažejo, da vrednotenje vzgojiteljic in vzgojiteljev (N = 524) dejavnikov in pogojev spodbujanja avtonomije otrok ugodno vpliva na spodbujanja avtonomije pri otrocih, ni pa ključnega pomena. Najpomembnejša dejavnika spodbujanja avtonomije otrok sta vzgojitelj kot oseba in participacija otrok.In the paper, we argue that fostering the autonomy of children in kindergarten contributes to the positive effects of the individual’s autonomy later in life. Various sources substantiate the assumption that there is a relationship between the child’s autonomy and the autonomy of educators. In the paper, we identify and investigate how preschool teachers evaluate the factors of their own professional autonomy, we determine the factors and conditions that, in their opinion, foster the autonomy of preschool children, and we verify whether the assessment of both factors and conditions affects the actual state of the stimulation of the autonomy of children in kindergarten. With regard to fostering the autonomy of children, we have in mind the participation of children, enabling them to play and learn and to manipulate materials and teaching aids in their own way, so that preschool teachers can offer them a choice, take into account their feelings and perspectives, and provide them with rational feedback. The results of the research show that an evaluation of the factors and conditions for fostering the autonomy of children by preschool teachers (N = 524) has a beneficial effect on fostering the autonomy of the children, but it is not crucial. The most important factors in fostering the autonomy of children are the preschool teacher as a person and the participation of children