The role of a kindergarten teacher in acceleration of health among preschool children

Diplomsko delo z naslovom Vloga vzgojiteljice pri pospeševanju zdravja predšolskih otrok je sestavljeno iz dveh delov, in sicer teoretičnega in empiričnega. V teoretičnem delu smo navedli in opisali vse vrste zdravja, in sicer družbeno, duševno, osebno, čustveno, telesno in duhovno, ter determinante zdravja, ki vplivajo na naše zdravje. Predstavili smo vlogo vrtca pri ohranjanju in pospeševanju zdravja predšolskih otrok in njeno povezavo s kurikulumom po področjih dejavnosti. Izpostavili smo pomembnost osebne higiene, in sicer umivanje rok in zob, zdrave prehrane, gibalne aktivnosti, počitka in spanja. Pri vseh teh področjih, ki so pomembna za zdravje, smo nato dodali še sodelovanje vzgojiteljice s starši in predstavili, na kakšne načine lahko med seboj le-ti sodelujejo in kaj je pri tem pomembno. Empirični del zajema praktične ugotovitve, ki smo jih zbrali s pomočjo anketnega vprašalnika za vzgojiteljice, in sicer v vrtcu Borisa Pečeta v Mariboru in njegovi enoti v Košakih v mesecu maju 2008. Zanimalo nas je, ali vzgojiteljice skrbijo za zdravje predšolskih otrok in na kakšne načine to izvajajo ter ali imajo dovolj znanja za to. Prav tako nas je zanimalo, ali imajo dovolj možnosti za izvajanje dejavnosti v tej smeri ter ali si v vrtcu umivajo roke pred jedjo in zobe po jedi. Spraševali smo se tudi, ali seznanjajo otroke o zdravem načinu prehranjevanja. Pri obdelavi podatkov smo prišli do ugotovitev, da vzgojiteljice menijo, da imajo dovolj znanja o vzgoji otrok v skrbi za ohranjanje zdravja predšolskih otrok in da razvijajo pri otrocih odnos do zdravega načina prehranjevanja ter da si vedno umijejo roke pred jedjo. Pri vprašanju o umivanju zob smo prišli do podatkov, da si otroci prvega starostnega obdobja (1−3 leta) ne umivajo zob v vrtcu. V drugem starostnem obdobju (3−6 let), pa si več kot polovica anketiranih umiva zobe v vrtcu.Diploma paper, with the title “The role of a kindergarten teacher in acceleration of health among preschool children” is constituent of two parts – the theoretical and empirical part. In the first part we have analyzed and described all kinds of health: social, mental, personal, emotional, physical and spiritual and also the factors of health that impact on our health. We have introduced the role of the kindergarten in preservation and acceleration of health among preschool children and also its connection with the curriculum, concerning the different domains of activities. We have emphasised the importance of personal hygiene in washing the hands and teeth, eating healthy food, movement activities, rest and sleep. Among all this areas we have also managed to add the cooperation between the kindergarten teachers and parents – we have introduced the ways of cooperation and the key elements of it. The empirical part is constituent of the practical findings we gathered with the help of our questionnaire for kindergarten teachers in the Boris Peče in Maribor kindergarten and in its unit in Košaki. It was given to the teachers in May, 2008. Our main interest was if and how do the teachers in the kindergarten take care of the health of the children in the kindergarten and also if they are well equipped with the knowledge they need. We were also curious if they have enough opportunities to do such activities and if they are teaching children to wash their hands before the meal and teeth after it and mainly how are they teaching them about healthy way of eating. In analyzing the data we found out that the kindergarten teachers think their education and information, concerning preservation of health among preschool children, is good enough and that they are teaching the children the healthy way of eating and also the proper manners that come along – washing the hands and brushing the teeth. Interesting was the fact that the children in the early stages of life (from 1 to 3 years) do not wash their teeth in the kindergarten and those from 3 to 6 years mostly do – concentrating on our research, more than half