Parents’ ideal type approaches to early education pathways: life stories from Sweden.

Year 2019, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 64 - 79, 30.06.2019

Margareta Sandström Johanna Lundqvist Annika Axelsson

https://doi.org/10.20489/intjecse.585453

Cited By: 1

Abstract

In this study, parents told
their story about their children; their children’s preschool and preschool
class; their children’s educational transitions; and their own cooperation with
staff. The views of parents (N=27) were collected by way of life story
interviews. The bioecological model for human development was adopted as a
theoretical, conceptual and analytical frame. A qualitative bioecological
content analysis and a quantitative content analysis were performed. More than
half of the children were described as typical in terms of development, while a
few were described as being gifted and talented by their parents, and about a
third had special educational needs. More preschools than preschool classes
were considered to be high in quality, and more preschool-home collaboration
than preschool class-home collaboration was felt to be high in quality. The
following ideal type approaches of the parents emerged: (1) involved and
concerned parents; (2) involved but unconcerned parents; and (3) uninvolved and
unconcerned parents. The number of involved and concerned parents increased
from preschool to preschool class. This study has relevance for preschool and
preschool class teachers, special educators, policy-makers and researchers in
inclusive and special education.

Keywords

parents’ views, bioecological content analysis; preschool, life story; transitions, ideal types

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