Traditioner i möte. En kvalitativ studie av fritidspedagogers arbete med samlingar i skolan

Abstract

This study describes a part of leisure time pedagogues’ work in school, the content of the activities leisure time pedagogues accomplish in circle times. A circle time is one of many vital traditions in pre-school, to which leisure time pedagogues have historically been closely connected. Since the circles are accomplished in school, which has other traditions than the pre-school, the circles are seen as a meeting between the pre-school/leisure-time centre traditions and the school traditions. The study describes how 13 leisure time pedagogues’ experience their work, accomplish circle times and use content within the circles. The description and analysis are based on different data-collection methods including interviews, video-recording of a circle-time, stimulated recall of the video-recorded material, follow-up discussion and video analysis. Giddens (1984) theory of structuration has been a point of departure for the analysis. The study has resulted in the identification of three different forms of working practice. These working practices are described as social directed practice, school directed practice and integrating practice. Through social directed practice the leisure time pedagogues’ use a content that they think differs from the content the children meet in the classrooms. In school directed practice the leisure time pedagogues use a content that they think is accepted within the norms of a school tradition. Through integrating practice the leisure time pedagogues use a content that integrates the different traditions. These working practices are regionalised and support different social positions of labour. These positions are: social fosterer, school assistant, school follower and integrating renewer. The results indicate that teachers do not necessarily dominate the leisure time pedagogues as regards the content of their activities in circle time. It is possible for leisure time pedagogues to demarcate and control their own work. The results also indicate that it is possible for leisure time pedagogues to contribute to the integration of the different traditions and in that way help change existing work in school.