JAG VILLE LÄRA KÄNNA DEM, VETA VAD DE KUNDE OCH VAD DE VILLE LÄRA SIG. Lärares erfarenheter och upplevelser av skolstart i årskurs ett

Abstract

The aim of this studie is to gain understanding about teachers experiences when they meet their students at schoolstart in grade 1. In Sweden children start in the compulsery school at the age of seven. The year before almost all children go to preschoolclass for one year and before that in preschool. That means transitions for the children between three different school system in just over one year. These transitions entails allmost always changes of teachers and also peergroups. With this background the interest of this studie focus on grade1–teachers experiences and thoughts about this specific transition. What are the characteristics from teacher´s perspective and how does it manifest itself in their teaching? The empirical material presented is derived from observations and interviews in a qualitative case studie. Three teachers in three different schools were interviewed and classrooms observations were made just before the interviews. A phenomenological lifeworld approach has been used both when collecting and interpreting the empirical material. During the interpretation three categories have appeared: the teacher directed towards the student; the teachers experience and consciousness of themselves and what it means to be a teacher; planning of and specific situations in teaching. These three are interdependent of each other and joined as vertices of a triangel. The interpretation of the result is made in the tension between these three. This study contributes to an understanding what teachers experience is important when they meet their new students in grade 1. They see themselves as relationship builders and take responsibility that relationship occurs between teacher and student. The teachers experience that relationship is a prequsite for teaching and learning. This study also hints that it is important for teachers to cooperate with colleagus, not necessarily in the classroom, but to get to know the students at the transition between preschoolclass and grade 1, when planning teaching content and to get advices and support.