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Early Childhood in the Czech Republic: recent developments within a changing society

Early Childhood in the Czech Republic: recent developments within a changing society. Philip Selbie Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies October 2010. Outline. A little recent history... Features of Czech pre-schools Comenius and The School of Infancy

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Early Childhood in the Czech Republic: recent developments within a changing society

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  1. Early Childhood in the Czech Republic:recent developments within a changing society Philip Selbie Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies October 2010

  2. Outline • A little recent history... • Features of Czech pre-schools • Comenius and The School of Infancy • Early childhood in the Czech Republic • Some thoughts on the future

  3. 1. A little recent history... 1918 - End of WW1 and Czechoslovakia established; 1939 - Outbreak of WW2 and Government in exile; 1945 - End of WW2 and Government returns; 1948 - Communists come to power; 1968 - Warsaw Pact invasion; 1989 - ‘Velvet Revolution’ and the fall of Communism; 1993 - ‘Velvet Divorce’ (Czechs and Slovaks divide); 1999 - Czech Republic joins NATO; 2004 - Czech Republic joins EU.

  4. 2. Features of Czech pre-schools Crèches (jesle) * During the 1970s and 80s about 20% of 0 - 3 year olds enrolled * Decline in popularity his fell to nearer 13% by 1989 * Continued to decline rapidly with only 0.6% attending in 2003 * Under the authority of the Ministry of Health

  5. 2. Features of Czech pre-schools Kindergartens (mateřskáškola) * Provide care and early education for children from 3 - 6 years * Considered to be a natural extension of the home • * Very popular - 79.2 % of 3-year • olds, 92.6 % of 4-year olds and • 95.8 % of 5-year olds attending • (2007) • * Formal learning does not begin • until Primary School

  6. In Czech pre-schools there is an emphasis on... Personal, Social and Emotional Development (capable & confident) Play (socialisation and early learning)

  7. Stories (traditional tales) Creativity (music and art)

  8. Health (rest and diet) Outdoor Environment (all weathers) Family involvement (close co-operation and consultation)

  9. 2. Comenius and The School of Infancy • * Learning is a natural (and life-long) process • * Languages are the gateway to learning • * Teaching should begin from the child’s interests • * Effective learning is experiential • * Natural objects and games support teaching • * Equality of education for girls as well as boys

  10. 1592 - born in the southern part of Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic) 1616 - ordained a clergyman before returning to Moravia where he became a schoolmaster and church pastor. Forced into exile in 1620 by the outbreak of religious wars that lasted 30 years 1628 - settled in Leźno, Poland where he wrote his first books advocating the reform of the education system

  11. 1631 - The School of Infancy

  12. 1631 - The School of Infancy * Children are precious - like jewels * Children are created in God’s image unspoilt and innocent * Children to be educated holistically - 3 domains * Children develop best within the family - stability * Children are due respect from adults - care, protection and love

  13. 1658 - The World in Pictures * Children are active participants in their development - innate and spontaneous * Children require the guidance of caring adults and wise teachers * Emphasis on morality and virtue leading to the path of a harmonious and humane society

  14. 4. Early childhood in the Czech Republic The more complex life in society is ... (and ) ... more opportunities are offered, the more important are the moral and human qualities of an individual, so that they are able to make proper choices. Nevertheless, today like thousands of years ago, every child comes into the world as an unfinished but open being that only becomes fully human when among other people. (p.13)

  15. 5. Some thoughts on the future... * Onset of Individualism in society * Commercialisation of childhood * Materialism and the ‘market’ economy * International comparisons * Accountability and testing in education * Government centralisation * The Czech Republic is now considered to bethe most atheistic country in Europe.

  16. However... “… Our first wish is for full power of development into full humanity, not of one particular person or a few or even many, but of every single individual, young and old, rich and poor, noble and ignoble, men and women – in a word, of every human being born of Earth, with the ultimate aim of providing education to the entire human race regardless of age, class, sex and nationality. Secondly, our wish is that every human being should be rightly developed and perfectly educated not in any limited sense but in every respect that makes for the perfection of human nature …” J. A. Comenius: Pampaedia or Universal Education

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