Abstrakt
We will present a case study from a Czech forest nursery school in this paper. The forest class "Lesníček" of the kindergarten "Semínko" in Prague. "Lesníček" was open in 2010 as a pilot testing of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. It has been working since then.
This case study will help foreign researchers gain insight the "forest nursery school" movement in Czech Republic. Our research question was: "What is the school year in a forest class like?" Description with focus on examples of good practice, risks and SWOT analysis. According the Grounded Theory (Strauss, Corbin, 1998), we will realize the description as an output of scientific work. In this case, we consider the description to be very important, because abroad there is not enough awareness about forest kindergartens in the Czech Republic.
Our description is based on long-term 10 years of monitoring. One of the authors of the article is an "observer inside" (she works as a principal and teacher in this kindergarten). The second of the authors is an "outside observer", she works at the University and attends the kindergarten occasionally. It was made swat analysis. Respondents were 8 teachers, 20 parents (mothers and fathers) and 10 children ( which attends or was attending forest preschool). The output of the work is a description of the school year in the monitored class.
At the beginning of the school year, children recognize themselves, others in group, the place and make the rules. Forest kindergartens in Czech Republic are age heterogeneous, which helps newcomers to adapt.
During the year, children celebrate many festivals, which is why teachers have closer relationships with parents, who are also often present during the festivals. There are two meetings with whole group of parents, twice in the year we hold meetings with parents and with some specialist (child psychologists are professional in children behavior). Teachers have consulting hours for discussion with individual parents every week. In the end of the year, the oldest children leave. In Lesníček, these children prepare a play for younger children and parents. They also release butterflies, which hatch in front of children's eyes.