"Jag är där på riktigt"

: förskollärares uppfattningar om professionell relationskompetens

Abstract

The aim of the study is to contribute to get a higher knowledge of how the professional relationships of the preschool teachers' and their perceptions of professional relationship competence. Understand how they create conditions to develop relations that benefit to the progress of younger children learning, age 1-3 years old, and how they view the importance of the relationship for the younger children´s development and teaching.  The study gives an overview of previous research on the importance of professional relationship competence and the relationship between children's development and learning. The study also contains interviews of preschool teachers within the area of the study.  The theoretical point of this study is Aspelin's central concepts of his relational pedagogy theory.  The results of the study show that the concept of professional relationship competence was an unknown concept for preschool teachers. The abilities that emerge regarding professional relationship competence are the ability of preschool teachers to be responsive, the ability to be present, the ability to show respect for the children and the ability to take responsibility for the relationship. Preschool teachers express that they create conditions for developing relationships that promote children's development and learning by developing relationships with parents, creating the small context, finding a balance between closeness and distance in the relationship with the children, giving time, considering children's participation and by working with structure and routines in the everyday life of preschool. Preschool teachers describe the importance of the relationship for the development and learning of young children through a relationship based on interaction, communication, a shared common focus but also by challenging, confirming and showing trust in the children’s ability.  Special pedagogical implications based on previous research and our study clearly show the importance of professional relationship competence and children's development and learning should be made visible and implemented. To be able to meet all children needs in preschool. How can the various professions in child health care, which include the special educator with their competence, work to develop good relationships in preschool that benefit to the children's development and learning?