Experiences and views of parents with diverse background of belonging to a preschool community in the transition from home to preschool.

Abstract

This article is based on a study that sought to understand the experiences and views of parents with diverse backgrounds and their meaning of belonging to a preschool community in the context of their children’s transition to preschool. The relocation of people from other countries has significantly increased the diversity of families of preschool children in Iceland. Moreover, an increasing number of children are now entering preschool at younger ages. The transition from home to preschool can be complex and challenging for parents and children (Tobin, 2020). In Iceland, where inclusive schooling is based on democratic practices that emphasise equity, it is the official policy that all children participate in pedagogical work (Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneytið [Ministry of Education and Culture], 2011). The present study is inspired by Yuval-Davis’s theory (2006, 2011) regarding the multifaceted concept of belonging and research addressing this notion. Belonging is thought to be related to the basic human need to experience a sense of belonging to other people, places and things; as such, an individual’s experience of belonging affects their learning, behaviour, well-being and self-perception (May, 2013; Stratigos et al., 2014). Yuval-Davis (2011) also distinguished between the sense of belonging and the politics of belonging.

 This article will answer the following two questions:

• What are parents’ experiences when transitioning from home to preschool?
• What are parents’ experiences and views regarding belonging to a preschool community?

The staff of the preschool participating in the study had extensive experience working with families from diverse backgrounds. Children younger than two years of age begin preschool in the fall, and during the transition process, parents are expected to participate with their child for a few days to give staff the opportunity to learn about each child’s routines from their parents; at the same time, children and parents become familiar with the preschool’s learning environment. Because this arrangement must be flexible to accommodate the needs of children and their parents and promote security for everyone involved, a specific staff member is selected to develop close relationships with certain families (Hrönn Pálmadóttir, 2020; Reykjavíkurborg [City of Reykjavik], 2010). Data for the present study were collected using qualitative research methods. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight parents of six children under the age of two. Both parents of two children had foreign backgrounds, the parents of another two children were Icelandic, and one parent of two of the children had a foreign background; notably, two of the children received additional support in the preschool. For all the parents except one couple, this collaboration with the preschool was their first experience. A data analysis was performed through thematic analysis, a flexible method used to plan and analyse data (Braun & Clarke, 2013); and the findings were categorized into two themes: Transition to preschool and communication and participation. The transition to preschool resulted in significant changes to family life; some of the parents reported that they experienced anxiety before their child started preschool, because they found it difficult to imagine how their child would cope with the changes and become part of a large group of children. It was therefore important for parents to be able to choose which preschool their child attended. Communicating with the preschool director and unit leader in the beginning forms an important basis for continued connections with the preschool. Parents consider being listened to and having their views respected to be important, and teachers should understand that the well-being of parents and that of children are intertwined. Having an interpreter present in the introductory preschool interview and during the first days of adjustment is essential to bridge the language gap. It is also useful to contact people within the preschool who speak the same language as the parents to share information or resolve problems that arise during the adjustment process. The parents’ sense of belonging was intertwined with opportunities for them and their children to communicate and participate in the preschool community. It was the preschool teachers’ role to lead the collaboration and create trust through communication with parents. Additional emphasis was placed on daily communication and a regular flow of information to parents. All the parents were concerned about their children’s language acquisition, and some connected this to the feeling of belonging to the preschool community; they also felt it was important that the different languages spoken within the preschool were reflected in the school’s environment. The parents were unfamiliar with one another, however, and had limited contact with other parents in the preschool. According to YuvalDavis (2011), it is crucial to experience the sense of belonging to a certain group and this can affect power relations within society. While parents’ views and experiences related to the meaning of belonging in a preschool community may differ, some families’ experiences while transitioning and their sense of belonging present a complex challenge; during the transition process from home to preschool, families who are at risk of being marginalised require particular attention and support.