The text presents a weighty problem of the authority in pre-school education, which as an element of educational practice plays a decisive role in the process of generating cultural awareness of the child. The direct subject of the analysis are fragments of teacher-student dialogues that focus on the problem of authority; its practical exemplification is St. Francis (also the patron of the kindergarten in which the research was carried out). The teacher is participation in the process of transmitting knowledge about authority and in creating an emotional relationship between authority and student is particularly interesting. The problem of authority, which was essential for the article, turned out to be important for recognizing the importance of the so-called pedagogy of authority within which the child’s identity is at stake. In this sense, the article is a contribution to the discussion on the construction of the child’s subjectivity in the institutional context.

The aim of the article is to show the stages of the development of pre-school education in Poland in the 20th century, which set the directions for further changes in the pre-school area. The article was prepared on the basis of available historical sources in the form of specialist press, guides, and methodological manuals, as well as analysis of the literature on the subject. The work identifies and distinguishes innovative views and methods in the field of former pre-school education, which may constitute a form of contemporary pedagogical inspiration. The aim of this article consciously combines two important aspects, i.e., acquiring historical knowledge and its modern applications. The text discusses the history of pre-school education in Poland in the 20th century and shows its reminiscences in contemporary social and educational space. The text is an attempt to show the importance of pre-school education in the modern system, and drawing the reader’s attention to the achievements of Polish preschool education in the context of changes and needs of society in the area of care for pre-school children. The article is not an exhaustive study, but rather a contribution to considerations in this area.

“I would like to be a teacher because...” A process of a choice of profession in the context of autobiography of students of pre-school and early-school pedagogy

The paper presents results of quality research aimed to study autobiographical experience of future teachers of pre-school and early school education concerned with their choice of profession. The research was conducted in 2019/2020 among 164 female students of the second year of pre-school and early school pedagogy at Faculty of Education of University of Białystok. In the first part of article various elements of the research are presented including the object of analysis, characterisation of the environment of investigations and an investigative test. A large part of the article is devoted to the presentation of the research results relating to the motives for choosing the occupation of teacher. Based on casual autobiographical statements of the students the circumstances, events and life experiences were presented that played crucial factors in the process of their job choice. Analysing their narrative prominent figures were identified that played an important part in decision making involved in selecting job of pre-school and early school teacher. The last part of the article includes the research conclusions. Furthermore, implications for theory, practice and research on professional development of teachers are also discussed.

“Kindergarten Here We Come! Clap Your Hands, Beat the Drums, We Are Ready, Everyone!” – Swearing-in Ceremony for Kindergarten Pupils as a Rite of Passage

Anthropological concept of rites the passage in the sphere of pre-school education was applied in the paper. In the case of the ritual of appointing as preschool child one faces specific ritual as regards the place in which it takes place (kindergarten institution) and persons to which it is applied (children at the age of 3 and 4). The aim of a ceremony is socialization of an individual and integration with a group in the first place. Rites of passage share with the analyzed preschool ritual such features as rigid role scheme, structure of a ceremony of ritual actions, functions of a ritual, and the fact that by this ritual integration and cohesion of a group is maintained and the children’s bound with kindergarten workers is augmented. Although the ceremony of appointing as preschool child does not change the status of an individual, it performs important role related to role playing, international functions and the functions set on auto-identification of a child (that stem from group activity). Moreover, by the ceremony the youngest children can show their parents that they learn new abilities, partly different than the ones they experience at their homes. Methodological approach used in the study can be labeled as participant secret observation, close to the “participant-as-observer” category. The ceremony was observed in one of kindergartens in Toruń, in 26 children group, labeled as “Ladybirds”. Field observation was completed, firstly, by the photographic documentation (done during the ritual), secondly, by the ritual scenario (written by the kindergarten teachers), and thirdly, by the interview with the tutor of the observed group of children.

Computer is used in many areas of a contemporary kindergarten’s work. The article presents selected research results concerning the ways of using a computer and appropriate computer programmes in the work of the kindergarten headmaster, administrative workers and in teachers’ educational and didactic work. It also presents chosen elements of the present record of educational law and the programme basis of pre-school education

We present an outline of the schooling obligation history of six-year-old children in Poland from 1919 to the present days. We emphasize those moments in Polish history when such an obligation was possible. In particular, we describe cases of moving the schooling obligation to the age of six. Finally, six-year-olds entered compulsory year-long pre-school preparation in the school year 2004/2005. We present law conditions and educational problems related to this obligation.