During the last decade, issues concerning ethics and values have been given much attention in debates on education as well as in society in general. The problems surrounding such issues are tied to current societal trends towards growing differentiation, individualisation, and increasingly fragmented value systems. Consequently, the core values of pre-schools and schools are currently stressed also as a basic ethical and democratic responsibility of teachers and other pedagogical personnel. The aim of this dissertation is to analytically reconstruct pedagogic discourses on issues related to core values and ethics. The research perspective includes a social-philosophical point of departure with a focus on Habermas’s theories of communicative action and discourse ethics. The methodology builds on critical discourse analysis. The results shed light on the ways in which teaching teams in pre-schools and schools at different levels discuss and attempt to reach agreement concerning a local document focussed on professional ethics. There are striking differences as to how ethically relevant concepts such as "starting from the childrens' / pupils' own capabilities," "sense of security," "responsibility," "respect," and "active participation" are talked about. In the theoretical reconstruction that follows, it is argued that the discussions can be understood as communication about and within particular types of contextual discourses. The five types of discourses formulated in the study are the following: "efficiency-oriented discourse," "normative tradition-oriented discourse," "care-oriented discourse," "communication-oriented discourse," and individual-oriented discourse," all of which are mutually related to each other. When the conversations are analysed from the perspective of critical discourse theory, a deeper understanding emerges of how childrens' learning about ethics and morals takes place in relation to the types of pedagogic discourse they encounter. Efficiency-oriented, normative tradition-oriented and individual-oriented discourse may lead to learning that counteracts the aims of schools as meeting-places for democracy. However, care-oriented discourse and communicative-oriented discourse both embody qualities that may increase the opportunities to work towards overarching educational goals such as democracy and solidarity. The results of the study show that the lofty ideals presented in educational directives and policy documents risk giving rise to exhaustion and feelings of guilt among pedagogues trying to live up to them when adequate resources are not available. The ability to make sound moral judgements may deteriorate due to increasingly stressful work situations where demands are not in line with the actual resources of everyday pedagogic contexts.

The purpose of this study is to explore how well prepared educators at pre-schools are to receive children with another gender identity than their biological gender. The focus for the study lies on the discourses that exist in the pre-school regarding gender norms and how they become visible through the language educators use in the equal treatment plans, that are a part of the pre-schools value works, and in talks between educators. My research questions are: ·         How does pre-schools describe their work with children with another gender identity than their biological gender? ·         Which discourses regarding gender norms does the pre-schools equal treatment plans and group talks with educators show? To answer these questions, I have used the analyses of five equal treatment plans and two group talks. By analysing the equal treatment plans and the group talks with the four strategies for anti discrimatory education from Kumashiro, by letting the strategies make the discourses visible, I have come to the result that gender identity is made invisible in the pre-schools by the educators. The equal treatment plans contain descriptions of the discrimination grounds but not how the educators work with these in the daily workings with the children, and the educators describe gender instead of gender identity in the group talks. In my discussion and conclusion I reason about the causes for this in relation to previous research about norms around gender and gender identity in pre-schools.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

The aim of my dissertation was to describe the responsibilities of teachers in institutional pre-school education and how they bolster the moral development of pre-school age children, which takes place in the context of the children's mental progress and the formation of moral values gained from their families. The thesis is divided into two parts. The theoretical part describes the moral progress of pre-school age children, educational and institutional strategies to develop the moral consciousness and good behavior of pre-school age children and the abilities and skills of teachers in the field of ethics education. The practical part describes the results of my research, which mainly surveys activities that improve the moral progress of children used in practice by teachers in nursery schools. The following chapter makes sugestions and evaluates the execution of educational projects aimed at the ethical education of pre-school age children. This work contibutes to the understanding of observations of the moral progress of a pre-school age child with connections to the practices and abilities of teachers in nursery schools. Keywords ability moral values nursery school moral development pre-school age conscience class climate teacher

The aim of this thesis is to verify the practical utility of the Application of Cognitive Functions Scale (ACFS) to determin cognitive development of pre-school children. The theoretical part looks into specifics of the pre-school period and introduces the precise meaning of dynamic assessment, which is typical by its format consisting of three phases: pre- test - intervention - post-test. This part outlines the ACFS method and the influence of an adult on the process of mediated learning experience, which is a vital part of the intervention phase of the dynamic assessment. The empirical part describes the use of dynamic assessment and examines the possibilities of the ACFS method to observe the potential of cognitive functions development of pre-school children. The results show that the ACFS method is well-adapted to identify the potential of cognitive functions development of children and it provides specific and efficient guidelines for further development of their cognitive skills. Keywords: pre-school period, dynamic assessment, mediated learning experience, ACSF method, cognitive development of children

The thesis concerns practical possibilities how to work with folk-songs not only for building-up the musical skills of pre-school children but also for the influence of their overall personal development. The theoretical part describes the folk-song development in RVP PV, particular musical activities working with songs and this part also mentions the devolepment of pre- school child(e)ren abilities and shortly describes the personality of pre-school pedagogue. The practical part concerns how to work with the folk-song in practice. The concrete example (set of songs) shows how is possible to develop children's personality via musical activities. Songs contain practial topics according to defined aims, which are realised in the concrete nursery school. Subsequently are recorded children's reactions at implemented activities. Key words instrumental activity, folk song, singing activity, motion activity, listening activity, preschool age

This thesis deals with the book as a medium and its comparison with other media available in the nursery schools in the Czech Republic. There is a definition of the media and the book in relation to a child of the pre-school age in the first part. This theoretical part is followed by an investigative survey carried out in nursery schools, which is focused on the views of teachers in nursery schools, parents and children as well. The final section depicts the project how the book can be used during the educational process in a nursery school.

The theoretical part has two main aims. The first one is to clarify terms related to multiculturalism using professional literature. The second very important aim is to introduce the Japanese culture, the evolution of Japanese family and the status of a child in society. Also there is the outlook on Japanese preschool education institutions. These information comes basically from the interview with the Japanese national, nevertheless some additional information comes from literature. The aim of the practical part is analysed the stay of seven Japanese children in the kindergarten in one class during approximately three years. Then it introduce integration program of Japanese children to typical Czech kindergarten which is based on practical experiences. Also the practical part describes the preschool attendance of the foreign children in one kindergarten during 10 years. The research has proved the attendance of the foreign children to other kindergarten in Prague parts Břevnov, Dejvice and Hanspaulka. As well the research presents teacher's experiences with multiculturalism and multicultural education.

This diploma thesis discusses the possible influences that media especialy television has on langugage development in pre-school children. In first part we talk about speech development, speech difficulties, history of media, studies about influence of watching TV on the personality of the child. Practical part examines influence of watching TV on child and his speech.

Thetheoretical part ofthisDiploma Thesis dealswithmotoricsystem and body posture and looksintomatteroffaultyposture. Itisfocused on causesoffaultypostureofpre-schoolagechildren and on importanceofphysicalactivity to children'sorganism. TheResearch part monitors incidence ofpoorposture in twoclassesofKindergarten Praha Kolovraty and examinestheimpactofregularphysicalactivity on the body postureofpre-schoolagechildren. Keywords Motoricsystem Body posture Faultyposture Pre-schoolage Preventivemedicalequalizeexercising