Some views of cooperation with parent s in shorter kindergarten programs

Dr. Jurka Lepičnik Vodopivec

Summary:  The article deals with some views of cooperation with parents in shorter kindergarten programs. We were interested in how operators / shorter program kindergartens invite parents or their children to the enrolment, how kindergartens cooperate with the parents of children included into a shorter program and how parents assess shorter programs. On the basis of the results analysis, we assume that most independent kindergartens and kindergartens next to school are in favour of personal invitation, whereas private kindergartens mostly practise »open door days«. Besides, most kindergartens provide the exchange of information and discussions for parents of children included into shorter programs. Children’s gradual introduction as a manner of cooperation is identified in independent kindergartens as well as in private kindergartens. However, parents’ cooperation is supposed to be the least represented in planning education work and active participation in education work. We also assume that, according to the parents’ opinion, the advantages of shorter programs are that children spend less time in kindergarten and consequently more time with their parents, that they receive »at least some professional work«, and that there are fewer children in the group, which provides individual approach.