Characteristics
Throughout the kindergarten and school years, groups of children and young people meet as they grow and develop. A natural part of growing up is periodically exploring and challenging established boundaries, norms and rules.
It is a sign of health that young people explore, question, and are critical of established perceptions of reality and cultural boundaries. It is necessary in socialization and educational processes, which lead to the rising generation being able to take responsibility for society and further develop it.
The alternative would be for the young people to uncritically assume that everything they are told and admonished by their educators is the only right thing, without asking questions or rebelling.
When children and young people challenge established boundaries and norms, several things happen:
- Children and young people demand to be involved in establishing where and how rules, boundaries and norms will apply.
- It opens up for reflection on current rules and norms.
- It opens up for reflections on tolerance, thoughts about equality and equity, solidarity and inclusion in a diverse community when norms seem marginalizing.
- Children and young people participate in social development by jointly defining where the boundaries are.
During periods when children and young people challenge norms and boundaries, the group is often characterized by unrest and conflicts. One experiences that boundaries and rules are stretched, conflicts arise more often and there is a lot going on in the learning environment.
Being on step 2 of the stairs is both expected and normal
When children and young people challenge boundaries and ask questions, they orient themselves in the world. They try to orient themselves in the world they will grow into. They learn about where boundaries are, about relationships, about their place and the place of others in the world, and about how the world around them works and is.
The adults' job is to guide, show the way, set boundaries and contribute to this orientation process. Adults are present and say:
- "In such situations we tend to do this and that..." (Such situations can be difficult. Then it might be wise to do this and that. What do you think might be wise?
- "When this happens, we tend to think like this..." What do you think when this happens? How can we solve it?
- "Stop, we don't do that!"
- "This happened. How did he react? What do you think is the trick next time?"
Adults are present with guidance, support and boundaries. Guidance is a collaboration between kindergarten, school, parents, guardians and other important adults in the upbringing environment.
When children and young people lack safe and spacious settings with clear and guiding adults, we risk that what was initially a testing of boundaries turns into a pushing of boundaries. It develops into a normalization of norm-breaking behavior.
When adults guide, support and set boundaries for children and young people who are testing boundaries, they mark what is accepted and what is not. Adults mark boundaries for the norms that apply. Norms are unwritten rules. Rules do not work if you do not mark where the boundary is. This is also the case with norms, so it is important that adults are present, guiding, setting boundaries and leading.
The authoritative adult, who exercises good and caring control and guidance, is the most important factor in preventing norm-shifting tendencies from developing into a normalization of norm-breaking behavior, which leads us to step 3 on the ladder.
Risk factors
There may be several reasons why the learning environment moves up from stage 2 to stage 3.
- Adults do not fulfill the role of supervisor because they do not understand that they should take it on.
- Adults don't think it's that important to set boundaries. "Children and young people should be allowed to be children and young people."
- Adults have different tolerance levels and mark their boundaries differently.
- Adults do not work with shared understanding and shared practice.
- Adults are not present, on the school bus, on social media, or in the afternoon.
- Adults have a permissive or authoritarian leadership style.
- Adults experience not being able to do enough.
- Adults do not lead the group.
- There is a lack of safe and good relationships between adults and children/young people.
- Adults have a negative view of children and young people in their growth and development.
- High sick leave and extensive use of temporary workers create instability and unpredictability.
- Frequent changes of permanent staff in the kindergarten or contact teachers at the school create instability and unpredictability.
- The experience of low resources.
- The adults disagree and do not cooperate well.
- The community is not safe and good, and does not meet the basic needs of children and young people.
There can be many reasons and risk factors. The result is that we take the step up the ladder.
Tools and measures
- Clear management and division of responsibilities
- Ensure stability related to frameworks, structure and employees in the learning environment
- Ensuring the participation of children, young people and parents
- Zero tolerance in practice
- FFS
- Elmo's training wheel
- Analysis room
- Omni staircase