”DU OCH JAG, FRÖKEN!” pedagogiska möten mellan barn och vuxna på fyra daghem

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study is to describe the day care center as an educational envirorunent, focusing the interaction between caregiver and child. The theoretical frame of reference is Bronfenbrenner's ecological mode! of human development. The day care center is considered as a "microsystem" where the children develop by interacting with the adults in terms of what the children and adults do together, how they do it and the role they take. It is a qualitative study. The author has spent two weeks in each of the four day care centers. The data have been collected by interviews, videorecordings and observations and are presented as "pictures". The thesis states that thi:? interaction between caregiver and child can be looked upon as "meetings". However, the adult and the child do not always meet. They may meet in a physical sense but that does not guarantee that they also meet in a psychological sense. Those caregivers who tend to "meet" the children are contingent, openminded and active. They respect the children, see them and confirm them with a permissible attitude. The possibilities to meet are finally regarded in relation to the physical setting, established norms, the personality of those who interact and the caregiver's "pedagogical attitude".