Opportunities knock: Mediation of peer-relations during meal-time in toddler groups

According to socio-cultural perspectives, adults are seen as mediators of cultural believes, values and practices. Qualitative analyses of teachers’ mediation of peer relations based on video-recordings in 9 toddler-groups indicate that meal-time represents opportunities for teachers to facilitate t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nordisk barnehageforskning 2013
Main Author: Os, Ellen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Meal-time
Mediation of peer-relations
Måltider
Relasjoner
Småbarn
Toddlers
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Summary:According to socio-cultural perspectives, adults are seen as mediators of cultural believes, values and practices. Qualitative analyses of teachers’ mediation of peer relations based on video-recordings in 9 toddler-groups indicate that meal-time represents opportunities for teachers to facilitate togetherness and peer-relations between toddlers. The teachers might facilitate sharing, passing food, routinized practices such as singing, and conversations. The results indicate variations between child- and group-oriented approaches, and accomplishing meals in an effective way. The child-and group-oriented approaches are marked by encouragem ent of toddlers’ initiatives and teachers supporting peer-interactions. Raising teachers’ consciousness about their contributions to children’s development of peer-relations and togetherness in group settings might contribute to enhance reflected practices in working with toddlers in groups.