A child environment evaluation is a tool, which institutions can use to describe, evaluate and develop the child environment. The core in the working process with the child environment evaluations is that it is created in a child’s perspective. This means that the children must participate to the extent that this is possible and the children’s experience of the child environment must be brought into the evaluation.
We have chosen to use DCUM’s child environment evaluation schemes in our preparation of Børnehuset Lillekilde’s child environment evaluation. This consists of a reflection scheme for the nurseries and the middle group and an interview scheme for children of 4-6 years.
The three nurseries have each answered a reflection scheme, where they – when answering – have been very aware that their statement indicates their professional evaluation of the environment, as the children experience it. The nurseries have during the process observed the children and each other.
The middle group has answered the reflection scheme with cosy chats, during eating and during Morning gatherings, where we among other things have talked about friendships, the arrangement of the group and help from the adults. The questionnaire has been answered based on these conversations with the children and the pedagogues’ own observations.
In preparation of the environment evaluation in the kindergarten, we chose to print the electronic questionnaire and make cozy interviews with the children. The children were sitting in a big, comfortable chair and talked about everything they had on their mind from the questions they were asked by a pedagogue, who they know from a former group, but who is not part of their present daily life in the kindergarten. In this way, we found out that you can get a unique insight in the children’s understanding of themselves and the world around them.
Excerpts from statements from the kindergarten children during child environment interviews:
