Is the school good for children?

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Hjemmeskole have the last months been a known, but perhaps not always equally loved, a concept in many Norwegian homes. Parents who are trying to make the teacher's job, adds quickly noticed the tension between the small barnekropper and sedentary school.

How long manages poden to sit concentrated at the kitchen table, until it starts to tingle? Many find that it can be as little as twenty minutes. Or fifteen.

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But what is it we do five - and seksåringer on first step for in the thousands of classrooms? Many students, already on the first step, have the sessions at 90 minutes - without a break - and sit still a lot at a desk. It seems obvious that the children's need for movement will not be taken into account.

When five - and seksåringene began one year earlier at the school in 1997, promised the authorities that "The first year is to have a clear førskulepreg, and a need to lay emphasis on learning through play and age mixed activities throughout the småskolesteget". The so-called PISA-shock justified that the then minister of education, Kristin Clemet (H) canceled the promise. Right put an end to the five - and seksåringenes smooth transition to school.

Now it was the emphasis on defined learning objectives and learning that can be measured. With the introduction of fully the knowledge from the 2006 amended læringssituasjonen for students.

The natural learning through play for the youngest children has been pushed more and more to the side of the more regulated, sedentary and "skolske" activities. This regulation of five - and seksåringenes life is meant to help increase Norway's scores in the Pisa survey. This is important for the politicians. But are the methods they have selected to the child's best interests?

In a survey, responding to 84 percent of the teachers on the first step that the school day for the youngest pupils has been theoretical, and that the curriculum does not provide sufficient time for play and physical activity. Several teachers point out that the objectives and kartleggingsprøver driver forward too much theory.

don't Get skolestarten they were promised Debate

Both researchers and teachers express concern that the current school does not take enough into account to whom seksåringene actually are and what needs they have. In 2013 came the united nations, with a clear criticism of the Uk for not safeguarding the rights of the child in a satisfactory way: "It is pointed out disturbing trends which over time can lead to that the right to play not be respected", reported Dagsavisen. "Explicitly advised against a growing læringstrykk and emphasis on formal academic success. A consequence of this is that the conditions for the free, spontaneous playful deteriorate".

the Changes in the school, with less activity and movement, seems to have had consequences for students ' learning outcomes. It has been a great increase in the use of special education, and more children than earlier have a need for extra facilitation. In the period 2006-2010 increased number of referred children to the PP service with 78 per cent.

The increased weight of the resultatmåling increase the pressure on class performance and special education is used largely as a "avlastningsordning", believes skoleforsker Thomas Nordahl: "When the pressure in the classroom becomes too large related to the student's behavior, as implemented often special education" (Kunnskapsbløffen, 2011).

Also the number of ADHD-diagnoses has increased powerful. In the period 2004 – 2019, increased the number of users of the ADHD-medication in the aged 0-19 years with over 119 per cent, figures from the Reseptregisteret. A Norwegian study shows that children born late in the year have a greater risk to get ADHD diagnosis than those born early in the year. Are you even a boy, is the risk for having ADHD-medications 40 per cent larger than if you are born in the year's first months.

This is serious. There is no reason to believe that the Nils that have a birthday in December are more biologically predisposed to ADHD than Jon who is born in January. The cause seems to be related with the early start of the school year, meaning that the school is pushing the requirements and expectations of the children as many of them are not mature enough to handle.

Professor Aksel Tjora, NTNU claim the increase in incidence of ADHD is really a educational challenge disguised as a diagnosis. The school is not adapted to the smallest students, believes Tjora, and thus produces ill children. Is it for the sake of the child's best interests when the system interpreter the natural human need for movement and activity as the symptoms of "impulsivity, hyperactivity and difficulty concentrating"?

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Where the boy previously was a normal, active young people, he now turned into a problem for the environment. Such a narrowing of the normalitetsbegrepet, as we now see, the frames especially the boys. They receive the most ADHD-diagnoses, and receive the most spesialpedagogisk help. the

This development gives reason for concern. Much evidence suggests that the politicians have developed a school that is not adapted to the youngest children. Among the symptoms we find the increase in ADHD and special education. But is it our children that are the problem? Or is it the system the adults have created that need to change?

An overwhelming majority of teachers believe the latter is the solution. Unfortunately fagutøverne who know the everyday life in the classroom has been parked on from the sidelines in the question of whether the minstes first meeting with the school. This tilsidesettelsen of the profession is not first and foremost a problem for the teachers, but for children's learning and achievement. the

Kids in need to move on. For the smallest school children are not activity and play a contrast to learning - it is a prerequisite for learning.

A unanimous storting adopted already in 2018 to request an evaluation of seksårsreformen, without that this is followed up by the government. The un Convention, and the Constitution requires that the government always considers whether decisions affecting the child are to the child's best interests. the

It is high time that we get this evaluation on the table when it comes to how Norway has implemented the early start of the school year. It has been to the children's best? The Norwegian fellesskolen to promote every child's coping and learning, not the politicians ' prestisjeprosjekter.

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