Working through experiences: Principles of the situation-oriented approach
Armin Krenz himself points out that the situation-oriented approach is more of a general attitude than an educational concept. Valuing the children and their own identities, as well as the experiences of each individual day, are the focus. The approach combines core assumptions from three different fields:
According to the findings of educational research emotional and social competences in children cannot be formed 'externally' – the only sustainable form of education happens from within the child itself. Armin Krenz derives from this that one should primarily provide children with security and zest for life should, in order to give them an impetus to shape their lives themselves to develop.
One of the basic assumptions of attachment research is that children primarily need close social relationships to develop self-confidence, openness in perception and other social skills. Educators in kindergarten, therefore according to Krenz, should not be teachers and educators, but above all primary caregivers who provide security.
The neuroscience, according to Krenz, also assumes that emotional well-being fundamental to self-formation is. Therefore the aim of daycare work should primarily be to convey joy of life to children so that they engage openly and willingly with new experiences and can process what they have experienced.
Impressions and expressions
Educators who follow the situation-oriented approach are urged to observe the children attentively. According to Krenz, children express what occupies them in everyday life through the modes of expression available to them, allowing educators to begin working through these issues. These modes of expression are:
Behavior
Play
Movement
Language
Dreams
Painting
The observation or interpretation of the modes of expression requires close collaboration between educators and parents; therefore this is considered a prerequisite for the situation-oriented approach.
Situational approach vs. situation-oriented approach
Parallels between the two concepts: In its basic features, the situation-oriented approach is comparable to the widespread situational approach. Both concepts aim to support children in understanding their individual environment, interacting with it, and helping to shape it responsibly.
Fundamental differences between the two concepts: The situational approach is based on group work – all children are confronted together with project-based topics they are likely to encounter in everyday life. The situation-oriented approach is far more individually oriented: educators take up the children's personal experiences and support them in fully working through them.
Situational approach: The situational approach, which has been implemented as an educational concept in many daycare centers since the 1970s, is didactically oriented. It is primarily about preparing the children for their future, by having certain situations played out before they are experienced. This is meant to familiarize children with everyday topics, but also with 'big' topics such as death or separation.
Situation-oriented approach: In the situation-oriented approach, it is primarily about the children fully processing their own experiences and in this way developing their social and emotional competence. In daycare work, children are therefore not prepared for certain situations; instead, already experienced situations are discussed to strengthen the children emotionally.
Image credits
Child with finger paints - © Julaszka - stock.adobe.com
