Construction of diversity and provision for mathematics education in preschool

Educational systems are crucial arenas where inclusions and exclusions are formed. Preschools and schools are the first institutions a child is socialised into. Massive migration, refugee numbers are increasing by the day, creating challenges on multiple societal levels. In order to understand and face these challenges we need to focus on how the included receive a voice and how the excluded are silenced.

I consider power relations as crucial considerations, when working with parents and teachers. One of the reasons for considering different power relations is that the parents and teachers’ awareness can affect children’s own actions and the outcomes from these.

Research about mathematics education of refugee and migrant children is often described as having significant challenges. These challenges include the participation and active integration of parents into the education systems of the new countries. Acknowledged as a challenge, it has been found that integration of parents into the education systems is beneficial for refugee and migrant children in order to gain success in education.

The purpose of this research project is to gain an understanding of the preschool teachers and parents possible positions and how they describe what mathematics education in socially diverse preschools can be. Parents’ primary views on their own role in their children’s mathematics education in preschools (kindergarten) will be investigated. That brings the project into consideration of both understanding of individuals - parents and teachers, and structure - the field of mathematics education in preschools.