The Teacher’s Role in the Implementation of New Preschool Curriculum in Albania

Abstract

Childhood education is a very important period, in which are made a lot of studies and researches for many years. The
contribute of researchers and educational specialists has its important influence on increasing of the quality of teaching of 3-6 years old
children, in making a good and reflective curriculum, based on in the children interest and their ability for creativity and exploring the
world, on methods and learning strategies, on the preparation of the teachers in pre service system, in the University, and their
professional development in service system. If we refer the official data of Albania Ministry of education and Science, 2011, about 61%
of children in the first class have been in preschool education, even though, in Albania the preschool years are not part of obligatory
system of education. “The preschool teacher’s standards” is an important document which has influenced on the quality of teaching and
learning on preschool education. Learning in this stage has a lot of contradictions, because the dynamism is alternate with calm and rest
time, the work with whole class should be alternated with the group work and individual work. This is not easy in the cases of classes
with more than 30-35 children, or in the mix group, in which are children from 3-6 years old. This presentation will give answer these
important questions: How much the Albanian teachers know how preschool children develop and learn; how much they are able to plan
and to implement new curriculum in a multicultural environment; how well they choose the right methods and learning strategies; are
they enable to balance child-initiated learning and teacher-directed learning; are they well prepared to use technology in the classroom,
to manage new and unexpected situations, to collaborate with other teachers, parents etc.