Values education awards will be announced at a conference focusing on preschool education

On the 26^th of September 2019, kindergartens who participated in the “Good Kindergarten as Values-based Kindergarten” recognition programme and who do outstanding work with values development will be awarded with quality badges from Centre for Ethics, University of Tartu (CEUT). In addition, the laureate of the highest recognition, Kindergarten of Value 2019, will be announced.

“Preschool education is the foundation of life-long learning and it plays a major role in developing one’s value judgements,” says Prof. Margit Sutrop, the Head of CEUT. “We believe it is important to give recognition to kindergartens for good work and we inspire them to actively exchange experiences to learn together from each other.”

All the quality badges received from the recognition programme will be given to kindergartens at a conference “Values-based education in Kindergarten: all I need to know in life I learned in kindergarten” that takes place at the Estonian National Museum. Various education experts and practitioners will give presentations and lead workshops.

“We are interested in the joys and hardships of values-based education in kindergartens,” says Helen Hirsnik, project manager at the CEUT and the main organizer of the conference. The members of CEUT’s Good Kindergarten Network will share their experiences with everyday values development in various workshops in the second half of the conference day. “Caring, nature, health, creativity and co-operation are only few of the values that will come to life in those workshops through practical examples from educators daily work,” Hirsnik adds.

Prof. Eve Kikas (Tallinn University, Professor in School Psychology), Pärje Ülavere (Ministry of Education and Research, External Evaluation Department Expert) and Merike Mitt (critical friend, Centre for Ethics) will give presentations.

Centre for Ethics will give recognition to all kindergartens who participated in the “Good Kindergarten as Values-based Kindergarten 2019” recognition programme and applied for a good kindergarten quality badge. In addition, the rotating School of Value Award will be given to the “Preschool of Values Education 2019”.

For more information (in Estonian), visit http://www.eetika.ee/lasteaedade-konverents2019

The conference and recognitions programme are funded by the National Programme “Values Development in Estonian Society 2009–2013” for the years 2015–2020, funded by the Ministry of Education and Research.