When school starts at age six – a study on how first-grade teachers work with preschool-like time organization within the school’s time structure

Abstract

This article examines the prerequisites for preschool-like time organization in first-grade within
the school’s time structure, and what this means for the playtime in everyday school life. I use the first-grade of
Norwegian Waldorf schools as a case because, even after the school entry age was lowered from seven years to
six in Norway in 1997, a play-based school day without formal reading and writing instruction was maintained
in the first grades of Waldorf schools. This prioritization is in line with the original goals of the nationwide
Six-Year Reform from 1997. The three qualities of chronological time (Chronos), cyclic time (Aion) and critical
points in time (Kairos) are used in the analysis of interviews with five first-grade teachers in Waldorf schools
in Norway. While school time is largely structured according to Chronos time, in preschool Aion time and
Kairos time prevail. The study shows that especially cyclic time forms the basis for the pedagogical work in firstgrade
at Waldorf schools with playtime at the center, that time is organized rhythmically, and characterized by
polarity, sequence, rituals, and timing. To practice cyclic time in first-grade within the school’s time structure
is not self-evident but is possible under certain conditions: Firstly, there must be a fundamental acceptance of a
school-independent daily rhythm, in which Aion time and Kairos time are safeguarded. Secondly, the transition
to Chronos time must happen gradually throughout the whole first school year, and thirdly, playtime must be
prioritized over academic skills.