Culture and the Greek Kindergarten Curriculum

Abstract

The newly established Greek National Curriculum for kindergarten is examined within a historical and cultural perspective. Perceptions of education, schooling and teaching in the Greek culture while rooted in centuries of tradition have been shaped by the demands of modernity and the idealism of visionaries. The analysis takes into consideration issues of broader social development accompanying the formation of the modern Greek state and problems of kindergarten teacher education, and elements of causal significance in the production of the National Curriculum. Finally, certain aspects of the knowledge base involved in the new National Curriculum are critically examined in relation to perceptions, aspirations and practices found in Greek early childhood education.