With extensive experience from the world of preschool, Linda Lundman and Maria Isaksson have developed the Pedagogbox - an educational tool that will inspire children and make it easier for educators. Their goal is to highlight diversity and create magical moments for children. With passion and commitment, they show how a common idea can become reality.
Linda is the entrepreneurial soul who has long dreamed of running a business, while Maria has a keen interest in research and thrives in the university environment. Together they have over thirty years of experience in the world of preschool and complement each other perfectly to create Pedagogboxen.
During their years in preschool in Umeå, their paths crossed a few times, but one day their meeting would mark the start of a long collaboration. Linda was substituting at the preschool where Maria worked and they were to organise an assembly for the children together. But even before the session, frustration set in as Linda frantically searched for materials to use.
I couldn't find any material, I was going crazy! Then I said to Maria that I had thought of something, that we should create some kind of bank of material for the collections," says Linda. Maria replied that she had thought of exactly the same thing!
Yes, this problem has recurred in all the nurseries I have worked in and I have been thinking about it throughout my professional life. Why isn't this already here? And now we realised that we were thinking the same thing," adds Maria.
They describe that work in preschools can often be stressful, and when there is a lack of material for the collections, educators are forced to improvise. There is rarely time to create elaborate material, which often leads to the result not being as well thought out as one would wish.
From idea to reality
Determined to create a solution, Linda and Maria started to explore their idea. They met at home in Linda's kitchen to brainstorm ideas - of which there turned out to be an abundance. It also turned out that they had the same basic values and thoughts about what they wanted to create; a tool that facilitates the everyday life of educators and highlights inclusion and normalisation in preschool. It was then and there that the Pedagogbox began to take shape. A well thought-out tool that contains books linked to exercises, games, songs and experiments. All adapted to the curriculum.
There is often a lack of material that follows a common thread and is based on all areas of the curriculum, and that is what makes us unique. Everything we do is linked to the curriculum. We want to take the good bits of the material from the past and create something even better, where all children feel involved and seen," says Maria.
They emphasise how competent children are and how much they can achieve given the right conditions, and the value of all children being able to identify with the stories and exercises that are done during an assembly.
"There are so many competent and creative people in preschools, but there isn't enough time to do everything a teacher wants to do," Linda explains. "We want everyone to be able to hold an assembly and capture the children, that it should be a bit magical," she says with empathy.
They also want to supplement the physical box with a digital tool in the form of an app, which will support both educators and children. With the help of research, they also hope to verify the Pedagogbox as an educational tool.
"We really want to put some weight behind our solution," says Linda. "Our idea has come about because there's a problem and we really want this to help educators and children in preschools.
Valuable partnerships
During their development journey with the Pedagogy Box, they have not only developed an educational tool, they have also developed a friendship and an incredible collaboration. They describe how well they complement each other, that they are each other's gas and brake and that they switch gears.
In the face of deadlines, we have been very fascinated because it's like it just syncs and works, we almost don't even need to talk to each other. When we get stuck, we are very good at stopping and talking to each other," says Maria.
Both describe that the strategy that nothing should lie and grow is a success factor in the collaboration. Unravelling knots immediately if they arise, then you move forward and it creates a strong trust within the team.
During our conversation, both Linda and Maria mention several people and organisations that have meant a lot to them during their development process. Among other things, they emphasise the value of renting office space among other creative entrepreneurs.
It's so much fun to see people in groups, how nice it can be. People's paths cross and a network is built. You both give and receive," says Maria.
Visions of the future
They have high hopes for the future of the Educator's Box, but they have been realistic along the way.
We have had a very strong gut feeling, but we have also been aware that it might not work out. But if it doesn't work out, we've had a lot of fun anyway, and we've shown our children that you can try," says Maria.
I've never really had any doubts," Linda concludes with a smile.
During the days 8 - 10 April, they take another important step forward when they present the Pedagogbox at the SETT fair in Kista - an important meeting place for everyone in the world of education. They are approaching the goal of making a difference in preschool and at the same time show what is possible when two driven people with a common vision join forces to create change.
Contact
The pedagogue's box
Maria Isaksson and Linda Lundman
Webb: www.pedagogboxen.com
Email: pedagogboxen@outlook.com
This report was written by Maria Persson.
Photographer header image: Johan Öhrlund / grumpy studio
