Celebrating a decade of service in Hafnarfjörður's nurseries

An experience from which many children have benefited

Guðný Steina Erlendsdóttir will not soon forget her last working day at the nursery school on Stekkjarás. It marked her final day in her role as a nursery teacher in the town. Four nurseries, numerous job titles, but now the journey has come to an end. She began working as a nursery teacher on 9 September 1985, or forty years ago, when she was 19 years old.

„The environment has changed, as has the working environment. Back then, there was no preparation, no department heads and previously no special education coordinators in the nurseries. There were two of us with 21 children.“

Decades of experience in every single one.

Of the fifty or so staff at Stekkjarás, these five are the pillars who have all worked for decades in the town's nurseries. They sit down and reminisce about the time. Ingibjörg Þórðardóttir started in 1987, Jenný Marín Helgadóttir in '82, Agnes Agnarsdóttir in 1997 and Margrét Stefanía in Hafnarfjörður in 1992, after working in nurseries in Reykjavík and Selfoss.

But what does it take to do the nursery work for so long? Ingibjörg chimes in: „Perseverance, but also joy and a fondness for the job. It's a job with children. They keep you on your toes.“ They agree that the feedback from the children is very important to them.

Agnes takes over: „Yes, I went on holiday and was asked – have you stopped working?“ They had noticed she wasn't around. „I was pleased by that. Yes, it's fun being with the children. Difficult at times, it takes perseverance, but extremely rewarding. Yes, we're passionate about the children's welfare,“ she says, and Margrét Stefanía agrees. „Yes. These are our clients.“

Need to keep themselves to themselves

They agree that they need to look after themselves to be able to do the job. „It's physically demanding work,“ says Ingibjörg. „We're always on the floor, crawling about. We have to keep ourselves in good mental and physical shape.“ They encourage their colleagues to pursue their hobbies. „That's how you empty yourself and recharge your batteries.“

Good food and a little something to drink were on offer this afternoon, as the occasion was a major one. And times have changed. „The teacher used to be in charge. Now the children are listened to,“ says Guðný Steina, smiling.

They have been working for so long that they know generations of children. They tell stories of how they are still greeted by children they taught decades ago. They still recognise the faces. They speak of a resurgence among parents who take it in turns to collect their children from nursery earlier than before.

„Yes, they race to get it in before four o'clock. This awakening has been noticeable for the last 4-5 years,“ they say.

They knew they wanted to work with children.

The five of them are happy with their careers. Agnes describes how, as a child herself, she decided to work with children. Ingibjörg describes how she had planned to become an occupational therapist, applied to a nursery school on a whim, and found her calling. Margrét Stefánía describes how she started working in a nursery school and then pursued her education following her mother's encouragement. Jenný Marín says that she wouldn't change a thing when she looks back.

„It's been a wonderful time – starting at the playground and ending up at nursery school,“ she says. „Adults are still saying hello and remembering me. I must have done something right then.“

Guðný Steinu's last day. „Yes, the last few minutes – strange.“ And she's keeping an eye on the others. Ingibjörg can see herself being in a job for the next two years. Jenný Marín is aiming to stop on 31 August next year. Agnes, who is of legal retirement age, plans to at least finish the school year.

„No fixed date,“ says this special education manager of twenty years. Margrét Stefánía looks up at the nursery manager, Hörpu Kolbeinsdóttur, who is sitting with her. „Haven't I already given my notice?“ They laugh. All are part-time and hold on tight to a job that has been with them and that they love.