Selma Lagerlöf som lärarinna i Landskrona : En studie om pedagogik -  om  undervisning i sociala, kulturella och institutionella sammanhang

Sammanfattning: Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940) is to many a known writer, a member of the Swedish Academy and a Nobel prize winner in literature. Her life has been studied and is well documented both by herself and others mainly from a literary point of view. We know that she spent time as a teacher in the southern swedish city of Landskrona (1885-1891). A missing piece in the study of the life of Selma Lagerlöf has been of how she was as a teacher in the society in the late 1880’s, written from the perspective of a teacher. The aim of this study has been to seek a deeper knowledge about Selma Lagerlöf as a teacher and the pedagogical means of her teaching, as well as the society that she was a member of. The different parts of Selma Lagerlöfs life, the actions and her words may contribute to the aiming result as a holistic view. The following overarching questions have been used in the study:  How is Selma Lagerlöf described as a student at the School of Education? (in swedish: Högre Lärarinneseminariet). Who may have contributed to her role as a teacher? What was the spirit of the times connected to Selma Lagerlöf at the School of Education? What factors may have influenced her as a person and a teacher? How is Selma Lagerlöf described as a teacher/educator? How are her pedagogical means expressed? How is Selma Lagerlöf described as a teacher by her students? A hermeneutical perspective has been used as a method and a theory, mainly as explained by the philosopher Dilthey. The analysed literature includes adequate texts, books and articles and the found details are woven into a full picture together with the foundation of context. When writing the biography of a person as well known as Selma Lagerlöf there is a need to balance the sense of her presence making certain to keep an, at the same time, ethical, respectful and critical attitude towards her. As working with the study, also a context is surfaced and by the context it is possible to understand the details. The person and her ideas have been studied by sympathetic empathy and understanding, to see the person not as dead, but as a person who once lived and is still inspiring. A conclusion can be made that Selma Lagerlöf was a teacher with a compassionate and methodological way of teaching. The findings to the overarching questions in the aim may guide us through the pedagogical ideas of the person who was forced by economic and social reasons to work as a teacher. She enjoyed giving lessons which made the eyes of the students glow of interest. A method using compassion and trust between educator and pupils leads to pleasurable learning. It also leads to a foundation for the responsibility of all citizens' upbringing and education in a democratic society, a pedagogical perspective known from the philosopher and educator Pestalozzi, a responsibility also relevant to the education of today.