The purpose of this study is to examine how preschool teachers who are departmental managers perceive cooperation in the work in a kindergarten. Five preschool teachers have participated in the interviews and have answered questions concerning the cooperation in their team. On the grounds that departmentalmanagers cooperate in a broader perspective and has full responsibility, I found the selection of interview subjects interesting to study. I was using a phenomenological research approach in the analysis of the interview material.

I raise the following questions in my study: what skills and qualities are the respondents experiencing to be important to be able to work in a team? What common experiences share these respondents on the phenomenon of cooperation? The interview method was qualitative and the respondents have described various aspects of cooperation. The results of the studyshow that the essence of the phenomenon cooperation consistsof five key ingredients thatis relevant to the professional role: to plan together, to have fun together, to work professionally for the preschool curriculum, to have a common child perspective and to be able to see the big picture.The idea of the study was to highlight the characteristics of a good partnership. I noticed that the majority of the respondents shared many common views and experiences. They strove to have empowered and motivated colleagues. They stressed that it was important to have fun together and to give feedback when needed. The respondents describe the tasks they have and it's all about planning, communicating with the parents, the boss, colleagues and children, and making the decisions concerning the department. They also worked to ensure the quality of the preschool. The results indicate that a good cooperation is required to be able to get things done successfully.