Paths to Promote the Sustainability of Kindergarten Teachers’ Caring: Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Caring is a crucial aspect of early childhood education (ECE) and is an essential attribute possessed by kindergarten teachers. The sustainable development of ECE in aging China calls for the sustainable development of teachers’ caring. However, research into teachers’ caring in education for sustainable development in ECE has been scarce. This paper aims to emphasize a concern for the theme of caring in the sustainability of ECE and to provide a Chinese perspective on this topic. This study explored the path to promote the sustainability of teachers’ caring from the perspective of Chinese kindergarten teachers, based on an analytical framework of cognition, emotion, will, and behavior. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 Chinese kindergarten teachers. The data were analyzed using MAXQDA, qualitative data analysis software, and the descriptive analysis technique. Main themes were generated and then the views were aligned under the themes. Research shows that reading, leisure and art activities, cultural immersion, and mentoring practice can bring many benefits to the promotion of teachers’ caring. Continuous reading can awaken teachers’ caring conscience and promote the sustainability of caring cognition while sufficient leisure and art activities can generate their caring emotions and promote their sustainability. Cultural immersion can cultivate teachers’ caring beliefs and promote the sustainability of caring will while mentoring practice can shape teachers’ caring behaviors and promote their sustainability. The four paths cited above successfully helped teachers overcome the obstacles to caring that they faced and promoted their caring abilities. This study provides systematic paths for promoting the sustainability of kindergarten teachers’ caring and emphasizes their self-care as critical to ensuring teachers’ caring. The necessity of providing effective institutional and policy support to promote the sustainable development of teachers’ caring is suggested.

Saudi Kindergarten Teachers and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): Concept and Practice

“…According to the report, SD is defined as development that satisfies current demands without jeopardising the capacity of future generations to satiate their own needs. The goal of SD has gained widespread acceptance as a social and economic transformation strategy for the worldwide community [19]. According to [4], going along the path of sustainable development will demand a radical change in our thinking and behaviour; each individual must become a change agent for sustainability; individuals need the education, training, beliefs, and attitudes that will enable them to support sustainable development.…”

Teachers’ Ideas and Educational Experiences Regarding Urban Environmental Sustainability in Bogotá, Colombia

“…In fact, when articulated with social practices, representations allow the construction of new representational systems of nature, which constitute one more element to recognize the type of connection with the environment. For this study, it was important to consider some relevant aspects of the typologies of environmental sustainability based on current reflections on the environmental crisis and the ideas of teachers that circulate in specific educational contexts [4][5][6][7][8].…”

Development and Validation of Chinese Kindergarten Teachers’ Learning and Development Scale

“…At present, the accelerated aging of the population and the corresponding Chinese "three-child policy" (wherein couples are allowed to have three children) that was implemented in 2021 pose a severe challenge to the sustainable quality development of ECE [4]. Kindergarten teachers' learning and development (TLD) plays a significant role in achieving teachers' sustainable development, which is key to meeting this challenge [5]. In particular, kindergarten TLD is a critical lever for enhancing the educational quality of ECE [6].…”