Teacher Sustenance of Emotional Balance among Children aged 4-6 with Disability in Kenya: Addressing Safety, Actualization and Independence

Abstract

Teacher management of individual's physical and psychological wellbeing of learners tend to deliver them from pessimistic and traumatic life threatening circumstances in which children with disabilities (CWD) find themselves particularly between ages 4-6 in Early Childhood Education (E.C.E) centres . The pessimistic and traumatic episodes creates emotional imbalance in children with disabilities particularly navigating around their safety, self actualization and independence in participation in school and community-based activities. Although teachers are instrumental in developing and creating positive relationships necessary for effective participation of CWD, Safety, actualization and independence is often not addressed resulting in frustration, neglect and negative perception which lower inclusion in the learning process. This study assessed teacher sustenance of emotional balance of preschool children aged 4-6 with disability in Nairobi County, Kenya, addressing Safety, Actualization and Independence. Descriptive research design was used to gather data. Target population was 153 preschool teachers, 102 head teachers and 150 preschool with CWD. Purposive and simple random samplings were used. Analysis was obtained through editing, coding classifying and tabulation. The study found inadequacies in emotional stability of CWD. In order to mitigate inadequacies, teachers should supplement core practices with interventions such as providing culturally relevant curricular that reflects experiences for CWD to experience love, joy, acceptance and optimism, create healthy inclusive learning environments and demonstrate appropriate pedagogy for CWD as well as establish and maintain positive relationships. The study recommends the government to adhere to principles of CRPP and CRC, and address barriers to effective participation as well emotional adjustment of CWD.