Support through Visualizing Early Childhood Education and Care Teachers’ Understandings of Children

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of practical support for novice preschool teachers by visualizing their understandings of children. Semi-structured interviews based on cognitive counseling were conducted with four novice preschool teachers. The counseling included a step toward visualizing each teacher’s view of children. Quantitative analysis showed that their understanding of children deepened after the interview. Qualitative analysis also indicated that the teachers were encouraged to notice their biases of children and understand their way of interacting with children, which increased their motivation to care for children more effectively. These results suggested that practical support for novice preschool teachers can improve the practice of preschool teachers’ reflection on their work.