ERIC Number: EJ1322536
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Jan
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1082-3301
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Neglected Elements of a High-Quality Early Childhood Workforce: Whole Teacher Well-Being and Working Conditions
Kwon, Kyong-Ah; Ford, Timothy G.; Salvatore, Alicia L.; Randall, Ken; Jeon, Lieny; Malek-Lasater, Adrien; Ellis, Natalie; Kile, Mia S.; Horm, Diane M.; Kim, Sun Geun; Han, Minkyung
Early Childhood Education Journal, v50 n1 p157-168 Jan 2022
The majority of teachers in the early care and education (ECE) workforce face disparities in physical and psychological well-being as well as working conditions. This study examined the working conditions and physical, psychological, and professional well-being of early childhood teachers and compared the results by the child age group they care for and by teachers' level of educational attainment. Two hundred sixty-two early childhood teachers completed a brief health assessment and a questionnaire on demographic information, well-being, and working conditions. A subsample of 40 teachers were observed for the quality of care they provided to the children. A substantial number of the teachers in the study reported physical and psychological challenges and suboptimal working conditions for well-being, a largely neglected workforce issue, for this working population. Several significant differences in teachers' well-being and working conditions were found by the child age group for which they care and by teachers' level of educational attainment. In particular, teachers with higher educational levels had greater resources for work and provided higher quality of care, however, they also reported poorer physical and professional well-being than teachers with less education. Overall findings indicate a need for policies and programs that will improve working conditions and health outcomes for early childhood teachers and the children in their care. These findings suggest that ECE teachers may have unique needs across the age groups with whom they work and teacher educational levels, regarding work-related resources and conditions.
Descriptors: Early Childhood Teachers, Teaching Conditions, Well Being, Work Environment, Educational Attainment, Educational Quality, Teacher Effectiveness, Needs
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A