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Making professional identities through relationships between

teachers and children in early childhood settings

Hiroko Fumoto Roehampton University

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The aims

1. to discuss the ways in which teachers’ perceptions of their relationships with children impact on professional identities;

2. to consider the direction for professional development that emerges from the present investigation that may add to the creation of identities in teaching profession.

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Teachers’ perceptions of teacher-child relationships in early childhood settings

• A quantitative predictive study

• A qualitative interview study

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Research questions

(1) Are there any differences between the first term and the third term of a school year in the relative degree of importance that certain aspects of children’s development may have on the teachers’ perceived quality of their relationships with these children?

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(2) What are the teachers’ experiences of relating to young children within the context of early childhood settings in England?

(3) How do teachers’ experiences of work impact on the development of teacher-child relationships?

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Design of the study

Phase 1First term of a school year

STRS Observation

Boxall Profile Interview

Phase 2Third term of a school year

STRS Observation

Boxall Profile Interview

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Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS)

Robert Pianta (University of Virginia, USA)

Closeness/ Conflict/ Dependency(Examples) • I share an affectionate, warm relationship with this

child.• This child spontaneously shares information about

him/herself.• It is easy to be in tune with what this child is

feeling. • My interaction with this child make me feel

effective and confident.

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The Boxall Profile (Section 1)Bennathan & Boxall (1998)

Organisation of experience

A) Gives purposeful attentionB) Participate constructivelyC) Connects up experiencesD) Shows insightful involvementE) Engages cognitively with

peers

Internalisation of controls

F) [a child] is emotionally secure

G) [a child] is biddable and accepts constraints

H) Accommodates to othersI) Responds constructively

to othersJ) Maintains internalized

standards

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Participants

10 participants (6 qualified teachers, 3 nursery nurses with NNEB, 1 nursery nurse with NVQ level 3 in Early Years Care and Education) 10-15 children

Phase 1 (first term) Phase 2 (third term)

143 children (70 boys, 73 girls; M=3 years 9 months)

122 children (61 boys and 61 girls; M= 4 year 3 months)

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Standardized regression coefficients for Boxall Profile as a predictor for STRS Closeness scale when rated concurrently

Phase 1 Phase 2

Beta Beta

A) Gives purposeful attention

.47** NS

C) Connects up experiences NS .40**

F) Is emotionally secure .52*** .58***

I) Responds constructively to others

.41*** .48***

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The main findings …

Teachers’ perceived closeness is associated with:

Phase 1 - The ways in which children listen and pay attention to what is being required by the teachers.

Phase 2 - The ways in which children involve themselves in learning activities and who communicate their thoughts to them.

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The implications on teachers’ professional identities:

• the way teachers interpret children’s involvement in the learning activities;

• the teachers’ own experiences of learning;

• the ways in which teachers perceive themselves in relation to children;

• the pleasure of sharing experiences with the children.

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The direction for professional development that is likely to add to the creation of professional identities• Extending professional knowledge,

including teachers’ ability to translate into practice their understanding of children’s development.

• Enhancing teachers’ receptiveness towards children’s ways of communication.

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• Extending teachers’ ability to question their own assumptions about children’s learning and the way they share experiences with children.

• Extending teachers’ phenomenological perspective of the world.