Chinese Novice Kindergarten Teachers' Difficulties in the Cultivation of Children's Approaches to Learning

Abstract

Approaches to learning has an important impact on children's lifelong learning and development. Kindergarten teachers should be able to cultivate and support children's approaches to learning, but novice teachers face many difficulties in educational practice. This research adopted interview with 13 kindergarten novice teachers in Chongqing, and aimed to understand the novice teachers’ difficulties. Four difficulties for novice teachers were found: the cognitive degree is uneven; the strategic reserve of approaches to learning is insufficient; low professional promotion initiative, and lack of parenting cooperation which failed to form effective joint force on the cultivation of approaches to learning. The reasons mainly included the deviation of professional skill training orientation in normal colleges and universities, the insufficient support for novice teachers in kindergartens, the lack of learning and working ability of novice teachers, and the obstacles of parents' educational concepts and intergenerational education.