Positive emotional experiences and professional identity formation in novice preschool teachers in Taiwan

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explored the nexus between professional identity and the emotional experiences arising from comprehending children’s perspectives among seven Taiwanese novice preschool teachers. Thematic analysis was applied to assess drawings, photos, and individual interviews from the teachers. The study found that when novice preschool teachers comprehend children's perspectives on learning, teachers, and caring, it leads to positive emotional experiences. These experiences, in turn, shape their professional identities, enabling them to evolve as learners, scaffolders, role models, and creators of a nurturing environment. Furthermore, it emphasized the significance of these positive emotional experiences in affecting the novice preschool teachers ‘professional identity development and well-being. The study offered recommendation on how school contexts can support novice teachers in fostering positive emotions, and on how teacher education can shape teachers’ professional identity through awareness of positive emotional experiences.