School Based Training Supports Continuous Professional Development in Kindergarten Teachers

Stage 1: Survival During Stage 1, which may last throughout the first full year of teaching, the teacher's main concern is whether she can survive. This preoccupation with survival may be expressed in questions the teacher asks: "Can I get through the day in one piece? Without losing a child? Can I make it until the end of the week? Until the next vacation? Can I really do this kind of work day after day? Will I be accepted by my colleagues?" Such questions are well expressed in Ryan's enlightening collection of accounts of first-year teaching experiences (3).

This exploratory research investigates quality early childhood education in two Singapore kindergartens. Quality is a concept that has raised greater interest in Singapore early childhood education since 2003 when quality initiatives were implemented, aimed at raising quality standards in Singapore kindergartens and child care centres. One of the governing bodies, the Ministry of Education (MOE), attributes this increasing interest in quality to the rising of Singapore parents’ expectations of early childhood education in preparing young children for Singapore’s mainstream education. The growing recognition that early childhood education contributes significantly to the foundation of future education also adds to the growing interest. The introduction of quality initiatives saw the overhaul of Singapore’s early childhood education. Principals and teachers in early childhood settings focus on meeting these quality initiatives by improving their kindergarten operations, physical environment, curriculum development and teachers’ professional development. With the interest in raising quality standards, this study intends to understand the quality conceptualisations of principals, teachers and parents in the localised context of Singapore. Instead of perceiving quality from a macro level, quality is understood within individual kindergarten settings. The study adopts an interpretive paradigm to gather participants’ quality conceptualisations within two kindergarten settings. The interpretive paradigm opens up the possibilities for participants to share their perspectives on quality and attempts to interpret localised perspectives based on kindergarten’s context and individual values, beliefs and experiences. A mixed methods methodology further substantiate data findings of participants through the use of connecting and weaving approaches to identify and understand participants’ quality conceptualisations. The exploratory study on quality conceptualisations points to two main themes that highlight participants’ shift from the focus on academic excellence towards the development of values to prepare children for life’s journey. In the first theme, Confucian values are recognized as important in preparing children morally and to contribute back to society. Confucian principles influenced the way adults perceive themselves as responsible for children’s values development and the way adults should direct children in the right direction. The second theme emphasized the kindergarten as the promoter of instilling values in children. Kindergartens are recognised as sites of possibility where values are implemented as part of the kindergarten philosophy. Teachers are also recognised as key to role models of values who translate these values to children through their interaction with children. Participants’ quality conceptualisations indicate differing connections made between MOE’s Revised Curriculum Framework and participants’ quality conceptualisations. The connections suggest the influence of neoliberal objectives in perceiving the role of the teacher differently. Governmentality is evident in the way principals and teachers perceive their roles in the kindergarten setting. However, the presence of governmentality and neoliberalism are in contrast to Confucian values that participants promote as important for children’s education. The kindergarten as a place where governmentality, neoliberalism and Confucian values meet, is discussed here. This research focuses on localised kindergarten quality perspectives and concludes with new thinking about quality based on postmodern perspectives. The study acknowledges the multiplicity of participants’ perspectives and how these perspectives are necessary to understand localised conceptualisations of what participants mean by quality early childhood education.

This study explores the imperative for professional development among private kindergarten teachers in Malaysia to enhance the quality of early childhood education (ECE). While national policies emphasize the need for highly qualified educators, a significant gap persists, with many teachers in the private sector lacking specific ECE qualifications and experience. This research aimed to identify the professional development required by these teachers and to investigate the importance of such training for improving teaching quality. Adopting a qualitative methodology, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with four experienced female teachers from two private kindergartens. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, with a minimum of five years of teaching experience as the core criterion. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that despite their passion and extensive experience, most participants entered the ECE field from diverse, non-ECE academic backgrounds, underscoring a critical need for targeted professional development. Teachers unanimously recognized the importance of continuous learning, valuing a blend of formal training, such as workshops on curriculum, pedagogy, and safety, and informal, on-the-job mentorship. Professional development was deemed essential for updating skills, adapting teaching methods, and effectively managing classrooms. The study concludes that systematic, comprehensive, and tailored ECE-specific professional development is vital to address the varied qualifications of educators. It is recommended that kindergartens and policymakers foster a culture of continuous learning by implementing flexible training programs that include practical skills, mentorship, and critical areas like child safety, ultimately elevating the standard of ECE in Malaysia.

Early childhood education as the main foundation of one's education is determined by the quality of teachers who can be seen through the performance of teachers and teachers, so the discourse of professional development is important. This study aims to determine how the performance of superior early childhood teachers and performance measurement as performance standards for outstanding teachers. Qualitative research is carried out with a psychological approach that is carried out directly on the object under study, to obtain data relating to aspects of teacher performance so that increased performance becomes an example for other teachers. Research data collection techniques using interviews, documentation, and observation. The results showed that the performance of outstanding early childhood teachers always tried to hone and control themselves by participating in outstanding teacher competitions to monitor their professional condition and performance. Early childhood teachers who have extraordinary grades also have strong scientific insight, understand learning, have broad social insights, are positive about their work, and show work performance according to the required performance criteria. The teacher's performance in the extraordinary category is the success and ability of the teacher in carrying out various learning tasks. Measuring the performance of early childhood teachers with achievement has two tasks as measurement standards, tasks related to the learning process and tasks related to structuring and planning learning tasks. Referring to these two tasks, there are three main criteria related to teacher performance in early childhood teacher professional development literacy, namely processes, teacher characteristics, and outcomes or products (changes in student attitudes). In the learning process, the performance of early childhood teachers who excel can be seen from the quality of work carried out related to professional teacher learning activities.
 Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Outstanding Educator Performance, Professional Development

Fifteen years have passed since the recent early childhood education reform in Hong Kong, pre-primary teachers’ qualification has been raised to guarantee the quality of early childhood education by enhancing teachers’ knowledge. The qualification for music teaching on the other hand, has never been regulated, while the majority of the kindergarten teachers have to lead music activities on a daily basis. Additionally, the existing guidelines in music teaching and learning for pre-primary education are inadequate and unclear. The quality of music teaching in pre-primary settings has become a concern. 
\nThis study aimed to investigate the in-service kindergarten teachers’ music knowledge and background, including personal abilities and professional development in music; teachers’ beliefs including current music education policies and the values of music for children; and their actual practices including music planning and teaching. Mix-methods research approach was utilised to conduct 82 questionnaires from teachers in seven kindergartens, and a four-case study. The multiple case study was triangulated in three phases: 1) analysis of lesson plans, 2) in-class observations, and 3) individual interviews, in order to achieve reliability and validity of the study. The results confirmed few previous research findings in the related subject area, and the findings of two gaps: “policy-practice” and “belief-practice” were discussed in this paper. Conclusion of the current issues and implications are also discussed and linked to recommendation for future research to improving learning outcomes for the pre-primary children in Hong Kong.

Background: Early childhood teachers consist of kindergarten and elementary school teachers in the lower grades. Young children at school may increase the vocal load of these teachers. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of voice disorders and the associated factors in early childhood teachers, and to determine if differences exist between kindergarten and elementary school teachers. Method: A cross-sectional survey was performed in July 2019 as a network questionnaire. Through cluster sampling, teachers (n = 414) from all five public kindergartens (n = 211) in the urban area of Yancheng, China, and four public elementary schools (n = 203) in the same school district participated in this study. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations among the prevalence of voice disorders in the teachers, school type, and relevant factors. Results: Our results indicated, based on the Voice Handicap Index scale (VHI-10, China), that the prevalence of voice disorders in early childhood teachers was 59.7%, while that in elementary school teachers (65.5%) was significantly higher than that in kindergarten teachers (54.0%) during the previous semester. Contributing factors included daily class hours, classroom air humidity, and speaking loudly during teaching. Additionally, certain types of voice usage in teaching such as falsetto speak, speaking more than other teachers, not using vocal techniques, and habitual voice clearing, were significantly associated with voice disorders. Conclusion: Most early childhood teachers have voice disorders. Compared with the kindergarten teachers, the elementary school teachers experienced a significantly higher prevalence of voice disorders. Several factors among work organization, work environment, and types of voice usage in teaching were associated with the voice disorders in early childhood teachers. The finding suggests that voice training should be provided for early childhood teachers, classroom teaching time should be decreased, and the number of teachers in basic subjects should be increased in the lower grades of elementary schools.

Teachers are one of the crucial factors constituting the human resources of a preschool.Developing the teaching staff entails cultivating a specialized human resource for preschool educational institutions.This includes activities such as planning the teaching staff, selecting and deploying teachers, training the teaching team, and assessing the effectiveness of teachers' instructional activities.Based on theoretical and practical research, this study proposes several key measures to address challenges in developing preschool teachers in An Giang province.Implementing these measures cohesively will yield positive outcomes, ensuring an adequate quantity, uniform structure, and robust quality to meet the demands for enhancing current preschool education quality and contribute to local socio-economic development.The development of the preschool teacher workforce demands more essential measures.Based on these reasons, the author is researching the development of the preschool teacher workforce in An Giang province to enhance the quality of childcare, nurturing, and education for young children. Overview of the Research Problem Foreign Research WorksThe authors examine the impact of professional development programs on early childhood education teachers in the United States.They identify key components of effective professional development, including content focus, active learning, collaboration, models of effective practice, coaching and expert support, feedback and reflection, and sustained duration.The study concludes that welldesigned professional development can significantly improve teaching practices and student learning outcomes (Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M., 2017),.Report addresses the numerous challenges faced by early childhood education teachers in developing countries.The report highlights issues such as inadequate initial training, limited access to ongoing professional development, poor working conditions, and insufficient policy support.It suggests that addressing these challenges requires comprehensive policy reforms, increased investment in teacher education, and the establishment of supportive professional networks (The UNESCO, 2015).Explore the effects of collaborative professional learning on early childhood educators in Australia.Their study reveals that participation in collaborative professional learning communities enhances teachers' reflective practices, increases their sense of professional identity, and promotes the sharing of effective teaching strategies.The study emphasizes the importance of creating supportive environments that encourage collaboration and continuous professional growth (Cherrington, S., & Thornton, K., 2013).Investigate the relationship between professional development and the quality of early childhood education in China.Their research shows that structured training programs, ongoing support, and mentorship significantly improve the quality of teaching and learning in early childhood settings.The study highlights the need for policy frameworks that support continuous professional development and provide resources for teacher training (Hu, B. Y., Fan, X., & Yang, Y., 2014).In their comprehensive study, analyze the role of teacher education programs in improving the quality of early childhood education across Europe.They examine various models of teacher preparation, including initial teacher education, in-service training, and continuous professional development.The authors find that high-quality teacher education programs that combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience are crucial for developing skilled early childhood educators (Oberhuemer, P., Schreyer, I., & Neuman, M. J., 2010).These studies provide valuable insights into the different approaches and challenges associated with the development of early childhood education teachers globally. Vietnam Research WorksIn their study, examine the professional development needs of early childhood education teachers in Vietnam.They identify key areas where teachers require further training, including child-centered Principals and vice principals of 24 schools: totaling 48 individuals (2-3 individuals per school, including 1 principal and 2 vice principals). Teachers from 24 schools: totaling 196 individuals, including department heads and classroom teachers.The survey was conducted in April 2023 at 24 kindergartens in An Giang Province.Research Scope: Tinh Bien town and Thoai

In line with the new trend toward reforming the education system in the 21st century, teachers are more willing to accept changes in order to improve performance and achieve success in the educational process. Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Saudi Arabia recently witnessed a huge revolution. Teacher Professional Development (PD) is one of the most influential elements in achieving quality education. The present study focuses on revealing the Professional Development Programs (PDPs) obstacles of kindergarten teachers from their perspectives, as well as their implications for overcoming these obstacles. These obstacles are divided into three main parts include administrative, personal, and digital. The current investigation adopted the exploratory approach, where a total of (n=102) kindergarten teachers in the city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, participated in this study by filling out a self-administered questionnaire. Results showed that all kindergarten teachers admitted that they faced several obstacles in their professional practices, which hindered the quality of their practices. Most kindergarten teachers reported a lack of motivation and adequate training opportunities, influencing their reluctance to participate in PDPs. However, they revealed their positive attitudes and willingness to implement a variety of strategies and practices that contribute to their own PD. It recommends that decision-makers and government agencies consider the needs and capabilities of kindergarten teachers during training and involve them in the professional planning and development process to ensure that the training outputs are more effective in their professional practice.Keywords;Administrative, digital obstacles, children, implications, kindergarten teachers, training program.

General Background Leadership quality in early childhood education institutions plays a strategic role in shaping organizational conditions that support teacher professionalism. Specific Background Kindergarten teachers in Aceh Tamiang District face challenges related to leadership practices, work motivation, and job satisfaction that coincide with variations in teaching performance. Knowledge Gap Empirical studies that simultaneously examine transformational leadership, work motivation, and job satisfaction within the context of early childhood education remain limited, particularly in regional kindergarten settings. Aims This study aims to examine the relationships between principals’ transformational leadership style, teachers’ work motivation, job satisfaction, and kindergarten teacher performance in Aceh Tamiang District. Results Using a quantitative survey approach with regression and path analysis, the findings indicate that transformational leadership, work motivation, and job satisfaction each show statistically significant associations with teacher performance, both individually and jointly, while also demonstrating interconnected direct and indirect pathways. Novelty This study presents a comprehensive model that integrates transformational leadership with motivational and satisfaction variables based on empirical data from kindergarten teachers in a localized educational context. Implications The results provide evidence-based considerations for school leadership practices and educational management strategies aimed at strengthening teacher performance in early childhood education settings. Highlights: Principals’ leadership practices showed measurable associations with teacher outcomes Motivational and satisfaction factors demonstrated interconnected statistical pathways Combined variables explained a substantial proportion of performance variance Keywords: Transformational Leadership; Work Motivation; Job Satisfaction; Teacher Performance; Kindergarten Education. Published date: 2026-02-10

Early childhood education and care programmes provide opportunities to enhance children’s learning and development, especially when high-quality learning experiences and educator-child interactions are embedded within them. However, the quality of early childhood education programmes varies greatly. Quality in early childhood education and care is conceptualised in three domains: structural, process and system. Understanding how to drive quality improvements in early childhood education and care relies on clear, consistent evidence concerning each of these domains, however, the current literature is not comprehensive. This scoping review maps the extent and consistency of the research literature in each domain of quality to identify knowledge gaps and inform future research. Through a search of the peer-reviewed literature, 85 meta-analyses and systematic reviews meeting our inclusion criteria were identified. We found a wide variation in the number of included studies in each domain and sub-domain of quality. We found the greatest number of meta-analyses and systematic reviews related to programmes, interventions, and curricula (process quality) and professional development and support (structural quality). The literature included in this scoping review is heterogeneous and of varying methodological quality, with inconsistent or contradictory findings. The research is most consistent in relation to pedagogy, professional development and support, and programmes, interventions, and curricula (process quality) and learning environments (structural quality). Interactions between the different domains of quality are complex and future research should focus on the associations between different features of quality in early childhood education programmes and practices that are critical to implementing successful continuous improvement initiatives.

Research Findings: This study examined the associations between early childhood education (ECE) teachers’ pre-service education (PE), professional development (PD) experiences, ECE quality, and child development. The participants included 52 teachers and 706 children from 52 preschool classes in Shanghai and Guizhou. Teacher educational level was associated with classroom interaction quality. The frequency and diversity of PD activities that ECE teachers experienced in the past year were also related to overall ECE quality. Mediational analyses indicated that the diversity and frequency of PD were indirectly associated with child development through ECE quality. Region of residence moderated the associations between PE and child development and between ECE quality and child development. Practice or Policy: Together, the findings highlight the need for policy to support ECE teachers’ professional learning from pre-service education to ongoing professional development.

National Chinese education reforms demonstrate a burgeoning interest in inculcating music in early childhood education. Music can be an important part of personal, educational, and social development in the early years of a child. Subsequently, many educators are turning to music-specific professional development (PD) programs, driving the need for music in their teaching. However, there is a lack of understanding of the factors that motivate kindergarten teachers to participate in PD. The study aims to determine why kindergarten teachers enroll in music-specific professional development (PD) programs tailored to music. RQ1: What are the primary drivers behind kindergarten teachers' involvement in music-specific PD? RQ2: How do motivational factors influence kindergarten teachers' involvement in music-specific professional development? A cross-sectional survey including 328 kindergarten teachers aged 20-40 was conducted online. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlation, and moderation analysis. The study found that the important drivers of PD participation included personal interest in music, the potential for career growth, and peer and cultural influence. Additionally, the main motivational factors included self-efficacy, teaching effectiveness, and personal interest as the most influential motivational factors. Comprehensive PD initiatives should integrate intrinsic, career, and social dimensions to create a supportive, dynamic space where teachers can build music-related skills.

The Early Childhood Education Quality (ECEQ) initiative is a pioneering approach toward supporting ongoing, self-organized professional development in the private kindergarten sector in Japan. The purpose of this study is to examine how kindergarten teachers and ECEQ coordinators experience this approach and view the ECEQ process. Online questionnaires were distributed to the teachers of 20 kindergartens that implemented the ECEQ for the first time in 2019 and to the ECEQ coordinators who supported them. The answers from 126 classroom teachers and 15 ECEQ main coordinators were analysed. Results indicate that: (1) almost all kindergarten teachers found the ECEQ experience meaningful; (2) teachers were resistant to holding open classes (work shadowing by colleagues from other kindergartens), but they nevertheless recognized the benefits; (3) teachers reported that the ECEQ enabled them to think about ECEC practices based on the children’s perspectives; and (4) teachers reported that the ECEQ coordinators were supportive in terms of including teachers’ ideas; however, they also felt that the ECEQ coordinators did not provide enough backing for autonomous meetings and in-house workshops after the ECEQ process had been completed. These results indicate both the strengths and difficulties associated with transforming the ECEQ into a system for supporting self-organized professional development.

Abstract. Natsir M, Ulya Z, Fitriani R. 2022. Mangrove forest utilization policies reconceptualized with a view to improving the regional economy in Aceh Tamiang District, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 6570-6578. One of the Aceh's (Indonesia) districts with mangrove forests is Aceh Tamiang District. Manyak Payeud, Bendahara, Seureuwey, and Banda Mulia are the four sub-district in the Aceh Tamiang region that have the most potential tourist sites. However, due to the widespread illegal logging of mangroves carried out by the community to suit their daily requirements, the preservation of mangrove forests in the four sub-districts above is seriously damaged. As a result of illegal logging, mangroves are becoming less common in Aceh Tamiang District. Therefore, a unique policy, which can incorporate both community needs and economic development, is needed to manage the mangroves of Aceh Taminga District. The expectation is that mangrove management will enable Aceh Tamiang District to develop tourist attractions in this study. The normative juridical research methodology with SWOT analysis was applied in this study to understand the potential of mangrove management in improving the regional Economy in Aceh Tamiang District. The findings of this study are based on a SWOT analysis of four subdistricts in Aceh Tamiang District. The result suggests that the notion of forestry policy can support both local community interests and regional economic development. Additionally, it can be carried out through the Village Qanun to raise community awareness of the need to maintain and manage mangroves to enable the implementation of regional plans. To harmonize the understanding of the significance of mangroves as one of the regional tourist destinations, institutional coordination between the Aceh Tamiang district government and the provincial and central governments can also be used to realize the development of Aceh Tamiang tourism policies.

Teaching practice is an integral part of education and training of future kindergarten teachers. Aiming to answer the question whether the initial education of kindergarten teachers is organized in accordance with the requirements of contemporary practice, this research examined the views and opinions of Faculty of Teacher Education students (N=235) in Zagreb on the implementation of teaching practice in kindergartens, while contemplating and analyzing the difficulties that are perceived and found in this area. The theoretical part of this paper discusses the relationship between the quality of kindergarten teacher education and the contemporary concept of the teaching practice, which is examined in the empirical part on the chosen research sample. By means of One Sample T-Test, positive attitudes of early childhood and preschool education students on the implementation of teaching practice were confirmed. In the correlation design area, a statistically significant correlation (Spearman) was confirmed between a particular year of studies and the assessment of practice or satisfaction of students and the success of teaching practice. Third year students differed from the first and second year students in that that they expressed a lower level of satisfaction with teaching practice. Key words: kindergarten teacher mentor; professional development; teaching practice.Teaching practice is an integral part of education and training of future kindergarten teachers. Aiming to answer the question whether the initial education of kindergarten teachers is organized in accordance with the requirements of contemporary practice, this research examined the views and opinions of Faculty of Teacher Education students (N=235) in Zagreb on the implementation of teaching practice in kindergartens, while contemplating and analyzing the difficulties that are perceived and found in this area. The theoretical part of this paper discusses the relationship between the quality of kindergarten teacher education and the contemporary concept of the teaching practice, which is examined in the empirical part on the chosen research sample. By means of One Sample T-Test, positive attitudes of early childhood and preschool education students on the implementation of teaching practice were confirmed. In the correlation design area, a statistically significant correlation (Spearman) was confirmed between a particular year of studies and the assessment of practice or satisfaction of students and the success of teaching practice. Third year students differed from the first and second year students in that that they expressed a lower level of satisfaction with teaching practice. Key words: kindergarten teacher mentor; professional development; teaching practice.Teaching practice is an integral part of education and training of future kindergarten teachers. Aiming to answer the question whether the initial education of kindergarten teachers is organized in accordance with the requirements of contemporary practice, this research examined the views and opinions of Faculty of Teacher Education students (N=235) in Zagreb on the implementation of teaching practice in kindergartens, while contemplating and analyzing the difficulties that are perceived and found in this area. The theoretical part of this paper discusses the relationship between the quality of kindergarten teacher education and the contemporary concept of the teaching practice, which is examined in the empirical part on the chosen research sample. By means of One Sample T-Test, positive attitudes of early childhood and preschool education students on the implementation of teaching practice were confirmed. In the correlation design area, a statistically significant correlation (Spearman) was confirmed between a particular year of studies and the assessment of practice or satisfaction of students and the success of teaching practice. Third year students differed from the first and second year students in that that they expressed a lower level of satisfaction with teaching practice. Key words: kindergarten teacher mentor; professional development; teaching practice.Stručno-pedagoška praksa integrirani je dio obrazovanja i osposobljavanja budućih odgajatelja. U traženju odgovara na pitanje je li inicijalno obrazovanje odgajatelja organizirano u skladu sa zahtjevima suvremene prakse, u ovom su istraživanju ispitivani stavovi i mišljenja studenata (N=235) Učiteljskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, o provedbi stručno-pedagoške prakse u dječjim vrtićima, uz istodobno sagledavanje i analiziranje poteškoća koje na tom području opažaju i na koje nailaze. U teorijskom dijelu ovog rada propituje se međuodnos kvalitete obrazovanja odgojitelja i suvremene koncepcije stručno-pedagoške prakse, koji se u empirijskom dijelu provjerava na odabranom istraživačkom uzorku. Jednim One Sample T- Testom potvrđeni su pozitivni stavovi studenata ranog i predškolskog odgoja o provedbi stručno-pedagoške prakse. U području korelacijskog nacrta potvrđena je statistički značajna povezanost (Spearman) između pojedine godine studija i procjene prakse, odnosno zadovoljstva studenata i uspješnosti stručno-pedagoške prakse. Studenti treće godine studija razlikuju se od studenata prve i druge godine studija u smjeru manje iskazanog zadovoljstva stručno-pedagoškom praksom. Ključne riječi: odgajatelj mentor; profesionalni razvoj; stručno-pedagoška praksa.