The development of teachers' knowledge and behaviour in promoting preschoolers' self-discipline

Abstract

This research study examines the problematic issues associated with developing a programme of in-service training for teachers on the topic of self-discipline in preschool children in Thailand. The study is predicated on the notion that a lack of understanding of ways to enhance self-discipline amongst young children can lead to difficult and challenging behaviour issues in schools, which may also contribute to poor academic achievement and poor social skills later on in the education system. It is noted that training on the topic of promoting self-discipline for preschool children has rarely been provided for Thai teachers and that the in-service programmes that do exist tend to be focused on short courses that emphasise the acquisition of knowledge through direct instruction in the form of lectures and presentations. This study thus focuses on the development and subsequent analysis of the effectiveness of a teacher education programme using the Socialisation, Externalisation, Combination and Internalisation (SECI) Model of training and development, which was originally developed in Japan, in order to develop teacher knowledge and skills in relation to the promotion of preschoolers’ self-discipline in one school in Thailand.A mixed-methods approach was employed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data on the head teacher, deputy head teachers, preschool teachers and preschoolers. Three methods including semi-structured interviews, semi-structured observations and classroom observations were used to collect the quantitative data, while the quantitative data was collected by questionnaires and behaviour checklists. The study was conducted in one nursery school in Bangkok, as a case study. The sample consisted of one head teacher, three deputy head teachers, 24 preschool teachers and 527 preschoolers. A total of 24 preschool teachers participated in all sessions of the programme for 9 weeks, excluding pre- and post-test. The data gathering in the study was divided into three phases: (1) before the programme, (2) the programme implementation, and (3) after the programme. The programme was conducted on preschool teachers and then evaluated on both teachers’ and preschoolers’ outcomes.The research findings revealed that the programme was effective in enhancing both teachers’ knowledge and behaviour in promoting preschoolers’ self-discipline, which resulted in improved self-discipline amongst the preschoolers involved in the study. Moreover, the findings also indicated that the adapted SECI model used in the programme could be considered a successful mechanism for preschool teachers’ professional learning and practice.There are several recommendations for further research. Firstly, further research should be conducted in other phases and types of school to confirm whether the SECI model is suitable for the training and development of teachers in all phases of education in relation to developing children’s self-discipline. Secondly, it is recommended that studies are carried out to examine whether similar programmes can be applied to other school issues and challenges in all phases of education. In addition, it is suggested that the provision of teacher education programmes in Thailand in general should be expanded and that those programmes should make greater use of social learning approaches. Finally, it is recommended that follow-up studies should be implemented in order to examine further the crucial issues of the maintenance and enhancement teachers’ knowledge and skills in Thailand.