Character Strengths in Early Years: Teachers' Awareness and Practices

Y

27

Personality Traits; Preschool Teachers; Classroom Techniques; Content Analysis; Creativity; Classification; Ethics; Metacognition; Teacher Attitudes; Child Development; Problem Solving; National Curriculum; Knowledge Base for Teaching; Preschool Education; Foreign Countries

2147-0456

Developing character strengths in early childhood has attracted increased attention all around the world in recent years. Nevertheless, very few studies have examined teachers' awareness and practices concerning character strengths. The present study aimed to discover early childhood teachers' awareness of children's character strengths and classroom practices to reveal and develop these strengths based on the 24 character strengths included in the VIA Classification of Character Strengths and Virtues. Interviews were held with 25 early childhood teachers selected via criterion sampling method and the interviews were coded using content analysis. The main findings of the study show that the strengths teachers consider important in children are similar to those they frequently observe in children (i.e., curiosity, love, love of learning and creativity). Most teachers highlight the development of creativity in children, believing that adopting different perspectives, problem-solving and achievement would be improved through creativity. In addition, teachers suggested that self-regulation should be supported during the preschool period. Teachers' practices to develop character strengths in children were not found purposeful but limited to the national curriculum. Thus, the study discusses possible ways to raise teachers' awareness of character strengths and enhance their practices during early childhood. The theoretical and practical contributions of the study are also discussed.

As Provided

2021

EJ1313680