Adriana Wiegerová

Crucial Moments in Professional Careers of Preschool and Primary Teachers

The aim of this study was to describe the development of preschool and primary school teachers’ careers from their perspectives. Theoretical part of the study summarizes the knowledge about the teacher’s profession and the periods of teacher’s career. Regarding the development of preschool and primary school teachers, the authors considered the relevant differences between them. The goal was to find out the principal differences in teachers’ careers with probable origins and impact on teacher training programs at the university. The empirical part presents the results of qualitatively oriented research. The research data was obtained through twenty in-depth interviews that were conducted with teachers and kindergarten school directors, teachers and head teachers at primary schools. By analyzing and processing interviews, the categories capturing the teacher’s career paths were identified. Crucial moments in the course of teachers’ carrier development are discussed as fundamental, specifically in case of female teachers after becoming a mother. Other identified crucial moments include getting the position for a director or losing a job. A comparison of data from preschool and primary school teachers shows that preschool teachers enter faster into the phase of stagnation in their career development. The processing and evaluation of obtained data led to the creation of a theoretical model of the career path of preschool and primary school teachers.

Understanding Pre-Service Teachers' Approaches to Preschool Education. Findings in the Czech Republic

This qualitative study aimed to answer two broad questions: (1) How do pre-service teachers at the beginning of their pre-graduate university programme conceptualise the purposes and aims of preschool? (2) How do they view the essence of a teacher ́s work with children in preschool? In-depth interviews were conducted to gather data about the participants ́ conceptualisations. Open coding and thematic analysis were performed to process the interview data. The participants were 34 students in the first semester of the bachelor of preschool pedagogy programme at a university in the Czech Republic, and had no direct teaching experience in preschool education. The participants indicated that the primary function of preschool is to provide space for a child ́s socialisation into the peer group and preparation for entry into primary school. The core task of the preschool teacher was conceptualised as the establishing safe environment, the exercising of (mild) authority, the expression of emotions to children, and the development of professionalism. These findings offer challenges for university educators to elaborate the students ́ professional knowledge and skills.