This article critically analyses the dynamic role of the Preschool Teachers' Union in Iceland, tracing its strategic moves within the educational and political spheres from inception to the present. The union's formative years were marked by a fight to become a fully fledged union and active participation in foundational negotiations that…

Research has shown that effective leadership in early childhood education (ECE) can positively influence its quality. Yet, there is limited research on ECE leaders (ECLs), particularly teacher leaders. The goal of the current study was to examine how ECLs in Israel, with a dual role -- as kindergarten teachers and as teachers' leaders -- perceive…

Although Chinese early childhood education policies have high expectations for kindergarten teachers' play pedagogy, teaching and play are still discussed as a bifurcation in Chinese kindergartens' daily practice. To support Chinese kindergarten teachers' development of play pedagogy, this study conducted an educational experiment (EE) framed by…

There are limited studies involving the relationship between preschool teachers' job burnout and their professional engagement and career development aspirations. This study classified latent profiles according to job burnout indices for Chinese preschool teachers and examined the characteristics of each profile and how they affect professional…

This research followed a qualitative design to identify preschool teachers' mindsets about workload-related stress. Twenty in-service Chinese preschool teachers were invited to delineate their perceived workload-related stress consequences. Directed by a hybrid of inductive and conductive approaches, we conducted thematic content analyses on two…

Teachers' perceptions of the use of information and communication technology (ICT) profoundly influence how children experience ICT-supported activities in kindergartens. In China, given that the adoption of ICT in educational settings has been part of national development goals, kindergarten teachers' perceptions of it deserve more in-depth…

Teaching music often focuses on developing musical concepts, through comparisons and discriminations. This paper contributes to the discussion on concept development in music through recognition of common elements in a situation and a shift from a local to a general level, considering theoretical approaches to mathematical generalisation. It sets…

In recent decades, Iceland has become a more diverse nation, as witnessed, for example, in the increasing diversity of the school population. While recognising these changes, teachers have reported feeling unprepared to respond as they engage with students with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The interview study presented in…

This qualitative descriptive study was designed to answer the following questions: How do infant/toddler teachers (ITTs) enter the infant/toddler workforce? What motivates teachers to work in the infant/toddler workforce? What recruitment strategies are identified by experienced ITTs? What retention strategies are identified by experienced ITTs?…

The importance of effective teacher-child interactions in preschool classrooms has been well documented; however, very few studies examined the difference between novice and experienced teachers. The aim of this study was to quantitatively compare the characteristics and patterns of teacher-child interactions during preschool picture book reading…

The following paper presents the results of a case study on the educational potentiality of pedagogical documentation as a way to construct the research disposition of preschool teachers in initial education. After an introductory reflection on the relevance of provoking the reconstruction of practical knowledge, pedagogical documentation is…

In recent years, there has been a growth in the amount of literature and a resurgence of interest in what Jools Page identified as 'professional love'. This research builds upon and extends Page's work considering what love looks like in practice and describing a 'loving pedagogy'. Despite recent research, love is still seldom talked about in the…

The aim is to investigate early childhood mathematics in a preschool unit in Sweden. A mixed-method research approach and a case study research design were used. Three preschool staff members and 19 children were enrolled. Data were collected by means of observations and a focus group interview. Numerical and thematic analyses were conducted. The…

This paper examines compassionate pedagogies in relation to an emotionally intense experience in a long day-care centre. Video observations were made of international preservice teachers undertaking an infant-toddler professional experience in Australia. The study is informed by Vygotsky's cultural-historical concept of emotional experience…

During the last few years, the Swedish preschool curriculum has undergone several changes. Among those changes is the introduction of the concept of teaching as a goal-oriented activity. Preschool teachers have been given a specific responsibility for leading the teaching in preschool. This study aims to explore how preschool teachers' didactical…