Understanding teachers’ motivation for and commitment to teaching: profiles of Chinese early career,early childhood teachers

ABSTRACT

To better understand the reasons underlying attrition and the teacher shortage, and to develop ways to attract and retain high-quality teachers in early childhood education, it is necessary to explore teacher motivation and commitment to teaching. Although previous research has investigated various aspects of teacher motivation and commitment to teaching, little attention has been paid to this in the context of early childhood teachers, especially early career teachers. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 12 early career, early childhood teachers in mainland China, this study aims to examine early career early childhood teachers’ motivation to teach and commitment to teaching in the Chinese context. Four distinct types of early career, early childhood educators were identified: committed passionate, committed compromiser, undecided, and uncommitted. Each of these had unique motives for teaching and different levels of commitment to kindergarten teaching in mainland China. The four types of early career early childhood teachers identified in this study demonstrate the diversity and complexity of teaching motivation and commitment to teaching in the field of early childhood education. The findings from this study can provide implications for policy-makers and teacher educators to enhance novice teachers’ motivation and commitment to teaching in the early childhood context.     

20世纪初的中国逻辑史研究

20世纪初期,学者们运用西方逻辑理论和因明阐释中国古代名辩思想资料,虽然有种种缺陷,但发现中国古代有丰富的逻辑理论,开创了中国逻辑史研究之先河。     

苏轼兄弟的军事思想及边防策略

苏轼兄弟一生的吏事章都有显成就。在军事思想和边防策略上，他们也有一定建树。就军事思想而言，苏轼早年在立国、用兵、边防等问题上均有自己的主张，后来在他治军的实践中，体现了其一贯的军事思想；而苏辙早年涉及军事的言论甚少，但已经表现出与苏轼的不同。北宋从神宗到哲宗在边防战略上的明显变化，苏轼兄弟身为朝官自不能置身度外。在对待西羌、西夏的关系和策略上，虽然他们的言论多少不一，但都表现出对此的高度关注，也清楚显示出策略上的不同。     

Play in the Preschool Classroom: Its Socioemotional Significance and the Teacher’s Role in Play

The goals of this paper were two-fold. The first goal was to examine the emotional and social developmental value of play in the early childhood classroom. This issue is important because of the recent impetus for a more academic focus in early childhood classrooms, and questions about the developmental benefits of play. The second goal was to examine and discuss the role teachers could play in making play a developmental and educational experience. This is because understanding the significance of play could make teachers less apprehensive about using play to promote learning and development, and enable them answer questions regarding the value of play. Using these goals as a backdrop, this paper discussed views of children’s play; the defining characteristics of emotional and social development; play and the socioemotional development of children; and the role of early childhood teachers in children’s play.     

Early Education in Ethiopia: Progress and Prospects

Explored herein are historical roots of preschool through elementary grade education in the East Africa nation of Ethiopia. Also included are current difficult challenges to educational improvement as well as promising developments such as greater involvement of private institutions, organizations, and individuals in supporting Ministry of Education reform initiatives.     

家庭教育与健全个性的早期培养

个性培养对于人成功地适应社会相当重要,儿童早期正是个性形成的重要时期。综述了个性的组成部分以及对人的重要性,应结合家庭教育在儿童个性形成的重要作用,旨在为进一步提倡素质教育,为培养创造型人才提供理论依据。     

An Investigation of How Culture Shapes Curriculum in Early Care and Education Programs on a Native American Indian Reservation

This article investigates how culture shapes instruction in three early care and education programs on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Interviews with eight early childhood teachers as well as classroom observations were conducted. The investigation is framed by the following research question: How does the culture of the family and community shape curriculum? Data analysis suggested that ongoing communication with parents and community about teaching within a culturally relevant context, building a sense of belongingness and community through ritual, and respecting children, families, and community were essential to defining the Native American Indian culture within these early learning programs.     

Making the Case for Early Identification and Intervention for Young Children at Risk for Learning Disabilities

The early identification of children with learning disabilities (LD) is difficult but can be accomplished. Observation of key behaviors which are indicators of LD by preschool and kindergarten teachers can assist in this process. This early identification facilitates the use of intervention strategies to provide a positive early experience for children at risk for academic difficulties.     

清末民初侠义小说向武侠小说的蜕变

清末民初是中国社会的剧变期,“小说界革命”的巨大震撼,使侠义小说自身到了非变不可的地步;一步作品表现了浓郁的反帝爱国思想,有的作品出现了涉洋题材,洋溢着自由,平等,博爱等观念,以武行侠的作品内容,努力结合反腐败,反官僚的现实斗争,将武侠小说的思想推向了新的高度。当然,任何蜕变都必然保存一些旧有的痕迹,合资义小说自然也不例外。     

政府财政干预对OEM厂商绿色再制造的影响

以原产品生产企业(OEM厂商)为研究对象,通过两期模型探讨政府财政干预对企业再制造战略的影响,重点比较税收政策、补贴政策、"税收—补贴"联合政策对OEM厂商再制造的激励作用。研究结果表明,政府向OEM厂商征收新产品回收处置税的措施尽管会抑制新产品销量,但同时也抑制了再制造产品销量,因此难以达到扩大再制造的预期目的。与税收政策相比,补贴政策和"税收—补贴"联合政策具有正向引导作用,但两类政策的激励效果受到消费者认可度的影响。当消费者对再制造产品的认可度高时,适合采取"税收—补贴"联合政策;当消费者认可度低时,则仅适合采用补贴政策。