Description
The present study aimed to explore the benefits of a professional development tool known as reflective practice (RP) to combat high teacher turnover rates and poor overall well-being frequently reported within the early childhood education field. We examined EC teachers’ perceived overall well-being and self-efficacy, including contributing factors. Participants included approximately nine EC teachers from an early childhood center in San Diego County. Data collection involved collecting pre-interview and demographic data, followed by eight Reflective Supervision groups (recorded) conducted by a trained reflective facilitator. Constant comparative analysis was used to assess responses to both the interviews and reflective groups. The findings demonstrated three primary themes. The first two themes indicated that EC teachers had a perceived low teaching efficacy and low overall psychological well-being. The third theme that emerged showed that the EC teachers who participated in the reflective groups reported enhanced reflective functioning and capacity. The findings from this study indicate that early childhood teachers’ sense of self-efficacy and well-being may improve as a result of participating in ongoing reflective practice. The findings of this study are also consistent with empirical evidence showing that RP is an effective strategy for decreasing burnout, stress, and depression in EC teachers. Efforts to support teachers that don't focus on their overall context are limited and RP can help improve their practice by building their awareness and advocacy strategies to address the contextual (organizational) factors that overwhelm them such as lack of support, resources, and challenging behaviors.
