Abstract
The interpersonal relationships between kindergarten teachers and children constitute the subject of this study. More specifically, their perceptions for this relationship are being thoroughly looked into. Furthermore, kindergarten teachers’ perceptions concerning the children’s adjustment to the school environment are being recorded. In addition, the criteria used by children to assess the quality of their relationship with their kindergarten teachers are being examined, as well as the correlation between teachers’ and children’s perceptions regarding the quality of their relationship. The topic is being approached both from a theoretical and an empirical level. In the theoretical part the theoretical framework of the current dissertation is being presented and analyzed. The attachment theory and the self-system theory are being presented and their basic principles are being described. The problems related to the research and assessment of small children’s perceptions both from a the ...
The interpersonal relationships between kindergarten teachers and children constitute the subject of this study. More specifically, their perceptions for this relationship are being thoroughly looked into. Furthermore, kindergarten teachers’ perceptions concerning the children’s adjustment to the school environment are being recorded. In addition, the criteria used by children to assess the quality of their relationship with their kindergarten teachers are being examined, as well as the correlation between teachers’ and children’s perceptions regarding the quality of their relationship. The topic is being approached both from a theoretical and an empirical level. In the theoretical part the theoretical framework of the current dissertation is being presented and analyzed. The attachment theory and the self-system theory are being presented and their basic principles are being described. The problems related to the research and assessment of small children’s perceptions both from a theoretical and methodological scope are being elaborated. The nature of the teacher-child relationship is being presented together with its role for the child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. The research part of the study includes its goals and aims as well as the methodology used. Sixty-seven kindergarten teachers and four hundred and three children from Thessaloniki municipality kindergartens participated in the sample of the dissertation. In order to assess the research questions, two questionnaires were administered to teachers and two interviews with children were conducted, one interview with visual aids and one interview with puppets. According to the results of the study the relationships between kindergarten teachers and children are generally described as positive. However one cannot overlook the fact that there is a small number of children whose relationships with their teachers were described as negative and conflictuous. Such children who could be “at risk” for problems regarding school adjustment and school failure should become the focal point of the researchers’ interest. Kindergarten teachers describe the existence of conflicts and tensions mainly deriving from children who disrupt the class atmosphere and operation. An important finding of the study concerns the fact that the quality of the teacher-child relationship is significantly correlated with the child’s adjustment to school according to teachers’ perceptions. Another finding of equal importance is that the kindergartners’ perceptions regarding their relationship with their teacher can be sufficiently and reliably measured. The majority of the kindergartners are capable of formulating clear and reasonable criteria for the assessment of their relationship with their teacher. Further findings also indicate that the student’s gender is related to the teachers’ and children’s perceptions for the in-between them relationship. Finally, it was found that there is a positive association between the teachers’ and children’s perceptions concerning their relationship The quality of the teacher-child relationship influences the academic and social competence and the adjustment of the child to kindergarten. The teacher-child interactions constitute an accessible field for educational intervention programmes aiming at confronting a wide range of daily school problems. All the same, the improvement of the quality of the kindergarten teacher-child relationship does not automatically imply an immediate resolution of behavioral problems or a normal school adjustment. However, hardly can one expect the improvement of a child’s adjustment to kindergarten without having first restored the emotional contact and the communication with the teacher. Finally, it could be suggested that the kindergarten teachers’ further education ought to be directed towards the realization of the importance and the role of interpersonal relationships between teachers and children, as well as the teachers’ impact on various domains of daily school lif
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