Challenges of early education teaching: Teachers' perspectives

This qualitative, exploratory research investigates the type of knowledge, as well as the profile necessary for early education teachers in the perspective of the teachers who work with that segment. Using semi-structured interview, 17 participants (10 from private and 7 from state schools) were interviewed at length. Participants emphasize knowledge about children in general and particularly about their developmental phases as fundamental aspects which orientate the quality of the work undertaken. They also consider playing as pedagogical resource as an important learning device. Notwithstanding, underneath to all of this is a working practice that privileges affective relationships as a base from which all pedagogical action should be built up. Concerning the profile, respondents consider the loving of children as fundamental requisites. Such view of early education helps consolidating old stereotypes associated to the profession (eg. female profession, motherhood) which disturb the professional development of the segment.