Teacher Well-Being in Early Childhood

Angela C. Baum is associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of early childhood education at the University of South Carolina. Kerrie L. Schnake is the chief executive officer of the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association.

Contents


Preface  xi


1.  Laying the Foundation: Understanding Early Childhood Teacher Well-Being  1

Key Issues Addressed in This Chapter  1

What Is Well-Being?  1

Well-Being and Early Childhood Care and Education Professionals  4

The Eight Dimensions of Wellness  6

Influences on the Eight Dimensions of Wellness  8

Our Guiding Conceptual Framework  20

Summary and Conclusions  25


2.  The Importance of Teacher Well-Being  27

Key Issues Addressed in This Chapter  27

The Impact of Teacher Well-Being  27

Summary and Conclusions  42


3.  Well-Being Within Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs  45

Key Issues Addressed in This Chapter  45

Facilitating Preservice Teachers’ Understandings of Teacher Well-Being  46

What Teacher Well-Being Is . . . and What It Isn’t  46

Understanding and Supporting the Well-Being of Preservice Teachers  49

Supporting Early Childhood Teacher Well-Being Through Effective Teacher Preparation  53

Strategies to Manage Personal Well-Being  64

Summary and Conclusions  69


4.  Promoting Well-Being With Practicing Teachers  71

Key Issues Addressed in This Chapter  71

Promoting Early Childhood Educator Well-Being Across the Ecosystem  72

Relationships: The Magic Sauce in Every Well-Being Recipe  86

Well-Being Champions  91

Readiness for Change  92

Goal Setting  96

Summary and Conclusions  97


5.  Learning From Others: Illustrations of Well-Being Programs and Initiatives  99

Key Issues Addressed in This Chapter  99

Supported Self-Care  100

Limited Well-Being Promotion Activities  102

Examples of Well-Being Programs for Early Childhood Educators  105

Summary and Conclusions  118


6.  Wells and Frontiers: Deepening and Broadening Our Understanding of Teacher Well-Being Through the Intersectionality of Race and Gender  119

Dr. Eva Marie Shivers  

Rationale  120

Framework(s)  120

History of Childcare Workers in the United States Through a Racialized Lens  123


Social and Structural Determinants of Teachers’ Well-Being  126

Attachment, Culture, and Trauma  127

Internal Processes  130

Moving From Margin to Center: How Can We Deepen and Expand Our Awareness of Teacher Well-Being?  131

Spirituality—Black Liberation Theology  132

Conclusion: A Call to Decolonize Our Understanding and Support of Teacher Well-Being  132


7.  Where Do We Go From Here?: Considerations for Policy and Practice  135

Key Issues Addressed in This Chapter  135

Education, Penalties, and Myths  137

Fair Compensation and the Burden of Early Childhood Education Costs  142

Regulations, Standards, and Measures of Quality  144

Societal Perceptions of Young Children and Early Childhood Educators  148

Summary and Conclusions  153


References  155


Index  179


About the Authors and Contributor  189