Development of learning process organization based on the contemplative child study approach for the transformation of early childhood teacher's perspectives and practices
Abstract:
This research was 1) to develop a learning process of the early childhood teachers based on contemplative child study approach, and 2) to study the transformation of the teachers' perspectives and practices towards oneself, children and others. The research participants were three early childhood teachers from a small-sized school in an Eastern province of Thailand. This study was a qualitative research with intervention. The research consisted of two phases: 1) the development of learning process consisting of three steps: (1) construction of the initial process, (2) preliminary field study of the process, and (3) analysis and revision of the process, and 2) the conclusion of the research results. The findings were as follows: 1. The learning process of the early childhood teachers based on contemplative child study approach enhanced self-awareness, clear perception of the reality of present moment, and mindfulness which affected the teachers' ability to perceive children truly. This learning process integrated three main parts of life: knowledge, profession and spirituality and consisted of four steps: 1) mind opening for acceptance of oneself and others, 2) inner development-practices of mindfulness, meditation, and deep senses 3) child study-child observation and meditative work in daily life, and 4) reflection of their learning by reviewing the past experience leading to new ones. 2. The transformation of the perspectives and practices of the three teachers varied according to their ways of learning: 1) the first teacher mainly transformed her practice through feeling. Aesthetics of arts played an important role in her contemplative practice. Her creative acts of teaching often unconsciously arose when she was peacefully and harmoniously one with the mood of the children, 2) the second teacher's contemplative practice mainly focused around the thinking of her own thoughts. Her transformation emerged in the area of self-understanding and was not evident in the area of understanding children and others, and 3) the third teacher who mainly acted unconsciously transformed her perspectives and practices through feeling, especially from listening to storytelling, which awakened her self-understanding and clear perception of the children and others.