Working involvement of nursery educators and kindergarten teachers: quali-quantitative study

Abstract

Research shows as work-engagement, enthusiasm and vigor predict work performance and have positive effects on teacher-student relationships and on students' academic outcomes (Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter Taris, 2008; Bakker, Van Emmerik Euwema, 2006; Duckworth, Quinn Seligman, 2009). According to our quali-quantitative study, two main aims were set: 1) the evaluation of the predictive role of some dispositional variables (subjective wellbeing, compassion and dispositional positive affect) and of some socio-contextual variables (self/co-regulated proactive strategies, constructive climate) on teachers' work-engagement in educational and scholastic services 0/6 years; 2) the qualitatively exploration of dimensions of promoting well-being in educational services. A group of 189 educators and kindergarten teachers was asked to fill the following questionnaires: the UWES-17 (Schaufeli, 2003), the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (Sprecher Fehr, 2005), the Proactive Strategy Scale (Salmela-Aro, 2009), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al, 1988), the Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyuborminsky Lepper, 1999) and the Teacher self-efficacy and ad hoc interview on components of promoting well-being in educational services. Our main quantitative outcomes showed that compassion and proactive strategies predict higher levels of work-engagement over subjective well-being and dispositional positive affect.

Keywords

• engagement
• educatori del nido
• insegnanti della scuola dell’infanzia
• compassione
• strategie proattive
• benessere soggettivo