Preschool teachers’ views about preschool death education: The role of perceived self-efficacy, perceived competence and death experiences

Abstract

Preschool educators’ views about preschool death education is researched in this paper. Specifically, we examined preschool educators’ personal perspectives on providing death education in relation to: a) their intra-personal characteristics, such as perceived self-efficacy and perceived professional competence to provide this kind of education, and b) their death experiences in the school environment. The sample consisted of 164 preschool teachers in Greek public schools. Perceived self-efficacy was found to be related to teachers’ perceived competence in dealing with death issues. However, no significant relationship was found between self-efficacy and teachers’ actual dealing with the topic. Death experiences in the school environment were found to relate positively to teachers’ perceived competence in providing death education. However, no significant relationship was found between these experiences and the level of dealing with the topic. The results indicate that preschool teachers realize the need for death education. However, this is difficult to become actual behavior, since they lack proper preparation. Educators need not only theoretical knowledge but a holistic preparation program that would ensure that they will be able to stand in front of preschoolers with sufficient knowledge, continuous training, increased self-efficacy, and perceived competence in order to be able to provide developmentally appropriate education.

Keywords

• preschool,
• death education,
• self-efficacy,
• competence,
• experiences