| This research study is an ethnographic examination of how Chinese preschool teachers work with preschoolers to learn about their emotions. Having emotion knowledge helps children improve academic functioning, reduce behavioral problems, and increase positive social relationships for overall success in life. Parents and teachers are socializing agents when teaching children emotion regulation. Research exists on how the Caucasian, middle class parents and teachers socialize emotion knowledge but there is little research on how Chinese teachers socialize emotion knowledge. This study serves to fill the gap in research for the Chinese teacher population and understand how they socialize emotion knowledge. Three Chinese preschool teachers in three different classrooms including fortytwo children ages 3-5 years were observed to obtain valuable data about teacher-child interactions. Participant observations were conducted at a preschool center, which allowed the researcher to be immersed in a classroom environment to participate in the teachers' and children's daily routine. Focused observations were conducted and allowed the researcher to observe certain daily activities revealing children's display of emotions and teachers' reactions and teaching strategies. Several teaching strategies of how teachers taught children to learn about their emotions were discovered during the data analysis process which contributed to the gap in research for the Chinese teacher population. The results revealed observations and information to develop positive teacher-child relationships, improve teacher education and training, decrease children's behavioral problems, and increase academic performance. This information can better serve the community, teachers, parents, children and their families. Keywords: Chinese preschool teachers, emotion knowledge, emotion regulation, teaching strategies, participant observations, focused observations, cultural differences. |
