An Action Research To Improve The Caring Capacity Of Teachers In 0-3 Years Old Infant And Toddler Care Institutions

According to Noddings,caring and being cared are basic human needs.0-3 year olds are highly sensitive care relationships.The caring ability of teachers in child care institutions affects the construction of caring relationships between teachers and children,the quality of teacher-child interactions,and the development of individual children.This study relies on the implementation and realization of "needs-care," "teachingcare," and "parenting-care" by Child Care Center A."The research was conducted in a real childcare setting,using observation and interview methods to collect data and a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis to analyze the data.Through interviews and observations,the researchers found that teachers’ caring behaviors were characterized by: teachers’ willingness to support children’s development but less praise and encouragement;teachers’ low frequency of trusting and approaching children’s behaviors but high response rate of children;and teachers’ caring behavioral habits with distinct personal characteristics.The first stage is to reconceptualize caring,focusing initially on "needs-care",with the aim of improving teachers’ theoretical knowledge of caring through learning and understanding,and focusing on children and their needs through understanding and action.In the second stage,we focus on "vulnerable" children and continue to improve "teachingcare".Through increasing play elements,enriching environmental preparation,and monitoring teaching behaviors,we improve the appropriateness of teachers’ teaching support;through deepening understanding of disadvantaged children and developing cooperation with families,we increase our attention to disadvantaged children.In the third stage,the "teaching-care" approach is fully penetrated from point to point and from line to line.The strategies for action include: using teachers’ words and actions as "points" to provide role models;drawing "lines" through teacher-child communication to set reasonable limits;and linking families and communities to form "faces" to form a parenting community.community.At the end of the action process to improve teachers’ caring ability,there were obvious changes in the caring ability of teachers in the action group: in terms of cognition,teachers’ caring knowledge became clearer and deeper;in terms of behavior,teachers’ caring behavior became more equal and reciprocal;in terms of emotion,teachers’ caring attitude became more positive.The key conditions for improving teachers’ caring ability were:correct perceptions are the basis for improving teachers’ caring ability in child care institutions;effective strategies and methods are the tools for improving teachers’ caring ability in child care institutions;reflection on their own caring behavior is the key to improving teachers’ caring ability in child care institutions;and loving responses are the motivation for improving teachers’ caring ability in child care institutions.