Memory Into Reality: How Childhood Experiences Affect Teacher-Child Interactions in Preschool

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Abstract

This study aims to explore how preschool teachers’ experiences shape their interactions with young children. Employing qualitative methods, the study reveal that teachers' childhood family environments, family atmospheres, conflict resolution strategies, and educational values significantly impact their adult interaction patterns with children. Moreover, teachers' early educational experiences, especially their time as students, profoundly influence their teaching styles and approaches to problem-solving. Self-reflection enables some teachers to transcend the negative impacts of their childhood experiences, transforming their personal histories into positive factors that drive educational practice. The study emphasizes the importance of in-depth reflection on teachers' personal growth histories and suggests that teacher education should place greater emphasis on teachers' childhood experiences to enhance the quality of teacher-child interactions.

Author

• Rui Chen, Michigan State Univeristy