A Phenomenographic Study on Professional Agency of Kindergarten Teachers Working with Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Children

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher and Caregiver Well-being and Professional Identity

Abstract

Given the growing economic inequalities and child poverty, this study addresses research gap regarding the association between frontline teachers’ perceptions of socioeconomic disadvantages and their agentic actions at work. Using a phenomenographic approach interviewed with 26 Hong Kong kindergarten teachers, the findings reveal three distinct categories of perception, including economic resources-deficit, educational activities and life enrichment exposures, mental and emotional encounters, which relate to teachers’ corresponding agentic actions. Understanding these variations and linkages provides emerging insights into how phenomenography, as an effective methodological approach, translates teachers’ perceptions into practical strategies within the classroom and outreach efforts to community resources. These discussions are useful for informing us to incorporate related conceptualizations and practices into the professional development and teacher education programs.

Authors

• Chrysa Pui Chi Keung, Education University of Hong Kong

• Yinuo Wang, The Education University of Hong Kong