Examining images of teacher students
Anneli Niikko
Abstract
This study examined kindergarten teacher students’ images of teacher, of children, and kindergarten at the beginning of kindergarten teacher education in 1992, 2008, 2013, and 2017. Theoretical examination of images and studies of teachers’ images formed the basis of this study. 156 students participated in the study voluntarily. Data was collected through drawings and open-ended questions. The analysis was performed by content analysis. The coding tool developed for this purpose was used as an aid. The teacher students’ images of themselves as teachers and of children were mainly similar and emphasized teachers’ and children’s social and emotional qualities. Students had traditional and stereotypical images of the qualities of teachers, children, and kindergarten. Differences between groups emerged in the children students wanted to work with, in pedagogy and the physical environment. The teacher educators should encourage students to critically examine their traditional and stereotypical images in different phases of their studies.