Job satisfaction of kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong: A holistic interpretation

Job satisfaction of kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong: A holistic interpretation

• Yeung Wong, Veronica Wai Yum

2000

• M Teachers & Education for Teachers
  • MG Identities, Attitudes & Opinion of Educational Workers

Kindergarten Teachers -- Job Satisfaction -- Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

The study aims at presenting the scenario of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction of kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong. New evidence from neuroscience suggests that early experience and positive, stimulating interactions with other people are crucial for optimum brain development of the young child. The quality of their teachers is of vital importance. With high job satisfaction, the teachers are motivated to work effectively in order to achieve good quality. It is envisaged that the knowledge about the elements of the teacher's job nature or the work environment may contribute to enhancing/reducing their job satisfaction/dissatisfaction.
Review of literature informed that the definition of job satisfaction tends to emphasize on affect. Yet there is no work-based study investigating the simultaneous contributions of belief and affective experiences. The key concern of this study is thus to bridge the gap by revealing the daily experiences of the target group.
The study investigated how and why the kindergarten teachers were satisfied with their work in the Hong Kong context. The feelings and thoughts of the kindergarten teachers were explored through their words. The result of the study provided an affective account as well as the cognitive evaluation of job satisfaction / dissatisfaction of the kindergarten teachers.
This study adopted the qualitative approach. Data collection was done through open-ended survey, in-depth individual interviews and focus group interviews. One hundred and seventy-five kindergarten teachers, including both former and currently working ones, served as informants. Three cases were found to provide more holistic views on their personal accounts. Triangulation, through the multiple sources of data, was employed to verify the study.
The findings obtained after the reduction and analysis of data were interpreted through the framework of Yin Yang. Within the framework, the elements, such as 'love' between teachers and children, 'trust or mistrust' between the principals and the teachers, 'self-development' and effects of 'public policies' were identified to be significant components of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction of the teachers. They were incorporated in a systematic organization through three levels: the core (inside the classroom), the outer (within the organization) and the extended level (in the society). These elements interacted with each other within the level or across the levels. Job satisfaction was achieved when equilibrium was maintained. However, when there was imbalance, dissatisfaction was apparent.
Consequently, job satisfaction was recognized as a complex perception with interwoven elements. The process for achieving job satisfaction was found never to be static. The prominent element, which became the main force, was continuously modified according to the changing situations and timing. Though there were different aspects of the job, which elicited various feelings and evaluation of the experiences, job satisfaction had to be viewed as an integrated whole instead of by the sum of parts.
Successful determination and the awareness of the effects of the different elements would mean that staff development programs could be better designed to enhance satisfaction of teachers. Policy implications and the connection between the findings and teacher development were discussed.

PhD

University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

• English

Dissertation Theses

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/41f186b9

2010-12-16