The present study adopted a qualitative approach through in-depth individual and focus group interviews to study the attitudes of the early childhood teachers in Hong Kong. The goal of the study is to reveal the lived experience of real people in real contexts. The first part of the study looks at how satisfaction/dissatisfaction of early childhood teachers was experienced by teachers and the principal, in the process of a top-down curriculum implementation at a local kindergarten in Hong Kong. Building on the findings of this case study, the need for pedagogical skill and knowledge to enhance the job satisfaction of early childhood teachers was addressed. By means of an action research, thirty student teachers at the In-serve Qualified Kindergarten Teacher Education Course were involved in learning ways of understanding and implementing an art project. The ability to help children learn was reported by the student-teachers as the main source of satisfaction when implementing a revitalized process for a more child-centred approach in art projects for children. However, the opinions towards the bottom-up scenario on innovative learning and teaching approach were diverse. The lack of positive supporting context at the organizational level was identified to be the main obstacle to teachers' improvement and satisfaction. Besides the professional/pedagogical development of the teachers, the attitude of the administrators/principals and parents were vital factors in promoting the satisfaction of early childhood teachers in Hong Kong.
[Copyright of Early Child Development and Care is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0300443022000022413]

This article reports findings from a qualitative interview study that examined the provision of integrated kindergarten education for children with disabilities from the perspectives of general education teachers implementing integrated kindergarten programs. Analysis of interviews with eight informants led to the identification of two broad generalizations: the interviewed teachers emphasized teaching academics to children without disabilities, but they focused on social development at the exclusion of academic instruction for children with disabilities; and, according to the teachers, instruction was academic and skill-oriented in the integrated kindergarten programs. Research procedures are described and data supporting the findings are presented. Ways to improve program quality are discussed in terms of three major components: the Hong Kong government should include early childhood education within the compulsory education system, and enforce the formally recommended approach of developmental appropriateness; teacher education institutions should prepare prospective teachers to work in school settings where program goals may be contradictory with the ideology of inclusion; and educational researchers should monitor program quality in integrated childcare centers by conducting further research.
[Copyright of Early Child Development and Care is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004430600563430]

Reviews of teachers professional development show that it is a highly complicated area, in which it is difficult to offer a unified and comprehensive view of the growing development of teachers. This study looks into the development of teachers by tracking their practices in a problematic teaching area: 'learning through play'. Four Hong Kong kindergarten teachers participated in a qualitative study that investigated their implicit knowledge of teaching. The findings show that there is a close relationship between the informants' teaching approaches and their self-learning patterns. The result raises doubt about the staged developmental perspectives of teacher development. The significance of meta-learning ability, which is found to be an essential component for the professional development of teachers in a changing context, is revealed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13664530701827764]

This cross-cultural study examines early childhood professionals' perceptions of their social status, working conditions, and public appreciation in seven countries/territories: Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Mexico, Peru, and the United States of America. One hundred eighteen participants, consisting of preschool and elementary school educators, program directors, child psychologists, and professors of early childhood education, responded to six questions through electronic, printed, and face-to-face contacts. The cross-cultural data revealed a high degree of agreement on these professionals' perceptions of their social standing, income, work responsibilities, and public appreciation. Results indicate that participants felt discouraged and underappreciated in their current circumstances and aspired to additional financial and emotional support, as well as greater respect from their governments and society.
[Copyright of Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10901020701366764]