Kindergarten Teacher Students as Art Educators
Kindergarten Teacher Students as Art Educators

Summary/Abstract: In this article we report formation and testing of a new model focusing on kindergarten teachers’ work contentment, work sensibility, and generally work satisfaction as art educators. The model is based on work satisfactory research in connection with self-conception and motivation models. It is built on three elements which are in strong interaction with each other. The most important role is a balance between a person’s recognized self-conception and the ideal self-conception. The second area consists of general motivation in teaching. The third element in the model is intense and active association of some of art education many substance areas. This element could also be called orientation in work. The model was tested with kindergarten teacher students (n = 128) at Helsinki university in the spring of 2005. They answered a series of questions based on the model. When a balance in the area of self-conception is reached, a person’s self-conception is strong and positive, his/her self-confidence is strong and self-appreciation is of high level. That builds a strong basis for teaching art. To feel satisfaction in art education all three elements are necessary to be present some level. Teacher education is generally responsible for the creation of these elements and help students to gain necessary skills to work with children generally and in art education especially. In an ideal situation a kindergarten teacher has a vocation to work, good skills in all substance areas of art education (music, sports, fine arts, etc.), but also a good balance of self-conception. Results show that professional orientation is closely connected with self-conception in our model.

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