ABSTRACT

Early care and education (ECE) settings are influential in shaping children’s early experiences. Informed by the Job Demands-Resources model, this study had two aims. First, we examined how ECE teachers’ physical (i.e. muscular skeletal strain and infectious disease experience) and psychological (i.e. depression and job dissatisfaction) job strain was associated with the quality of their interactions with children. Second, we tested whether job resources, including supervisor and co-worker support, buffered these associations. We examined survey responses from 44 toddler teachers working in centre-based classrooms with children aged 15–36 months and assessed the quality of the classroom using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System – Toddler (CLASS-T; La Paro et al. 2012 La Paro, K., B. Hamre, and R. Pianta. 2012. Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Manual, Toddler. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes. [Google Scholar]. Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Manual, Toddler. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes). Results indicated that teachers experienced a range of physical and psychological job strain. Co-worker and supervisor support were not significant moderators of the ECE teachers’ job strain- classroom quality association. However, contrary to the mechanisms theorised within the Job Demands-Resources model, a main effect of co-worker and supervisor support on classroom quality, such that higher levels of perceived social support was related to higher classroom quality. Due to the significance of classroom quality for young children, understanding ways to create a work environment of rich social support stands to benefit teachers and the toddlers in their care.

摘要

早期护理和教育（ECE）的设置对塑造儿童的早期经历具有影响力。在工作需求-资源模型的指导下，这项研究有两个目标。首先，我们研究了ECE教师的身体（即肌肉骨骼劳损和传染病的经历）和心理（即抑郁症和工作不满）的工作压力如何与他们与孩子互动的质量有关。其次，我们测试了工作资源（包括上级和同事的支持）是否缓冲了这些关联。我们检查了在中心教室内工作的15至36个月大儿童的44名学步教师的调查答复，并使用“课堂评估评分系统–幼儿（CLASS-T； La Paro等人，2012年”评估了课堂质量 香格里拉帕罗，K.，B.哈姆雷和R.皮安塔。2012年。课堂评估评分系统（CLASS）手册，幼儿。马里兰州巴尔的摩：Paul H. Brookes。 [Google Scholar]。课堂评估评分系统（CLASS）手册，幼儿。马里兰州巴尔的摩：Paul H. Brookes。结果表明，教师经历了一系列的生理和心理工作压力。同事和主管的支持不是ECE教师的工作压力－课堂质量协会的重要主持人。但是，与工作需求-资源模型中理论化的机制相反，同事和主管的支持对教室质量的主要影响，因此，更高水平的社会支持感与教室质量的提高有关。由于教室质量对于幼儿的重要性，因此了解创建具有丰富社会支持的工作环境的方法将有利于教师和学步儿童的照料。