| dc.description.abstract | Internationally Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) ranges from birth to six years of age. In Ireland, ECEC provision spans both preschool settings and Junior and Senior Infant classes within primary schools. This split system of ECEC provision (Moloney & Pope, 2015) would seem to suggest that the role of Junior Infant teachers, who educate children between four and six years of age during their first year of primary school, is to provide both ECEC and a formal primary school education. Therefore, the aim of this research was to enable Junior Infant teacher participants to voice their personal opinions and experiences regarding the factors that impact upon their role and identity within vertical primary schools.
The Bioecological Model of Human Development and the Person-Process-Context-Time (PPCT) model (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006), although originally concerned with child development, have been utilised as a framework to explore the personal, intrapersonal, environmental and time centred components that impact upon the professional identity of Junior Infant teachers. A case study research approach was adopted and qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with ten practicing Junior Infant teachers across a variety of vertical primary school settings in Ireland. The data was analysed in detail and the findings are presented within the PPCT model, mirroring the arrangement of the emerging themes within the literature review. Themes explored included: the profile of Junior Infant teachers, initial teacher education, relationships with significant others, the classroom environment and the split system of ECEC provision in Ireland.
Overall, the professional identity of Junior Infant teachers emerged as a highly complex issue that is influenced by a multitude of interrelated factors. This research suggests Junior Infant teachers hold a unique position and face many challenges in their effort to establish and maintain a professional identity as they provide ECEC alongside a formal primary school education to Junior Infant children within vertical primary school settings. Furthermore, this research revealed while participants thoroughly enjoyed their role as Junior Infant teachers and viewed their work as crucial, their role is considered by them to be diminished by colleagues and society who fail to recognise the importance and value of the first year of primary school and those who teach this age group. | |
