Browsing by Author "Ikonen, Laura"

This research is about kindergarten teachers insights and opinions of children's shyness. My theory part focuses on shyness and sensitivity as a temperament traits and social connection to shyness. It also includes adult's ways to instruct children. My two research questions are 1) How kindergarten teachers view shyness as a feature of child? and 2) How kindergarten teachers support and instruct shy children in kindergarten? My research is a qualitative case study. The material was collected by interviewing four kindergarten teachers. Two of the kindergarten teachers have over 15 years of work experience in teaching and the rest have less than two years. Half structured interview had four themes. The themes are about the qualities of shy children, shy children behavior in kindergarten and their relationship with peers and adults. The teachers also evaluate their group's shy children by using shy child personal traits measuring form. Pirkko Niiranen uses the same form in her dissertation. With the form I was able to estimate children's qualities of shyness. In teacher's interviews they highlight sensitiveness, small groups, play support and anticipation. In general kindergarten teachers think that shy children are retreating and attentive. Shy children express themselves rarely in verbal and they used to become attached to a few peers. My research offers ways to interact with shy child but because of it small sample I can't generalize the results. When I analyse my research results I have to consider that the kindergarten teachers in my research can be already interested in shyness and they are sensitive to observe that. In further research it would be interesting to observe teachers in their work and survey more teachers in this research. It would be also interesting to follow the shy children from the beginning to end of their daycare year. In that way the changes in child behavior can be noticed more clearly.