Browsing by Author "Kantonen, Essi"

International research on student teachers' induction into the working life has showed that work exhaustion and feelings of confusion are common amongst the young professionals, who have been working in the field for five years or less. In Finland, there has been a lack of qualified Kindergarten teachers for a long time. This study aimed to find out what appeals Kindergarten teacher students to work in the profession and what makes students hesitate working in the profession. There were three research problems: (1) Which factors are linked with students' desire to work as a Kindergarten teacher? (2) Which factors are linked with students' hesitation to work as a Kindergarten teacher? (3) How do the students describe the socialisation into the profession and how is that affected to the work engagement? This study was conducted as a qualitative survey. The data used in this study was part of University of Helsinki study Koulutuksesta valmistuminen ja työssä pysyminen lastentarhanopettajan työuralla. The data included four open-ended questions (n = 350), which were answered by 166 third year students from the University of Helsinki Kindergarten Teacher Education. The data was analyzed using Content Analysis. The results of the study brought out that the students' desire to work as kindergarten teachers is mainly linked with love for children and early childhood education. The motivation to develop as a professional seemed to link with the desire to continue to the profession as well. The help of senior teachers and well adopted teaching practices seemed to strengthen the socialisation into the profession. Students' feeling that the society doesn't appreciate the profession was strongly linked with feelings of hesitation, as well as the weak resources in the Daycare Centres. The students also felt that by clarifying the job descriptions between the Kindergarten teachers and the practical nurses, the profession would seem more appealing. The results of this study can be used to promote the Kindergarten teachers induction into the working life.