Kindergarten Teachers’ Perceptions on Management Training Issues and Needs

Abstract

This study refers to the unexplored scientific field of administration in preschool education and comes to investigate the views of teachers working at the public kindergartens of Piraeus region, regarding their educational administration needs and the form of relevant training programs they wish to attend. In Greece, one kindergarten teacher of each school unit is required to perform both administrative and teaching tasks simultaneously, as there is not a separate principal who performs only administrative tasks. This survey was conducted from April to May 2019, whereas the quantitative approach was chosen for the collection of data. The questionnaires were delivered through the e-mail addresses of the kindergarten schools of the Piraeus region. The population of the survey was 150 kindergarten teachers, whereas the sample was 71 kindergarten teachers (response rate 47.3 %). The results of the survey show that the vast majority of teachers regard management training as being a crucial factor of effectiveness, while in terms of training programs they state that they desire a combination of introductory and periodic training organized by institutions such as the Institute of Educational Policy, Universities, the Ministry of Education and the Regional Centers for Educational Planning. In addition, they prefer to attend compulsory and fast-paced training programs whenever there is a change in administrative duties and whenever an educational reform occurs, organized by experienced school unit principals and the Professors of the National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government during working hours with exemption from teaching duties. The results of the present study provide guidance for the development of an educational program for kindergarten teachers in administrative issues.