Exploring a Chinese kindergarten teacher's perezhivanie when teaching mathematics in an educational experiment

Abstract

The interplay between teachers' emotions and cognition profoundly influences their pedagogical practices. While the previous literature on kindergarten teachers' professional development emphasises the cognitive aspect of practice, there is a lack of research addressing their emotional experience during the professional development training. This study addresses this gap by exploring a Chinese kindergarten teacher's emotional experiences and professional developmental process during an educational experiment designed for teaching mathematics in a play-based context. Two Chinese kindergarten teachers, who worked with children aged 5 to 6 years, participated in the study. Focusing primarily on the emotional trajectory of one participant, referred to as Teacher Qing, the study applies Vygotsky's cultural-historical concepts of perezhivanie and crisis as its theoretical framework. Findings revealed that Teacher Qing's crisis moments, which arose during the implementation of a new pedagogical approach, served as crucial opportunities for her to address the theoretical problem of bringing play into mathematics concepts learning. The authentic and complex emotional experiences Teacher Qing navigated while teaching mathematics in a play-based context contributed significantly to understanding the pivotal role emotions play in shaping pedagogical practices. The educational experiment successfully addressed Teacher Qing's crisis moments and fostered pedagogical change by supporting her emotionally and cognitively. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how perezhivanie can drive pedagogical change, offering valuable insights into processes that foster teachers' professional development.