Preschool educators serve as the primary caregivers for young children and play a critical role in shaping their cognitive, emotional, and skill development. Given the significant impact of educators’ professional performance on preschoolers’ growth, it is essential to construct comprehensive professional performance guidelines. These guidelines not only support educators in demonstrating professional competence but also enhance their professional identity and perceived value. This study aims to identify the core components of professional performance among preschool educators, develop a structured set of performance guidelines, and examine the impact of these guidelines on the overall quality of preschool educators’ professional practice.
Based on relevant documents from international sources, preschool education organizations, and the Ministry of Education, the professional performance guidelines for preschool educators were structured around four major domains. First, in the domain of Foundational Educational Philosophies and Contemporary Issues, preschool educators are expected to possess sound educational competence, understand the developmental characteristics of young children, and stay informed about current reforms and issues in early childhood education. Second, within the domain of Implementation of Preschool Educational Activities, educators are responsible for designing developmentally appropriate curricula, employing diverse teaching strategies, creating enriching learning environments, ensuring the health and safety of children, and fostering collaborative relationships with parents and the broader community. Third, the domain of Classroom Management and Child Guidance, emphasizes the creation of a harmonious classroom atmosphere, the cultivation of positive teacher–child relationships and classroom norms, the use of guidance and counseling strategies to address behavioral issues, and the support of children’s social interaction and learning outcomes. Finally, in the domain of Professional Ethics, educators are expected to comply with regulations that protect children’s rights, engage in ongoing professional development, and demonstrate passion and commitment to their roles. These four domains are further divided into 12 sub-domains and comprise a total of 40 performance indicators.
Based on four focus group interviews with 27 experts– including university professors, preschool teachers, kindergarten principals, and principals of elementary school-affiliated kindergartens– the professional performance guidelines for preschool educators were revised to include five major domains: (1) children’s rights and contemporary issues, (2) preschool educational activities, (3) health, safety, and caregiving, (4) classroom management and child guidance, and (5) professional commitment. These domains are further divided into 12 sub-domains and encompass a total of 36 performance indicators.
A total of 23 experts– including 11 early childhood education scholars and 12 preschool practitioners– were invited to review the professional performance standards for preschool educators using the Delphi method. Among the 36 performance indicators, 33 achieved a mode of 6, while the remaining 3 had a mode of 5. The overall mean scores ranged from 5.0 to 5.9, with standard deviations between 0.24 and 0.69. The finalized professional performance standards consist of five domains, 12 sub-domains, and 36 performance indicators.
The finalized professional performance standards were converted into a questionnaire and distributed to 907 respondents, of which 486 valid responses were returned and used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results indicated an acceptable model fit: χ²/df = 2.65, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .058, standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR) = .048, goodness of fit index (GFI) = .841, comparative fit index (CFI) = .921, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = .913, parsimonious goodness of fit index (PGFI) = .723, private nonresidential fixed investment (PNFI) = .798, and critical N (CN) = 202. The standardized factor loadings for the 36 indicators ranged from .65 to .90, all exceeding the .60 threshold. The squared multiple correlation (SMC) values ranged from .50 to .81, all above .50. The composite reliability (CR) for 12 first-order latent variables ranged from .76 to .87, while 5 second-order latent variables had CR values between .86 and .87, all above the .60 threshold. The average variance extracted (AVE) for 12 first-order latent variables ranged from .51 to .70, while 5 second-order latent variables had AVE values between .77 and .93, all above the .50 threshold. This indicated that the observed variables are able to respond to the latent traits of the common constructs and possess excellent convergent validity.
This study yielded several key findings. First, the domain “Children’s Rights and Contemporary Issues” aligns with the principles of child protection outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and reflects the Department for Education (DfE, 2023) emphasis on the role of preschool educators in safeguarding children’s welfare and rights. Secondly, preschool educational activities should encompass curriculum and lesson design, teaching implementation, learning environment planning, and assessment. These components align with the guidelines set forth by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2017), the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI, 2011), the Council of Europe (2019), the Department for Education (DfE, 2023), the Government of Singapore (2022), and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC, 2020). Moreover, within the domain of “Health, Safety, and Caregiving,” preschool educators should plan activities that prioritize the safety and health of preschoolers. This is consistent with the guidelines set by the Department for Education (DfE, 2023) and the Government of Singapore (2022). In the domain of “Classroom Management and Child Guidance,” preschool educators utilize classroom management strategies to support preschoolers’ learning (Ministry of Education, 2016a, 2016b; ACEI, 2011; Government of Singapore, 2022). Finally, within the domain of “Professional Commitment,” preschool educators demonstrate a willingness to adhere to professional ethical standards and commit to the education and care of preschoolers. This concept of professional commitment is in line with Anitha and Krishnaveni’s (2013) notion of educators’ dedication to their roles, as well as with the commitment emphasized by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2017), Ministry of Education (2016a, 2016b), the Department for Education (DfE, 2023), the Government of Singapore (2022), and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC, 2020).
Based on the findings of this study, several suggestions were made. First, preschool educators can use the professional performance guidelines to assess their own professional performance and as a reference for enhancing preschool education. Second, teacher education programs can utilize the guidelines to evaluate the comprehensiveness of pre-service training curricula. Third, these guidelines can add value to institutional evaluation processes. Finally, the guidelines can serve as a foundation for developing specialized education and vocational training programs.
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