Co.06 我在上海公办幼儿园“渡劫”的这一年：费老大劲考进编制又出来了
CoChildren FM
Deep Dive
Why did Mia decide to work with children despite the challenges in the preschool education system?
Mia initially entered the field of preschool education by chance, but she developed a deep appreciation for the profession through her studies and experiences. She enjoyed the psychological and artistic aspects of the curriculum, which helped her understand her own growth and interests. Additionally, her positive experiences in international kindergartens, where she felt deeply connected to the children, reinforced her passion for working with them. She was also inspired by the dedication and love of other teachers in the field, which motivated her to continue and strive for improvements in the system.
What are the main challenges Mia faced regarding emotional labor in public kindergartens?
Mia highlighted that teachers in public kindergartens face excessive emotional labor, often feeling like they are not treated as individuals but as service providers. They must cater to multiple stakeholders, including children, parents, and administrators. Teachers are required to maintain constant emotional engagement with children, regardless of their own fatigue or mood. Additionally, they spend significant time on administrative tasks, such as paperwork and preparing for expert visits, which further adds to their emotional burden. The pressure to meet various expectations often leads to stress and burnout among teachers.
How does the public kindergarten system in Shanghai handle teacher evaluations and performance?
In Shanghai's public kindergartens, teacher evaluations and performance are largely tied to seniority and work experience rather than professional skills or innovation. Teachers' salaries and promotions are primarily based on their years of service and accumulated honors. This system creates a 'winner-takes-all' dynamic, where experienced teachers have more opportunities for advancement, while newer teachers struggle to gain recognition or opportunities for professional growth. This structure discourages innovation and can lead to a lack of motivation among younger teachers.
What is the issue of 'degree discrimination' in public kindergartens as described by Mia?
Mia observed a form of 'degree discrimination' in public kindergartens, where higher-educated teachers, such as those with master's degrees, are often met with skepticism and exclusion. Colleagues and administrators question why someone with advanced education would work in a kindergarten, assuming they must have other shortcomings. This attitude stems from a misunderstanding of the value of higher education in early childhood education and a fear that these teachers might challenge traditional practices. Additionally, the system does not provide significant advantages for higher-educated teachers in terms of career progression, further marginalizing them.
What are the implications of the high emotional labor demands on preschool teachers' mental health?
The high emotional labor demands on preschool teachers have significant implications for their mental health. Studies show that a large percentage of preschool teachers experience depressive symptoms, with 86% of U.S. teachers and over 25% of Chinese teachers reporting mild to severe depression. The constant need to manage emotions, meet high expectations, and handle administrative tasks leads to stress, anxiety, and burnout. Teachers often feel unsupported, and their emotional well-being is rarely prioritized, which can result in long-term mental health issues and a decline in job satisfaction.
Shownotes Transcript
欢迎来到新一期的CoChildren FM，我是Fiona。这期节目我邀请了我的研究生同学Mia来聊聊天。她本科就开始读学前教育专业，一直base在上海，至今在这个领域已经有将近10年的学习、教学、管理和学术的经验，从民办园到国际园到公办园都有涉猎。
我们这次聊天的起因是前阵子Mia跟我说她21年硕士毕业之后，为了去公办园做田野调查，真的去考了编，坑此坑次好不容易进去了，最近又辞职出来了。我听她讲完这一年她置身公办园之中的一些体验和观察，觉得有很多值得探讨和研究的议题，所以就喊她来节目里聊一聊。内容很多，我们重点提炼了三个话题在这期节目分享：幼师过度的情感劳动、难以展现的专业度和公办园中特殊的“学历歧视”（对高等学历的排斥+对低学历的剥削）。
如果你有任何相似或是完全截然相反的经历，欢迎你和我们一起聊聊！也可以匿名投递你的故事至我们的邮箱：[email protected]
🧩 本期Guest Speaker：Mia
华东师范大学本硕、伦敦大学学院儿童早期教育硕士
曾就职于某高校教育集团子公司，于国际幼儿园、民办幼儿园以及双语幼儿园工作6年
即将就读University of Auckland PhD in Education（研究领域：儿童发展、家庭研究）
🧩 收听导引
01:00** **Intro：N年前本科阶段在公办园的实习经历如何影响了毕业后的职业规划？
04:33 必答题：为什么选择和儿童一起工作？
08:57 【困境1】幼师过度的情绪劳动：服务的对象太多了，总觉得“老师不是人”
- 园长喜不喜欢？
- 家长满不满意？
- 针对不同部门的案头文件（平均每天4~5小时）
- 教师的抑郁/焦虑情绪（年终体检时很多老师都有躯体化症状出现）
- 耗费大量人力物力的“专家接待”工作
- 过份沉重的保育负担（孩子的“剩菜量”会成为班级考核标准）
01:02:12【困境2】教师很难展现自己的专业度，因为这不跟KPI挂钩
- 绩效、薪酬基本只跟资历/工作年限挂钩
- 教研会一不小心变成“嗑瓜子会”：讨论的都不是“真问题”
- 自上而下的权力关系的传递：老师没有被视作co-constructors（共创/共建者）的时候，如何把孩子视作co-constructors呢？
01:13:45 【困境3】文凭社会下在幼儿园内经历了对“高等学历”的排斥+对”低学历“的剥削
- 很多人会问：“为什么你硕士学历会来幼儿园工作？”
- 招聘中亲历对博士的刻板印象：“那个博士怎么会投我们的面试？ta一定是在别的方面有很大短板。”
- 对低学历（中大专）的“剥削” ：尤其是在不景气的这两年，无薪实习的老师有很多
**01:31:54 **Final Words：置身公办园之中的一整年让我体会到了绝大多数学前人的一种”普遍处境”
🧩 节目中提到的内容
56:23 Little soldiers: An American boy, a Chinese school and the global race to achieve)
1:11:20 Preschool in three cultures revisited: China, Japan, and the United States)
36:09 Risk Factors for Depression Among Early Childhood Teachers（2019）) —— 这份美国的报告中提到86%的幼师都有经历一些抑郁情绪
36:50 幼儿教师生活质量与抑郁关系的潜在剖面分析（2022）)—— 这份研究针对4519名中国的在职幼儿教师进行调查，发现1/4以上都有过轻度及以上的抑郁症状
44:42 Zinsser, K. M., Christensen, C. G., & Torres, L. (2016). She's supporting them; who's supporting her? Preschool center-level social-emotional supports and teacher well-being. Journal of school psychology, 59, 55-66.
46:08 Jeon, L., Buettner, C. K., & Grant, A. A. (2018). Early childhood teachers’ psychological well-being: Exploring potential predictors of depression, stress, and emotional exhaustion. Early education and development, 29(1), 53-69
46:08 Li, S., Li, Y., Lv, H., Jiang, R., Zhao, P., Zheng, X., ... & Mao, F. (2020). The prevalence and correlates of burnout among Chinese preschool teachers. BMC public health, 20(1), 1-10.
46:33 Huang, H., Liu, Y., & Su, Y. (2020). What is the relationship between empathy and mental health in preschool teachers: The role of teaching experience. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1366.
🧩 节目制作
全流程制作 / Fiona
视觉设计 / Malcolm
剪辑 / Kari
主题曲《和你在一起》/ Monkey
音效 / Free Music @Apple Garage Band