Date of Award
12-14-2024
Document Type
Non Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
Program
Early Childhood Education
Capstone Instructor
Dr. Kelly Sadlovsky
Second Reader
Deshawn Woods
Keywords
Burnout, Turnover, Quality Care, Early Childhood Education
Abstract
Early childhood educators (ECEs), referring to professionals who work with young children in various settings, often face feelings of isolation and lack of a 'sense of community/belonging.' These connections are essential to providing high-quality care for young children (NAEYC 2020). Feelings of isolation and lack of connections lead educators to burnout and emotional exhaustion. This research paper focuses on how ECEs can engage as professionals to build confidence in current practices, lessen isolation, and increase retention to reduce burnout and emotional exhaustion. It is essential to support early childhood professionals so that they can offer quality care for children. A review of the literature sheds light on how ECEs connect with other educators and the stressors that can impact retention and quality of care. The findings suggest that there is a connection between retention and burnout. This can be addressed by offering support and being viewed as a professional (Shaack et al., 2020). Research also shows that the quality of care is also affected by emotional exhaustion in early childhood educators (Carson et al., 2016).