Studies have shown that early childhood education programs can have a positive impact on a child’s success later in life. However, the annual turnover rate nationally for teachers of preschool-age children is approximately 30 percent. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have surveyed early childhood teachers and identified factors that may lead to stress and burnout.
“We know from previous research that early educational programs can benefit future school achievement, job performance and social behaviors,” said Laine Young-Walker, M.D., associate professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “However, many early childhood educators are not formally trained, requiring them to learn on the job. Our study assessed teachers’ perceptions of the challenges they face and their commitment to educating the very young.”