Professional Motivation of Preschool Teachers: Work or Creative Activity?

Abstract

This study draws upon modern motivation theories to formulate a hypothesis on associations between teachers’ interest in creative work and their professional motivation. Research was performed to select and justify forms of preschool teacher training that would promote teachers’ creative motivation for developing an enriched learning environment for children. Between 2016 and 2019, 50 teachers of preschool institutions in Ivanovo and Ivanovo Oblast were surveyed using a questionnaire to identify the primary sources of their professional motivation. Such sources were found to be related to appropriation of collective goals, awareness of the importance of one’s work, and personal perception of the profession. The findings are used to devise the mechanisms of motivating teachers to engage in creative activities to develop an enriched learning environment. The article provides examples of need-satisfaction oriented conditions to promote teachers’ intrinsic motivation, encourage and support their autonomy and initiative. Enriched preschool learning environment is regarded as a specific domain of teachers’ creative activity to boost their creative self-expression and thus provide conditions for a comprehensive child development.