Early Educators and COVID-19: Reflections on Well-Being

Abstract

Early childhood educators (birth through second grade) have faced a wide range of challenges while providing education and care for the youngest group of children. Their positions often range from child-care settings to grade school, with different configurations for benefits, class size, and salary. During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 192 early educators shared their perceived stress levels and personal and employment context including relationship status, caregiving responsibilities, education level, work setting, and age group. While there were noted differences across the group, educators working in school-aged settings and those who were caregivers (outside of work) reported higher levels of stress. Interview results from a subset of survey respondents showed concerns about online learning and the well-being of their students, while also underscoring personal growth through the challenges.