Organizational citizenship behaviors of preschool teachers from public and private sector

• Autor(a) principal: Costa Neves, Paula Maria
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Coelho, Ana
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/47358
• topic: Organizational citizenship behaviors; Preschool teachers; Professionality; Comportamentos de cidadania organizacional; Professores do pré-escolar; Profissionalidade

Several studies have identified the nature and characteristics of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) in primary and secondary education teachers, but research in the field of preschool education is almost non-existent. Empirical evidence of the impact that this type of behavior has on the functioning of any organization and the particularities of the roles of preschool teachers in relation to those of other teachers, justify conducting studies on this topic with early childhood education professionals. This paper presents the conclusions of a qualitative study carried out with public and private preschool teachers. The organizational citizenship behaviors performed by these professionals are identified, as well as personal and contextual factors that influence them. The data was collected in interviews with preschool teachers and was analyzed following the Grounded Theory procedures, in particular the constant comparison technique (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). In a second moment, the data was discussed with different participants in a focus group. Data analysis indicates that although preschool teachers tend to view most of the activities they develop as central dimensions of their specific professionality, therefore not describing them as OCBs, it is possible to identify some forms of OCBs specific to preschool teachers, either at the professional level (pedagogical and/or organizational) and at the interpersonal level (activities focused on the relationship with children and families). Major divergences were identified in the dimension of providing care.