Teachers coping with change : the stories of two preschool teachers

In this paper, the impact of change on two Queensland preschool teachers is reported. Twelve preschool teachers were given opportunities to record and describe their work within their specific teaching context, as well as within the wider contexts of the school campus and the educational and social system. A reflective journal was kept daily over a two-week period and entries frequently identified the influence that mandated educational change had on daily work. The keeping of the reflective journal and a follow-up conversation enabled the creation of teachers' stories about their experiences. In this paper, two of the stories are explored. The stories are illuminating and assist in an understanding of the dimensions and conditions of teachers' work, and of current issues impacting on early childhood education.