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Educators' Perceptions of Their Own Mental Health and Young Children's Skills in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada

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Title: Educators' Perceptions of Their Own Mental Health and Young Children's Skills in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada
Language: English
Authors: Natalie Spadafora (ORCID 0000-0001-8498-1712), Caroline Reid-Westoby, Magdalena Janus
Source: Journal of Education. 2025 205(3):214-225.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Elementary Education
Grade 1
Primary Education
Grade 2
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Preschool Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, Grade 1, Grade 2, Student Development, Academic Ability, Mental Health, Teacher Attitudes, Elementary School Students, Reading Skills, Mathematics Skills, Anxiety, Depression (Psychology), School Closing, COVID-19, Pandemics
Geographic Terms: Canada
DOI: 10.1177/00220574251320091
ISSN: 0022-0574
Abstract: The current study aimed to understand the perceptions of kindergarten and primary (Grades 1 and 2) educators in Ontario, Canada, regarding their students' developmental and academic skills and their own mental health during the 2021 to 2022 school year. Participants comprised 402 Ontario educators who completed an online survey. Educators perceived their students to be struggling in many areas. Results revealed that educators perceived their young students to be struggling in areas of their development, including overall and academic skills (both literacy and mathematics). Compared to their kindergarten educator counterparts, primary teachers were more likely to report that their current students were behind, both academically and developmentally. A third reported moderate levels of anxiety, while two-thirds reported moderate levels of depression. Anxiety was also found to be associated with educators' perception of their students' physical and socioemotional skills. Our findings suggest increased support is needed for young children's developmental and academic progress who experienced many disruptions to their learning, as well as increased mental health support for educators.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1474427
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Educators' Perceptions of Their Own Mental Health and Young Children's Skills in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Natalie+Spadafora%22">Natalie Spadafora</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8498-1712">0000-0001-8498-1712</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Caroline+Reid-Westoby%22">Caroline Reid-Westoby</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Magdalena+Janus%22">Magdalena Janus</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Education%22"><i>Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 205(3):214-225.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 12
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Teachers%22">Preschool Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Teachers%22">Elementary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Development%22">Student Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Ability%22">Academic Ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Skills%22">Reading Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Skills%22">Mathematics Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Depression+%28Psychology%29%22">Depression (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Closing%22">School Closing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
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  Data: 10.1177/00220574251320091
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0022-0574
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The current study aimed to understand the perceptions of kindergarten and primary (Grades 1 and 2) educators in Ontario, Canada, regarding their students' developmental and academic skills and their own mental health during the 2021 to 2022 school year. Participants comprised 402 Ontario educators who completed an online survey. Educators perceived their students to be struggling in many areas. Results revealed that educators perceived their young students to be struggling in areas of their development, including overall and academic skills (both literacy and mathematics). Compared to their kindergarten educator counterparts, primary teachers were more likely to report that their current students were behind, both academically and developmentally. A third reported moderate levels of anxiety, while two-thirds reported moderate levels of depression. Anxiety was also found to be associated with educators' perception of their students' physical and socioemotional skills. Our findings suggest increased support is needed for young children's developmental and academic progress who experienced many disruptions to their learning, as well as increased mental health support for educators.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1474427
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/00220574251320091
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 214
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 1
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 2
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Depression (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Closing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Canada
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Educators' Perceptions of Their Own Mental Health and Young Children's Skills in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada
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            NameFull: Natalie Spadafora
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            NameFull: Caroline Reid-Westoby
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            NameFull: Magdalena Janus
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              M: 07
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 0022-0574
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              Value: 205
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