Teachers’ Perceptions of Fostering Creativity and Imagination among Three and Four Year Old (sic) Preschoolers: An Exploratory Case

Abstract

This exploratory case study investigated three preschool teachers’ views regarding what they perceived as enhancers and inhibitors to fostering creativity and imagination among three- and four-year-old pre-schoolers in Trinidad and Tobago. Data were collected through interviews and direct classroom observation, as well as through the researcher’s reflective journal. The research identified five thematic elements: a) defining creativity, b) hindering creativity, c) creativity can be hindered, d) varying levels of creativity, and e) importance of creativity to academics. The findings revealed that: 1) teachers believed that creativity and imagination emanated from within the individual, and 2) environmental factors such as a nurturing atmosphere and inadequate space significantly impacted a child’s creativity and imagination.