Between Structure and Creativity – Romanian Kindergarten Teachers’ Professional Reasoning in Selecting Didactic Strategies

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how kindergarten teachers make professional decisions when selecting didactic strategies in their daily classroom practice. Drawing on fifty semi-structured interviews with teachers, the research examines how educators navigate the balance between structured teaching methods—such as memorization, observation, and exercises—and creative, play-based approaches including storytelling, modelling, and artistic expression. Using a grounded theory approach, the analysis reveals that teachers’ choices are shaped by multiple interrelated factors: curriculum requirements, children’s developmental needs, the emotional climate of the group, and teachers’ personal beliefs about learning and play. Findings indicate that teachers engage in a dynamic process of reasoning that blends experience, intuition, and reflection to ensure both cognitive progress and creative freedom. The resulting conceptual model highlights the central role of professional judgment and flexibility in early childhood education, portraying teachers as reflective practitioners who continuously adapt their strategies to promote meaningful, holistic learning experiences for young children.