An exploration of kindergarten gratitude education during the COVID-19 pandemic in China / Una exploración de la enseñanza de la gratitud en la Educación Infantil en China durante la pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract

Gratitude is a moral virtue that is valued by many cultures, including the Chinese culture. While the COVID-19 pandemic has affected children’s lives, many Chinese early childhood practitioners argue that the crisis offers a rewarding opportunity for gratitude education. However, empirical studies that reveal practices regarding gratitude education in kindergartens in China are rare. Framed by the sociocultural perspective and Confucianism, this study analysed 100 WeChat official service/subscription account (WOSA) articles, aiming to understand educational practices regarding gratitude education during the pandemic. Through the use of content analysis and discourse analysis, it was found in this study that kindergartens in China guided children to express gratitude to ‘anti-pandemic heroes’ via multiple modalities. Based on an in-depth discussion, this study argues that gratitude education in kindergartens in China is strongly affected by sociocultural changes and conditions and reflects the influences of political and traditional culture. Implications for postpandemic gratitude education practices are discussed.