Creative Pedagogy and Environment in the Saudi Arabian Preschool Settings: Teachers’ Perspectives

The study aimed to explore the creative pedagogy and environment among preschool teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Qualitative methods were applied, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations, to explore the different perspectives held by a range of female preschool teachers in the KSA. The sample comprised of twenty early childhood practitioners from four different preschool settings, two private and two public schools. The analysis of the narrative data sources was undertaken using the Nvivo software, where all the meaningful components of data from interviews and observations was coded and assembled into themes. The researcher then followed the interview results with observation outcomes to counter and minimise any impact on the participants as well as the data. The information was then integrated in the interpretation of the overall results. Findings from both the interview and observation qualitative analysis processes indicated that teachers exposed their own understandings of creative pedagogy as they suggested several methods and pedagogical practices to be used in the classroom to enhance the young children’s creativity. Surprisingly, teachers from private schools believed that the curriculum focuses on knowledge more than on skills, as the curriculum is more academically driven. On the other hand, the teachers in public schools considered the national curriculum as the best in supporting children’s creativity. The majority of teachers, from both public and private sectors,