Philosophy of dialogue, phenomenology of womanhood and kindergarten teaching: loving human relationships as the foundation of the profession

The kindergarten teaching profession is a highly feminised environment. To better understand how teachers perceive it, we draw on the philosophy of dialogue (Buber, Levinas), which views the relationship with the other as the foundation of human existence. Additional context is provided by phenomenology (Husserl) and phenomenological analyses of femininity (Stein), which understand care, protection, and support as fundamental modes of human experience. Applied to education, these philosophical perspectives highlight the essentially dialogical relationship between teacher and child, experienced as a phenomenon of love expressed not only through words but also through touch. To examine whether these symbolic dimensions of the profession are reflected in teachers’ own perceptions, we employ visual methodology, still relatively underused in educational research. Drawings created by kindergarten teachers enrolled in university qualification programmes (n = 76) demonstrate that they regard a loving relationship with children—symbolised by positive emotions and the heart—as central to their professional identity. An in-depth analysis of six selected drawings further illustrates the diverse ways in which love and care are represented within the kindergarten teaching profession.