WHAT WE HAVE FEARED OF WHEN WE WERE KIDS? – THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FUTURE PRESCHOOL TEACHERS' EARLY EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR WORK WITH CHILDREN

Sa？etak Even though fears present normal part of human life, very often they can be and they are one of the reasons when normal development goes in the wrong direction. The aim of this research was to study the fears that students (first, second and third year of study) of Early and Pre-school Care and Education (N=86), at Faculty of Teacher Education in Rijeka retrospectively reported that they had experienced in childhood. Data were collected by a poll of 37 items that present the most often fears of preschool children. Students reported an average of 12 fears during preschool age, and the most intensive were precisely those fears that are typical for the preschool age. The findings were discussed within the frame of great importance of healthy socio-emotional development in preschool years, especially when we talk about future pre-school teachers