The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of student teachers during toddler practicum in daycare centers and the meaning of their experiences in an attempt to have a better understanding of toddler practicum among prospective teachers....
The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of student teachers during toddler practicum in daycare centers and the meaning of their experiences in an attempt to have a better understanding of toddler practicum among prospective teachers. The subjects in this study were six selected juniors who majored in early childhood education in A university in Seoul. A narrative study was conducted for eight months to find out about their practice experiences. The findings of the study about the research questions posed were as follows:
1. Narrative on Student Teaching Experiences in Daycare Centers for Toddler
Before the practice started, the student teachers didn't think that they would be able to apply their own perspective and what they learned, but they had some expectations for infants and toddler care on the other hand. They learned lessons from guidance teachers who served as a good role model, and they learned from them what a teacher should be like as well. They felt the guidance teachers cared about them. Yet they were forced to have a doubt about the meaning of child care and their own identity because of what they had to do during practice and because of some guidance teachers who served a negative role model. Though they had a hard time because they were some conflicts between homeroom teachers, but they often foundout the significance of the practice from toddler whom they took care of. Such diverse experiences allowed the teachers-to-be to find the meaning as a teacher in the relationship with toddler, and to learn what being a teacher was like. In other words, they underwent positive changes by getting to understand the lives of toddler and the meaning of toddler care.
2. Meaning of Student Teaching Experiences in Daycare Centers for Toddler
1) Significance of the Process of Toddler Practicum
The prospective teachers took an unfavorable attitude toward toddler care at first, but they came to think of the responsibility of toddler care and to have new expectations for that in the course of practice. There appeared a denial of toddler care, expectations for that, values conflict, skepticism, adjustment or sustained criticism among the student teachers, and they fitted into the practice by being approved by toddler, through self-suggestion and by realizing what they were like. By seeing what they were like, they were able to look back on themselves and build their identity as a teacher. In addition, the practice was meaningful in that it enabled them to find it happy to teach toddler and to learn from them at the same time.
2) Meaning of Toddler Caring
During the practice, the would-be teachers learned that teachers in charge of toddler should understand their lives, provide friendly and stable environments, be receptive and sensitively respond to them in pursuit of their growth. They realized that their role was not to teach but to share the lives of toddler. Besides, they learned to see things from their viewpoint and perceived what caring should be like.
3) Emotional Collaboration through Practicum Meeting
The student teachers got together to share their experiences and ideas. That meant that they unveiled themselves and shared their personal being. The practice meeting served as a chance for them to have a heart-to-heart talk, to cooperate with one another, to give comfort and emotional support mutually and to facilitate mutual growth. In the meeting, they felt they were understood and valued by others, and they collected what's on their mind and made an inquiry into themselves. That experience motivated them to teach themselves and one another, and the practice meeting provided a chance for this researcher to deliberate on the worth of teaching as well.