Summary: | 碩士 === 國立新竹教育大學 === 幼兒教育研究所 === 92 === Abstract
The purpose of this study is to understand the professional development process of an early childhood teacher through a life story of an experienced female early childhood teacher. The study is meant to examine incidents or people that influenced her professional development as well as her in-service professional development stages. A life-story approach was used to understand the professional development process of an early childhood teacher, Mrs. Yi-Qing, who is married, has a son and has worked both in public and private kindergartens for 17 years. By interviewing Mrs. Yi-Qing and other people related, and by supplementing with observation and document collection, the results of the study on the professional development process of Mrs. Yi-Qing, including that in her preservice phase and in-service phase are as follows:
1. Professional development is a step-by-step and constant process:
The professional development process of Mrs. Yi-Qing can be traced back to her preservice period. That is to say, both individual development and the stage of teacher education have an influence on the professional development of a teacher. In addition, the in-service professional development of a teacher becomes matured through a step-by-step process. Due to the role she plays and focus she has on each stage, Mrs. Yi-Qing has gone through the novice stage, the initial stage, the informed stage and the complex stage. And she continues to develop on the influential stage.
2. The professional development is a continuous biography of the teacher:
The characteristics of Mrs. Yi-Qing have a great influence on her professional development. She not only possesses love and enthusiasm for education, but also is willing to keep learning in order to integrate the new with her old experiences. The continuous learning and reflection becomes the key to her development. Besides, many ‘important people’ that were once in her life, also motivate and inspire her professional development. Both the formation of the characteristics of Mrs. Yi-Qing and the influence of those ‘important people’ can be tracked down in her biography.
Based on the results of the study, suggestions for early childhood teachers and future studies are brought forward.
Key word: early childhood teacher, teachers' professional development, life story
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