| The purpose of this dissertation was to explore teachers' perceptions of the professionalism of kindergarten teachers in South Korea. By listening to the kindergarten teachers' voices, I hoped to understand how they perceived professionalism, and by understanding their perception, to improve to quality of education for children. Using the in-depth interviewing method, I listened to the voices of six Korean kindergarten teachers who majored in early childhood education at 4-year colleges and who had worked as kindergarten teachers for at least 7 years. In addition to the individual interviews, I conducted a focus group interview with the six participants. The collected data was analyzed based on interpretive phenomenology.;The teachers' descriptions of the three terms, profession, professional, and professionalism were interrelated. Education and training, high monetary compensation, public service, ongoing professional development, and specialized knowledge emerged in the definition of a profession. Education and training, experience, getting paid, a passion for work, knowing one's ability and limit, and being the best in the field appeared as the criteria of professionals in the description of a professional. Passion, love of job, and being good were included in the definition of professionalism.;In addition, based on teachers' accounts, twelve interrelated themes or domains emerged across individual, interpersonal, and societal/institutional professionalism. These three professional domains overlapped. In the individual domain was love of children, interacting with children, teachers' responsibilities, insight into children's potential, and teachers' passion to continue professional development. In the interpersonal domain was relationships with children, relationships with children's parents, and relationships with other teachers. In the societal/institutional domain was compensation, respect for the work of kindergarten teachers, teacher qualifications, and working conditions. Teachers' perspectives on those twelve themes varied. |
