Discovery Of Roles Of Kindergarten Teachers In Curriculum Development--In The View Of Hermeneutic Phenomenology

This study, based on hermeneutic phenomenology, was intended to explore the actual roles of kindergarten teachers involved in kindergarten curriculum development. The research was significantly associated with both Kindergarten Curriculum and Teacher Research.According to the spirit of lived experience research-focus on the practice, the researcher has worked as a teacher in one kindergarten, which is well-known by its theme teaching, in order to seek the essence of teacher roles since 6-2003 to 12-2003. Two other teachers and the researcher worked in an experimental class in which new curriculum development was encouraged.During this period, two thematic programs emerged, one named 'The Story of Chicken' and the other 'Low and High" . In the view of hermeneutic phenomenology, the process of emergence has been described in details to find out the real roles of teachers in it. Furthermore, the study examined the difference between the real roles and the ideal roles of kindergarten teachers. Some influence towards the research objects, which should be made by certain social roles related closely to kindergarten teachers, such as parents, deans, administrators, and teachers themselves, were discussed in the study as well.Based on this research, the researcher believed that it is effective to create a Learning Community for the construction of the ideal roles of the teachers.