Teachers’ perception on the operation of after-school course teachers-focusing on public kindergartens in chungcheongbukdo
본 연구는 공립유치원 방과후 과정 교사 운영에 대한 현장 교사들의 이야기를 듣고 방과후 과정 교사 운 영에 관해 교사들의 인식은 어떠한지 알아보는데 그 목적이 있다. 본 연구의 목적에 따라 교사가 인식하는 방과후 과정 교사 운영에 대한 인식은 어떠한가?로 연구 문제를 선정하여 연구를 진행하였다. 연구에 참여 한 연구 참여 교사는 충청북도에 공립유치원에서 근무하며 방과후 과정을 운영하고 있는 교사 5명과 타․시 도(대전, 경기, 대구, 전라북도) 공립유치원 근무하며 방과후 과정을 운영하는 교사 5명이다. 연구 과정은 2015년 4월 6일(월) ∼ 6월 27일(토)까지 12주 동안 주 1회 교사 10인과 심층 면담을 실시하였다. 연구자는 연구 참여자의 시각으로부터 통찰과 발견, 이해에 이르도록 도와주는 중요한 자료를 많이 수집하기 위해 심층면담을 실시하였으며, 전화 면담, e-메일과 같은 다양한 종류의 면담을 실시하였다. 자료의 수집은 면 담한 자료를 취합하여 전사하였으며, 현장 노트를 작성하여 현장에서의 상황을 묘사하여 예비적인 보충 자 료로 연구에 활용하였다.
본 연구를 통해 얻은 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 갑자기 달라진 방과후 과정 교사 운영 지침이 갑자기 변 경되어 어려움을 겪고 있었다. 둘째, 방과후 과정 교사를 채용의 어려움을 겪고 있었다. 지원자가 감소하게 된 배경을 보면 방과후 과정 교사 채용 자격 조건이 강화되었으며, 유치원이 위치한 지역적 특성에 따라 면 이하의 경우 유치원 정교사 자격증 소지자의 부재로 지원자가 턱없이 감소하였다. 셋째, 다양한 방과후 과정 교사의 유형으로 인해 누구와 함께 일을 하느냐에 따라 교사가 느끼는 인식이 서로 다르게 나타났다. 넷째, 방과후 과정 교사 운영에 대한 어려움으로 소통의 부재를 말하고 있다. 한 학급을 함께 운영하는 교 육과정 교사와 방과후 과정 교사가 학급 운영을 잘하기 위해 무엇보다 필요한 것이 소통일 것이다.
This study aims to find out the opinions of teachers at the site on the operation of after-school course teachers at public kindergartens and study teachers’ perception on the operation of after-school course teachers.
The study problem established for the objective is as follows.
1. How is the teachers’ perception on the operation of after-school course teachers?
The teachers participating in this study consist of 5 public kindergarten teachers in Chungcheongbuk-do that are running after-school courses, and 5 public kindergarten teachers of other province or city (Daejeon, Gyeonggi-do, Daegu, Jeollabuk-do) that are running after-school courses.
Study was conducted from April 6, 2015 (Mon) ~ June 27, 2015 (Sat) for 12 weeks, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 teachers once a week.
This study conducted in-depth interviews to collect as much of important information that helps the participants’ perspective to reach insight, discovery and understanding as possible, and the methods of interview included various methods such as phone interviews and e-mails. Collected data was transcribed, and field notes, which describes the situations at the site, were used as additional preliminary material.Results obtained from this study are as follows.
First, teachers were facing difficulties due to sudden changes in the operation guidelines of after-school course teachers. Policy should be coherent, and if changes are inevitable, sufficient time to adapt to such changes should be provided, so work transfer can be smoothly processed. Teachers faced difficulties as the after-school course teacher operation guidelines suddenly changed. First, teachers had to handle the curriculum solely by themselves and were the most concerned about the safety of children. Also, in case of kindergartens attached to elementary schools, teachers were operating the classroom alone that they were getting help from administrative workers in the elementary school or health teachers, and in case of kindergartens that hire 2-hour short-term instructors, teachers were using free-play activity time and their spare time to process official documents or work that a proper curriculum operation was not possible. In addition, teachers were having difficulties due to heavy workload and physical fatigue. In order to pursue a quality kindergarten education, various plans to support teachers’ work should be devised.
Second, there was a difficulty in hiring after-school course teachers. Applicants decreased despite 3 notices. The reason for such decrease was the reinforced employment conditions for after-school course teachers. Also, depending on the region where the kindergarten is located in, locations below the township level had significant decrease in applicants due to the absence of license holder. Number of applicants also decreased due to reduced working hours. Not only the decrease in applicants lead to difficulty in hiring after-school course teachers, but it also created worries among teachers about after-school course teachers resigning. In addition, teachers experienced relative deprivation from the teachers that make higher wage compared to their short 4-working hours. Lastly, teachers had to bear a huge burden of having to operate both the curriculum and after-school course when after-school course teachers were not hired. However, they were not receiving proper compensation and were being hurt for not being properly acknowledged. Due to the changes in after-school course operation guidelines, teachers were being overburdened and were facing many difficulties; the organizational climate of taking teachers’ workload as granted without proper compensation or acknowledgement should be changed. Also, the manpower pool by each education office should be reinforced for employment, and the superintendent should hire and appoint after-school course teachers to kindergartens rather than the school principal.
Third, due to various types of after-school course teachers, teachers’ perceptions varied depending on who they work with.
Teachers paired with regular teachers displayed positive perception on after-school course teachers, since the after-school course teachers worked at the kindergarten in the morning as well, enabling them to operate the class together. Teachers paired with after-school educators also displayed high levels of satisfaction when the educators were working with them in the morning and afternoon. Teachers paired with part-time or contract teachers had to handle both the class and work, so they were overburdened, and complained that the after-school course teachers could not participate in field trips and kindergarten events due to their work hour restrictions. Teachers that work with 2-hour short-term instructors were facing the greatest difficulties. Some of difficulties they were facing were the extended operating hours by 1 hour, insufficient time to process work, and the worry about instructors without responsibility. In order for the after-school courses to be qualitatively improve, the system for after-school course teachers should be stabilized first.
Fourth, the difficulty in after-school course teacher operation included absence of communication. In order for the curriculum teacher and after-school course teacher that run the class together to operate the class well, communication would be crucial. However, there was far from enough time for the teachers to communicate with part-time or contracted teachers that work for 4 hours or the short-term instructors that work for 2 hours due to their short working hours. Teachers briefly discussed about the children’s behaviors or precautions during their rotation. They were stating they the relationship among teachers were not amicable due to insufficient time for exchange. There should be sufficient time for the class teacher and after-school course teacher to discuss with each other, and various ways using memos or bulletin boards should be demanded.