협력적 멘토링 기반 교사학습공동체에 참여한 초임 보육교사의 경험: 자연체험활동을 중심으로

Experiences of beginner child care teachers participating in a collaborative mentoring-based teacher learning community: Focusing on nature experience activities

본 연구에서는 교사교육의 대안적 방안을 모색하고자 협력적 멘토링 기반 교사학습공동체를 구성하고 초임 보육교사들의 경험을 탐색하였다. 이를 위해 6명의 보육교사들이 약 4개월간 매주 교사학습공동체에 참여하여 자연체험활동 사례를 공유하고, 문제해결을 모색하며 기록한 수업일지, 교사 간 대화 자료, 저널, 유아관찰 기록, 설문지 등을 수집하여 분석하였다. 연구결과, 본 연구에 참여한 초임보육교사들은 ‘불안과 두려움 마주하기, 평가보다 동등한 관계에서 소통하기, 동료교사와 함께 반성적 실천하기, 더불어 성장하며 협력의 가치 체득하기’를 경험하였다. 이러한 결과는 교사들이 어려운 위기 상황에서도 동료 간 협력체제 구축을 통해 힘든 시기를 함께 이겨나갈 수 있음을 보여주었다. 본 연구에 참여한 초임교사들은 많은 어려움을 겪었지만, 학습공동체에서 동료교사들과 지속적인 자연체험활동 실행의 순환과정을 통해 자신의 신념과 접근 방식을 반성적으로 들여다봄으로써 끊임없이 자신을 성찰하고 발전시키는 교사로 성장하고 있었다. 본 연구는 초임 유아교사들의 학습공동체 참여의 의미를 밝히고 협력적 멘토링을 기반으로 교사학습공동체를 활성화하는 방안에 대한 시사점을 제공한다.

The purpose of this study was to explore alternative ways to support beginning early childhood teachers by building a teacher-learning community through collaborative mentoring. Six child care teachers participated in this study. For approximately four months, they shared examples of nature-based experience activities, discussed problems, and sought solutions through a teacher learning community each week. This study involved child care teachers participating in a weekly teacher learning community for approximately four months, sharing examples of nature experience activities and fostering problem-solving. For this study, data from six teachers' class logs, teacher-teacher dialogues, journals, child observation records, and questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The research results showed that the beginner child care teachers who participated in this study experienced ‘facing anxiety and fear, communicating on an equal footing rather than evaluating, reflective practice with fellow teachers, growing together and learning the value of collaboration’. These results demonstrate that teachers could overcome difficult times together by building collaborative systems with their colleagues, even in challenging crises. The beginner teachers who participated in this study experienced many difficulties. Still, they grew into teachers who constantly reflected on and developed themselves by examining their own beliefs and approaches through the cycle of implementing nature-based experience activities in a continuous learning community with fellow teachers. This study elucidates the meaning and value of new early childhood teachers' participation in learning communities and provides implications for revitalizing teacher learning communities based on collaborative mentoring.