Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the courage of infant & toddler teachers during their care for infants and toddlers in an effort to shed light on the courage of teachers, which has been overlooked so far. It's specifically meant to raise awareness of the necessity of courage as one of virtues that teachers should have to provide quality care. The subjects in this study were four selected infant & toddler teachers at a childcare center. Data were gathered during a 12-week period of time from June to August, 2012, by having in-depth interviews with the teachers. After the collected data were analyzed, the courage that teachers had was categorized into three: being unsparing of oneself, acting according to conscience and sticking to principles, and raising and caring. As for the first, they didn't spare themselves even though there was a danger of physical harm or death. Regarding the second, they held fast to their principles even when it's against the will of the principal and parents, and continued to modify the principles by looking back on themselves. Concerning the third, they did their utmost while they provided toilet training. In the future, the characteristics of courage that infant & toddler teachers should have to take good care of infants and toddlers should be investigated, and courage should be taken seriously as one of virtues. Besides, how to help teachers keep their courage up should carefully be considered.
본 연구는 영아교사의 용기에 대해 고찰함으로써 기존에 간과되어 왔던 교사의 용기를 파악하고자 하였으며 영아교사의 역할 수행과정에 있어 용기라는 덕목에 대한 인식을 증진시키는데 목적이 있다. 연구참여자는 어린이집에 근무하는 영아교사 4인이며 2012년 6월부터 2012년 8월까지 12주 동안 3~5회에 걸쳐 연구자와 연구참여자들이 심층면담을 실시함으로써 자료를 수집하였다. 연구결과에 따르면 영아교사의 용기는 신체적 손상과 죽음의 공포에도 용기 있는 행동을 하는 '몸을 불사르는 영아교사의 용기', 부모와 원장의 요구에도 불구하고 원칙을 고수하며 자기반성을 통하여 양심과 원칙을 재구성하는 '양심과 원칙에 따르는 영아교사의 용기', 영아를 기르고 돌보는 과정에서 회복탄력성을 발휘하는'기르고 돌보는 영아교사의 용기'로 범주화되었다. 이는 영아교사가 영아를 돌보는 과정에서 요구되는 용기의 특성을 규명하고 용기라는 덕목에 대한 의미부여 및 증진 방안마련의 필요성을 시사한다.
