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Dissertation Information for Mina Kim

NAME:
- Mina Kim

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Curriculum and Instruction

SCHOOL:
- Indiana University (USA) (2005)

ADVISORS:
- Jesse Goodman

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Ellen Brantlinger
- Lara Lackey

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Finding identity through feminism: Professional challenges for teachers of young children

Abstract: This ethnographic study examined identities of female preschool teachers regarding their personal and professional lives. As well known in American society, the majority of preschool teachers are women. However, their voices explaining how their personal and professional lives were constructed and shaped in social context are rarely heard in educational research. Moreover, feminist scholarship, which one would expect to interpret women's perspectives in this field, instead often focuses on male preschool teachers because of their minority status. How most women preschool teachers perceive their professorial identities remains an unexplored area of gender studies until recently.

This study explores personal and professional identities of seven female preschool teachers, selected through purposeful sampling, and illuminates their identities relating to their occupational role as teachers. As a qualitative field study, a life history method was used to collect teachers' narratives and analyze them as a means of understanding female teachers' occupational identities.

The findings of this study discovered that these informants' personal motivations for becoming preschool teachers were strongly related to the patriarchical belief that raising children was women's work. However, once within the ECE field, they refused to consider the role of early childhood teachers as that of a 'mother.' Instead, these preschool teachers constructed their unique identities as "teachers." That is, they view their responsibilities as providing positive learning environments as well as the caring and safety of children. Moreover, despite some disadvantages caused by low social status, "unprofessional" dress code, and lower income, these informants' knowledge of this field, based on preservice, inservice, and institutional knowledge, led to a more professional perspective of themselves and their career. This became a strong motivation for them to remain preschool teachers for a long time, even in this high turnover occupation. They also challenged the social image of preschool teachers as babysitters because their occupational knowledge helped them (1) construct their own professionalism and (2) confront cultural stereotypes of preschool teachers. These informants' teaching practices showed that they were good care takers as well as educators, not because they were women, but because they were professionally trained and educated teachers who love teaching young children.

MPACT Scores for Mina Kim

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2010-10-10 14:42:08

Advisors and Advisees Graph