미국 재외동포 한글학교 교사의 삶에 대한 현상학적 연구

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to find the essential meaning of the lives of Korean school teachers in the United States. The data was analyzed using the phenomenological research method of Giorgi. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. Through the interview survey, the common meaning of life of Korean school teachers was revealed in four stages: motivation, growth, settlement, and meaning. The first step motivation to become a Korean school teacher was: as parents, taking their children to a Korean school. Most of them came from education-related professions, and although there were many difficulties at first, they overcame the initial stage with the feelings of parents and the sense of duty of the teachers. In the second stage, they experienced deep growing pains as teachers. Teachers' voluntary competency development efforts and government support helped the professional growth of Korean school teachers. There were many failures, worries, sacrifices and investments, but through this, they continued to develop themselves. The third stage was to develop professionalism as a Korean school teacher. Experience, systematic operation know-how, and help and cooperation among teachers played a big role. The common value of living in an unfamiliar foreign country and wanting to have a Korean identity was found among teachers, parents, and students. The popularity of Hallyu raised the status of Korean schools along with the rise of national prestige, and the quality of education also improved as the professionalism of Korean school teachers improved. In the fourth stage, the Korean school teacher became everything in life. At first, the job was a part of life and they thought it was a sacrifice, but now it is more rewarding and satisfying, and it has become the meaning of life. It is difficult to generalize the life of a Korean school teacher because the subject of this study is a Korean school in the United States. In the future, it is necessary to study the lives of Korean school teachers in various countries around the world.