The Direction of Teacher Policies through Analysis of Key Competencies of Domestic and Foreign Kindergarten Teachers

Abstract

This study intended to analyze key competencies of domestic and foreign kindergarten teachers, to find out the contexts, and to explore the direction of teacher policies. The study analyzed domestic and foreign web sites and literature related to key competencies of kindergarten teachers, organized them, and extracted characteristics and common elements of each country. Based on the findings, the direction of teacher policies on the basis of teacher key competencies was presented. First, kindergarten teacher key competencies and child key competencies should be linked and responsibilities of kindergarten education should be reinforced. Second, key competencies should be developed based on teacher career cycle. Third, verifying a total system of teachers based on kindergarten teacher key competencies is necessary. Fourth, constant monitoring systems for checking on future societies and studies on key competencies are needed. Fifth, it is necessary to vitalize a “learning community” for teacher educators who are responsible for educating “good teachers” that the times demand. Lastly, expanding a preferential policy for “good teachers” and system developing in order to share “good lessons" are necessary.