A Grounded Theory Approach to the Teaching Practice Experience of Elementary School Teachers

This study explores how elementary school cooperating teachers experience the teaching practicum and develop their identity as teacher educators based on the grounded theory approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 cooperating teachers from three schools newly designated as teaching practicum partnership schools. The findings revealed that cooperating teachers engaged in teaching practicum with dual motivations of pursuing personal professional growth and fulfilling responsibility for the development of the teaching profession. In the process of practicum, they faced various challenges including pressure of lesson demonstration, insufficient information, and time constraints. To overcome these challenges, they employed both individual efforts and collaborative approaches with colleagues. A significant finding was their perspective transformation from pursuing 'perfect lessons' to embracing 'authentic lessons' that represent the actual school context, which proved crucial in establishing their identity as teacher educators. Throughout this process, cooperating teachers developed a unique domain of expertise in conveying practical school contexts while serving multifaceted roles as role models and mentors for pre-service teachers. The findings of this study contribute to expanding our understanding of cooperating teachers' distinctive roles and expertise within the teacher education system, ultimately suggesting the necessity for systematic support measures.