In the last two decades, changes which are constantly introduced in the area of the preschool education, influence the work of preschool teachers and other professionals working in the kindergarten. These changes enhance the quality of educational process, but on the other hand they bring more tasks, greater responsibilities as well as new competences to preschool teachers. Supervision process with its approach has gain an important role in the learning society, which intensively deals with the introduction of life-long learning. Supervision proved to be a method that helps in building of educational workers into confident, professional and autonomous experts.
In the present master thesis, the role of supervision in professional and personal development of preschool teachers and their assistants in kindergartens was examined. In the theoretical part of the thesis the position of a preschool teacher in the kindergarten of today and the changes were identified, especially the consequences of the educational reforms, as well as the challenges of modern society. Some of the most important professional development models for preschool teachers are presented and the process of their professional identity development is defined. Furthermore, the supervision, its aims, functions and the role of the reflection in the supervision process are presented as well as the role of the supervision in the education with regard to some researchers. In the empirical part the evaluation of the process of two supervision groups in two Slovenian kindergartens is presented. In the research, qualitative methodology was used based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews and evaluation reports elaborated in the end of the supervision process. All interviewees considered the process as very positive despite the fact that the decision for inclusion in the supervision process occurred due to the incentives of their head workers and was not an expression of needs and requests of the supervisees. The results of this study show that supervision process can be an important factor of the formation of the preschool teachers’ professional identity and their professional development. The new knowledge they gained during the supervision process was identified as well as the connection with the length of their working life. The results show how the interviewees comprehended the role of reflection in the supervision process and moreover different views they have on writing of reflection reports. The supportive role of supervision for disburdening in professional and private life was recognized as important in the research. Furthermore, also an important role of the supervision group and its stimulating impact on the process of learning and development of individual supervisees was confirmed. The results show that supervision is appropriate for preschool education as a learning and a supporting method therefore it should be available as a permanent part of in-service training programs for preschool teachers and other professionals in kindergartens.
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