Chapter 8 The Effectiveness of Community of Practice in Supporting Israeli Kindergarten Teachers Dealing With an Emotionally Laden Topic

Abstract

Kindergarten teachers are increasingly being called on to deal with emotionally laden topics in their classrooms. Little is known about effective means of supporting early childhood educators in their professional development to cope with these issues effectively. This study examines the utility of the Community of Practice (COP) model to address this need. A two-year COP was established among veteran and novice Israeli kindergarten teachers focused on teaching the Holocaust in their classrooms, which is a culturally mandated topic in preschools and kindergartens in their country. Six teachers were interviewed, and the data was analyzed using grounded theory. Findings show the COP to support teachers in learning more about the subject matter and thinking deeply about its teaching in the early childhood classroom. In addition the COP provided a community of peers that encouraged meaningful feedback in a safe environment, which served to break professional isolation. The COP format was also found to be an effective tool for professional growth due to its support of cooperative learning, professional assurance, empowerment, mindfulness, and a disposition for focusing on the child's needs rather than the demands of the curriculum.

Citation

Brody, D. and Friedman, A. (2012), "Chapter 8 The Effectiveness of Community of Practice in Supporting Israeli Kindergarten Teachers Dealing With an Emotionally Laden Topic", Sutterby, J.A. (Ed.) Early Education in a Global Context (Advances in Early Education and Day Care, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 183-210. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0270-4021(2012)0000016011