Abstract
This study focused on the functions of dress, which we regarded as something between self and others, of childcare teachers. Semi-structured interviews and field surveys were administered to 18 childcare teachers working at three certified integrated preschool–kindergarten facilities in the Kanto area who have more than 10 years of childcare career experiences. Inter-functional structure was analyzed using the modified Grounded Theory Approach. We found five functions of childcare teacher’s dress: “physical management function,” “inner self-psychological function,” “Self-concept formation function,” “Visible communication function,” and “Invisible communication function.” We then reviewed two important points in childcare practice. We first focused on childcare teachers who continue to develop themselves in the context of childcare by dressing every day. We then focused on the act of dressing, which influenced themselves and others and improved the childcare environment.
