This research was conducted to examine the meaning of cooperating teacher’s experience
in the elementary school teaching practice program. For this purpose, in-depth interview and
participant observation of cooperating teachers was conducted, and related documentation
such as teaching practice plans and textbook, teaching practice journals were analyzed. Based
on the meaningful content from in-depth interviews, analysis was conducted in 4 categories,
11 clusters and 18 themes. The four categories were‘working in an education practice
cooperative school’,‘teacher’s professionalism’,‘achievement in teaching practice instruction’,
‘concerns and limitations’. Clusters include, obtaining extra points, new experience, how to
conduct a good class, how to manage a class, teaching student teachers, assessing student
teachers, opportunity for personal growth, the joy of practice instruction, concerns on lessons
and classroom management, concerns on practice instruction ability, concerns on practice
instruction method. Through this research, we have found out that teaching practice
instruction experience brings about meaningful change and effect to cooperating teachers
regarding teacher professionalism awareness and development. Furthermore, based on the
result of this research, we can move beyond the personal experiences of cooperating
teachers, and find implications for teacher development and the teaching practice system.