Rural Teachers 2

BACKGROUND

Schooling rates in rural areas are affected by isolation, lack of materials, turnover of teachers and parents’ lack of interest. An innovative education model is necessary especially for rural schools with multi-grade classes. A child-centered, quality education model can be achieved by developing best practices, supporting teachers and creating a network of teachers who can lead the transformation in rural schools.

PROJECT GOALS

• Professional capacities and pedagogical competences of teachers working in multi-grade classes will be improved.
• In order to enable village teachers to provide quality education in schools and increase their motivation, their skills in holistic education, creative thinking, problem-solving and communication will be developed.
• Communities will be established in 4 new provinces or districts to contribute to the loneliness and inadequacy of teachers.
• Education faculty students will be supported with trainings on holistic education, creative thinking, problem-solving, communication in order to increase their self-confidence and make them feel more competent to provide education in village schools.

PROJECT RESULTS

• 144 teachers working in villages attended the Teachers' Community Meetings organized in Diyarbakır, Harran, Malatya, Samsun and Siirt with the aim of supporting the professional and personal skills of teachers. Throughout the pandemic process, besides Teachers’ community meetings, 24 online meetings were held under 18 different topics such as inclusive education, learning in nature, music and movement, and rural development for trainer candidates of Professional Development Course for Teachers serving in Multi-Grade Rural Schools. 549 teachers attended these trainings. Trainings and meetings enabled teachers to become effective teachers by contributing to their personal and professional skills, to develop their life skills in difficult conditions, and to feel part of a community.
• 105 primary school teaching students attended the Children's Workshops held in Diyarbakır, İzmir, Muş and Samsun. Throughout the pandemic process, 463 people participated in nine online meetings held in areas such as classroom management and communication with children, open to all education faculty students. 93% of the prospective teachers stated that their theoretical knowledge about teaching in the village school with unified classrooms increased. It was observed that the prospective teachers concern such as classroom management, fears and difficulties arising from their inexperience, communication and agreement with children, inadequacy of village schools decreased at the end of the training and their knowledge and capacity improved.
• Professional Development Program for Multi-Grade Classes Training of Trainers was prepared as 21 modules under 15 different headings such as being a child in the village, education in unified classes and it was made available within the scope of the EBA system in partnership with the Ministry of National Education General Directorate of Teacher Training and Development.

“I completed the Remote Professional Development Course for Teachers serving in Multi-Grade Rural Schools on EBA. The course content has been prepared based on a series of case studies guiding teachers. Possible problems are presented together with solution suggestions. The training will contribute to the professional development of teachers and guide them by raising pedagogical awareness.”  A Teacher who attended the Remote Professional Development Course -– Kocaeli

“I can never forget my first week departure. I had come to the point where I would cry when I returned. I didn't even know how to address the kids. I had to think ten times to make a sentence. But then I got relieved with each step. Now I can convey at least fifty percent correct what I want to pass on to the children.”  Children's Workshop Participant, Student of Faculty of Education- Muş  

“It will positively affect the spiritual, physical and mental development of the children, and it will enable me to do lesson with less tiredness and more fun.”  Teacher Societies Participant Teacher - Malatya

“These studies carried out in the name of education motivated us to our lessons in a more effective and efficient way. Moving out of stereotypes, it created awareness in the primary education given to children in primary school and made the students studying in the village and combined classrooms even more fortunate. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.”  Teacher Societies Participant Teacher - Malatya