Evaluations of Cram School Mathematics Teachers on Cram Schools

Abstract

Extended Abstract Problem and Purpose: Cram school teachers are the most important part of cram school system. Their views on the system in which they work will provide for better understanding of the concept of cram schools whose effects are felt on every part of the Turkish society. As we have not encountered any study on this subject, we think that the present study will complete an important lack in the Turkish literature. In this paper, we aimed at investigating cram school mathematics teachers' views on cram schools. With its results, we suppose that this study will contribute to better understanding of the place of the cram school education in Turkish education system from the perspectives of teachers who work in these institutions. Method: In order to investigate cram school mathematics teachers' views about cram schools, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 teachers who work in different cram schools in Istanbul. The interview questions' content validity was established by a panel of experts consisting of three faculty members in the department of Secondary Mathematics Education. The second author's experiences, as a cram school teacher, also served the preparation of the questions. The teachers' responses were qualitatively analyzed to characterize patterns and categorize answers. By getting permission from teachers, the interviews were conducted in the cram schools they work. Each interview was recorded and endured about 25-30 minutes. The recorded interviews were decrypted and analyzed with the help of a qualitative software (Nvivo 8). The transcript of the data consists of 20 pages and 797 lines. The teachers' responses were qualitatively analyzed to characterize patterns and categorize answers. Results: The semi-structured interviews conducted with cram school teachers have shown significant results on cram school education, students' expectations from cram schools and what students have to do for getting success from cram school education. The teachers indicated that working in a cram school has some advantages and disadvantages compared to a high school. For example, economical opportunities, a comfortable working environment which results from some freedoms and the opportunity of improving and renewing themselves are the advantages cited by the teachers. However, the teachers stated that the hard working hours and the obligation of selfless working (always to be more patient, sympathetic and understanding with students) are negative sides of being a teacher in a cram school. According to the teachers, students go to cram schools for these following reasons: a doping to get success in the university entrance examination, entering into a competitive environment, learning short and practical solutions, methods of questions and opportunity of finding someone to ask questions whenever necessary. Some teachers accuse high school education of being “an education causing to learn by heartâ€? and inflating students' success. In other words, high school education is not in the level where it should be and the grades given to students do not reflect their real situations. Moreover, the students characterize high school education as “an education processing according to a certain formâ€? and state that students who receive only this education fail in the exam. From these comments, it can be interpreted that the teachers exclude high school from the preparation process of the university entrance exam. Keywords: Cram schools, mathematics education, university entrance examination, teacher training