Perceptions of Elementary School Teachers Regarding Political Life at School

Abstract

The basic purpose of this study was to determine political behavior in schools according to the perceptions of elementary teachers and to present the politica l perceptions of tea chers accor ding to miscellaneous variables. The study was carried out using a survey model. The participants in the study consisted of 265 elementary teachers, randomly selected from seven provinces in the seven geographical regions of Turkey. A scale of political perception at school developed by the researcher, was used as the data collection tool. It was determined that teachers from the more developed regions of Turkey, such as the Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean regions, perceived less political behavior than the teachers from regions considered t o be less developed, such as the Eastern Anatolia and Southeastern Anatolia Regions. The study also determined that married teachers and female teachers perceived more rational behavior than single teachers and male teachers, respectively. It was observed that teachers who were union members perceived more political behavior than those who were not union members.