The Opinions of the Secondary School Teachers on Being Role Models to Their Students

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

Raising our young people, who are the guarantee of the future, as good people and good citizens of tomorrow and incorporating them into the society is the biggest goal of the families and the education system. In this process, young people take certain people as role models when they construct themselves for their future in the society. These people, whom they take as models, are people who are role models in every sense. Young people first meet their teachers as role models at school age. Teachers, who are an important element of the education system, are very important characters for students in that they are role models to them and shape the future lives of the students. Accordingly, the aim of the research is to reveal the opinions of secondary school teachers, who are at a key position in the education system, as role models for their students. The sample of the study was composed of 26 secondary school teachers in different branches (Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Turkish, English, Physical Education, Religious Culture) working in public secondary schools affiliated to the MoNE in the city of Antalya in the 2018-2019 academic year. Participation in the study was on a voluntary basis and the convenience sampling method was used. The data of the research were collected by making face-to-face interviews within the framework of the interview form prepared by the researchers by reviewing the relevant literature and taking expert opinion. The data obtained in this research, in which qualitative research method was employed, were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. When the results of the research are evaluated in general, it is possible to say that teachers try to be a role model for their students; they try to bring universal values to them and they convey these values through important and exemplary people, and aim to be a role model for their students with their attitudes and behaviors in the classroom. Based on the results of the research, it can be suggested that teachers should get to know their students' interests and construct their exemplary behaviors for their students in and out of the classroom by considering the factors that affect the way who our youngsters take as role models. In this context, teachers may also be recommended to receive training in service or before service if necessary.