Last modified: 2017-03-23
Abstract
In this study, the aim was to reveal the effectiveness of branch teachers’ committee based on teachers’ opinions. The study covers middle-school teachers working in Bucak town center in Burdur province. In the study, 66 middle-school teachers were reached on voluntary basis. As data gathering tool, a form was used consisting of open-ended questions. Descriptive analysis technique was used to analyze teachers’ answers to open-ended questions. In the study, it was understood that branch teachers’ committee was held twice a year in schools including one at the beginning and one at the end of academic year. It was found out that around 50% of teachers specified that, in these meetings generally, subjects such as annual plan and programs, methods and techniques to be applied in education, projects to be implemented, exam dates, date and management of parents’ meetings, disciplinary problems and measures to be taken to improve success, reasons for students’ failures and absenteeism were discussed. However, according to the majority of teachers, issues considered in branch teachers committee were not assessed effectively. The reason for such observation was that these meetings were usually held in perfunctory way and teachers did not give necessary importance to these meetings. In addition, about 70% of teachers thought that decisions taken at the branch teachers committee were not applied. Among reasons for finding out such a result, incompatibility between programs and plans, and contradictions among education program and the transition from basic education to secondary education exam were shown. Teachers indicated, for further functional branch teacher committee, that it was necessary to evaluate subjects more in depth, decision with higher possibility of realization should be taken and school administration should offer required support for these decisions.