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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching. Volume 10, Issue 2, Article 13 (Dec., 2009) |
We may never solve the poor quality teaching problems unless more attention is paid to the dispositions and characteristics that impact classroom practice. The reality is that in-service teachers do not have qualified professional skills to solve these problems, and even new teachers do not feel ready for the challenges of today’s classrooms. The TDI has many potential uses for teachers and teacher preparation programs. If we integrate TDI in our teacher preparation programs, our pre-service teachers may become increasingly aware of the characteristics of effective teachers, and they may be able to apply, observe, and reflect on these traits throughout the teacher preparation process. The TDI allows in-service teachers to evaluate themselves and their work, and then determine whether or not additional steps are needed to improve their teaching skills. That understanding may help constructively change attitudes and behaviors and possibly to improve schools.
This study is descriptive study which is self-evaluation report was determined via teachers thoughts, and showed that Turkish elementary science teachers are not failing, except they have some doubts regarding their skills. The first doubt is they are not sure how to maintain and develop their professional skills. They are not seeking out professional growth opportunities, especially not following up current research on teaching practices. Moreover, they have ethical and communication problems with students and parents and their colleagues. Before their lesson, they might not make decisions about the selection of proper (relevant and interesting for students) materials for lesson. Another possible reason for these deficiencies might be related to the three P’s, which are psychology, philosophy, and pedagogy, for the design of science curriculum that supports both student learning, teachers’ assessments and teachers’ professional development (Abd-El-Khalick, & Lederman, 2000). In-service teachers do not know students psychologically, pedagogically and philosophically. That is, they cannot consistently emphasize their love, not understand the student’s personality, likes, dislikes, and personal situations that may affect behavior and performance in class, not use opportunities at school and out of school to open communication lines and not regard the ethic of care and learning as important in educating students, because of a lack of integration and mutual influence derives from inherent incompatibilities between the goals and methods of science teaching in classrooms. Teachers were typically not interested in how to teach children to think more scientifically (Klahr & Li, 2005; Metz 1997). Wilson, Floden and Ferrini-Mundy (2001) declared teachers who focused generally on pedagogical content knowledge on science subject matter significantly improved student achievement. Turkish in-service teachers not only teach basic science concepts, but also have to prepare their students for national exams at the end of the primary school in order to advance to special schools or high school and eventually university. A lack of materials and deficiencies in the physical environment, including crowdedness of classrooms, cause difficulties. These might be reasons why they just focus science concepts; hence, they are not able to update their teaching and professional skills.
