Abstract:

Our main aim in this study is to collect the opinions of middle school mathematics teachers about their professional careers in the context of their undergraduate education. To achieve this goal, we used the qualitative method to determine the working group, data collection sources, and data analysis processes. We used four different forms as data collection tools in the study. The study group consisted of 13 mathematics teachers working in public middle schools. Consequently, when examining how mathematics teachers viewed their professional competencies during their undergraduate education, they stated that they felt strong in teaching profession knowledge and professional satisfaction, while experiencing professional difficulties in bureaucracy, education-teaching process, and socio-economic conditions. They said that their undergraduate education was insufficient to prepare them for the profession, and they felt this situation especially in the early years of their careers. They stressed the importance of aligning undergraduate course content with practical applications, advocating for the inclusion of field education courses to bolster the professional capabilities of mathematics educators. In addition, they recommended extending teaching practice opportunities beyond the senior year to encompass the freshman through senior years, thereby further enhancing the pedagogical skills of preservice teachers. Our research is limited to the opinions of the teachers in the study group. For this reason, we recommend that future studies involve all stakeholders in the training of mathematics teachers, focusing on the professional competencies of teachers, and conducting longitudinal studies to assess the effectiveness of changes in undergraduate programs.

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