Abstract:

Abstract enPre-service Teachers' Perceptions of the Conceptt of Teacher: A Metaphoric Study. The main purpose of this study is to determine teacher candidates' mental images about the concept of teacher via metaphors. This research was carried out by participating of 370 teacher candidates studying at Dicle University Ziya Gokalp Education Faculty Department of Primary Education, in 2011-2012 academic year. The research data were collected by an open-ended questionnaireDescriptive analysis technique which is a qualitative research method were used to analyze the data. Teacher candidates explained the concept of teacher via some metaphors such as parent, family, gardener, guide, light and shepherd. The metaphors created by teacher candidates collected under categories of reshaping, guiding, information source, not prestigious, flexible, model teacher and the teacher who has got a holy profession. Based on metaphors created by teacher candidates, it is seen that the profession of teaching is explained with more than one and different metaphors.