Abstract:

The purpose of this research was to study the opinions of teachers about democracy, citizenship and patriotism using qualitative method. The data sources of this research were obtained by face-to-face interview method and semi-constructed interview schedule. During the development of the interview form, expert opinions were collected, pilot study was administered and the interview form was finally shaped with those collected professional opinions. All of the teachers in our workgroup were employed in the district of Tuzla, Istanbul. The workgroup consisted of 22 females and 23 males, 45 teachers in total. When the data obtained from the interviews was examined, results that are similar to Westheimer and Kahne's (2004) findings for citizenship types, required to manage democracy effectively, were found. The interviewed teachers defended the need for active participation. Opinions of teachers demonstrated that patriotism education should be delivered to students, and the main focus of this education should be the level of its quality rather than the method of its delivery as a single course or spread to the curriculum. It is concluded that in the development of the understanding of patriotism, school, family, the environment and the media should act in concert. Key words: educational policy, democracy, citizenship, citizenship education

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