Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to present the views of preschool teachers about education of values. The sample group of study consisted of 46 preschool teachers working at kindergartens under the Ministry of National Education, independent kindergartens and application classes in the city center of Denizli. Teacher’s View Form on Education of Values During Preschool Period was used as the data collection tool in the study. According to the study results, education of values reminds teachers primarily of respect, love, tolerance, responsibility, helpfulness, honesty, cooperation and politeness. More than half of teachers do not apply any program concerning the education of values. However, a great majority of them apply activities concerning the education of values. The first three values to be brought in preschool children include respect, responsibility, love, tolerance, sharing, honesty, and cooperation. The first three values that could easily be brought in children include respect, responsibility, love, tolerance, sharing, honesty, helpfulness, and cooperation. The first three values that are hard to be brought in children are loyalty, justice, patience, empathy, self-sacrifice and national values. A great majority of the teachers stated that there are situations that they are having difficulties in education of the values. These situations are defined as the state of development level of children (shortness of attention duration, failure to think abstractly, readiness, egosantric structure), lack of expected family support, deficiencies of related event, book, and program, deficiencies regarding the teachers (self-confidence, lack of knowledge) and lack of time. Finally, the teachers stated that it is necessary to inform families about the subject, involve education of values in pre-school education, to provide materials regarding education of values to teachers, and offer trainings to teachers.

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