The Reflection of Teacher Support Program on Practice in Preschool Education

Abstract

The aim of the study is to convey updated 2013 Preschool Education Program to preschool teachers by means of "Teacher Support Program" developed by the researchers and to examine how this support program process reflect on preschool teachers practices of 2013 Preschool Education Program. This study is an action research and the participants of the study include 19 preschool teachers who are selected from two independent preschool affiliated to Ministry of National Education of Turkey in Eskisehir. Data was gathered by forms developed by researchers to assess knowledge of preschool teachers prior and after the implementation of the program, observation notes from group meetings and teacher interview forms. Data were analyzed with inductive method. Results show that preschool teachers become more competent in planning learning centers after the Teacher Support Program. Moreover, teachers begin to use techniques effectively like capacity technique in learning centers and leading children for different learning centers. Another result of the study indicates that teachers make decisions about classroom observations more elaborately. In addition to these, Teacher Support Program does not just reach the preschool teachers who are participated in study but also other preschool teachers via colleague sharing.