One of the practices changed by the Education Model of the Turkish Century is the school council of teachers.
In fact, it is an existing practice in the system but its functioning has been changed. First of all, the council of teachers is established in schools, districts and provinces to plan and coordinate education across the province, to improve the quality of education and training, to develop opinions and suggestions on education, and to ensure communication, harmony and cooperation between the same areas.
Educational institution class/area clerks are composed of teachers who teach the same class or have the same field of study in the educational institution. However, in primary schools, the class/area councils are composed of the teachers who teach the same class and, if any, the field teachers who teach in the same class(es). In addition, in primary schools, the class head of the class at each grade level is elected from the class teachers who teach the same class and the field head of each of the same field teachers, if any, is elected.
The chairperson of the group is first selected from among those who are willing. In case there is no willingness; according to the order of priority, it is determined among doctoral graduates, head teachers, master's degree graduates, specialist teachers, teachers who have previously served as the chairman of the group and senior teachers. The selected head of the class is entered into the Mebbis module. In primary schools, subject teachers participate in the district and provincial group meetings in their fields. In educational institutions providing vocational and technical education, specialists, master trainers, training personnel and technicians also participate in the council of teachers with the appropriate fields. In case there is a teacher in the field, the council meeting is held with the director of the educational institution or the deputy director assigned by the director. At the meeting to be held in June, the board elects a chairperson from among themselves for a period of 2 years, effective from September. A substitute chairperson is determined in the same way. In vocational and technical education institutions, field/department chiefs are the head of their field and as long as they continue this duty, the chairmanship of the committee continues.
The elected chairperson is notified to the management of the educational institution. If the chairperson changes during the year for a compulsory reason, the substitute chairperson becomes the chairperson. A new substitute chairperson is elected from the participants. The previous chairperson holds a meeting and conveys the current situation, the work to be done and the work done, the agendas and decisions to the new chairperson and the participants. The elected chairperson is notified to the management of the educational institution.
Committee meetings are held within one working day before the start of the school year, at the beginning of the second semester and at the end of the school year, as well as in November and April in secondary education institutions, on the date planned by the directorate of the educational institution. In case of need, upon the call of the head of the educational institution or the written request of the absolute majority of the members, interim class meetings are held on the same basis and procedure in order to discuss the decisions taken in the class meetings of the educational institution and new agenda items, if any. In the meeting held at the end of the school year, the decisions and results taken during the academic year are evaluated. The meetings are held outside of class hours.
In educational institution class/area meetings;
a) Decisions taken at the previous meeting,
b) Planning in accordance with the legislation on education and training, the purpose of the establishment of the school and the curriculum of the relevant field,
c) To examine the curricula by focusing on the subjects related to Kemalism and planning the studies accordingly, to implement the curricula in accordance with their purpose and content by taking into account the environmental characteristics, to take into account the subject and achievement weights in the preparation and implementation of annual plans and lesson plans,
ç) Determining the teaching methods and techniques to be applied in the teaching of the courses, making plans for school-based activities included in the curriculum,
d) Discussing individualized education programs (IEP) and lesson plans for students with special education needs, conducting educational activities within the scope of differentiated practices using enriched learning and support approach,
e) Conducting at least one lesson visit in each academic year, depending on the decision to be taken unanimously, between the teachers of the class, evaluating the feedback on the teaching of the lesson, and determining the principles and principles of cooperation with other class and field teachers,
f) Monitoring academic and scientific studies related to the field of teaching, following technological developments, negotiating and reflecting them to practices,
g) Carrying out studies to raise awareness of entrepreneurship in students, developing students' knowledge and skills in research, development and design,
ğ) Determining the tools, equipment and similar teaching materials needed for more efficient teaching of the courses, making plans for the effective use of laboratories, libraries, gyms, workshops and similar educational environments according to the curriculum and objectives of the courses,
h) Planning experiments, projects, questionnaires, surveys, research, excursions and observations to be made by evaluating school and environmental opportunities, and making plans for the use of out-of-school learning environments according to the subject and achievement suitability of the courses,
ı) Measuring and evaluating student achievement after common written and practical exams and at the end of the semester, preparing and implementing action plans for students who are found to lack subjects and achievements by analyzing the exams, and carrying out the necessary monitoring activities,
i) Preparation of the questions of the common written exams and make-up exams to be held throughout the school, except for the common written exams to be held throughout the country, province and district, together with the rubric, grading scale / checklists in accordance with the subject question distribution table and planning of skills exams,
j) Taking the necessary measures for students by establishing the relevance of the relevant skills and knowledge related to the results obtained in various exams and competitions participated at national and international level to their own lessons, and in case of non-participation, examining the reports on the exams and competitions in question, evaluating the findings regarding the results, comparing them with the current data of the school and preparing and implementing the necessary action plan as a department,
k) Determining the issues to be taken into account in the evaluation of visual arts, music, physical education courses and other applied courses; determining the form, number and duration of exams and product evaluation scales,
l) Determining and planning project subjects and performance studies according to the level and type of educational institutions, taking into account the curricula, school and environmental conditions, and preparing scales for their measurement and evaluation,
m) Evaluation of occupational health and safety measures,
n) Except for the common written exams to be held throughout the country and province, the evaluation procedures of the common written exams to be held throughout the district and to be applied by the class / field teachers,
o) Implementation of nationwide and province-wide make-up exams whose questions and answer keys are prepared by the measurement and evaluation center directorates,
ö) Preparation of the questions and answer key for the excuse exams of the common written exams held throughout the school, implementation and evaluation of the exam,
p) Planning for students to develop higher-order thinking skills, including decision-making, problem solving and critical thinking, as well as social and emotional skills,
r) Planning studies for the effective implementation of national, spiritual and moral values in education and training processes through implicit learning, and creating the necessary learning environments in this direction,
s) Planning the work to be carried out by the prevention, intervention and referral commission,
ş) Education and training processes are handled with an interdisciplinary approach, learning areas, subjects, achievements and learning objectives are determined with this approach, and the joint studies to be carried out are scheduled and implemented,
t) Planning for the development of students' multiple literacy skills and conducting studies for their physical, mental, emotional, social and moral development,
u) Planning activities that can be carried out on a course basis within the scope of the social responsibility program,
ü) Determination of issues such as tools, equipment and financial resources that they will need for the activities they will carry out in in-school or out-of-school educational environments during the academic year,
v) Within the scope of monitoring the academic and social development of students in pre-school and primary schools and monitoring the development levels of students through observation forms for participation in individual and group activities carried out under the guidance of the teacher, play-based evaluations and measurement tools for the fulfillment of the assigned tasks, planning of the activities to be carried out during the school year, and similar issues are discussed, evaluated and decisions are taken.
(9) Also in educational institutions providing vocational and technical education;
a) Determination of branch courses and modules, preparation of new curricula when necessary and development of existing ones,
b) Carrying out the common subjects between mathematics and science and related vocational, field and branch courses together and simultaneously,
c) Evaluation of projects, competitions, fairs and exhibitions,
ç) Evaluation of issues related to vocational education and internship students in enterprises,
d) Determining the weights of written and practical exams of vocational courses in the framework curricula of vocational and technical secondary education institutions, and similar issues are discussed, evaluated and decisions are taken.
(11) In vocational and technical Anatolian Anatolian high schools, subject area teachers meet for one working day in the last week of May and determine the students who will do internship.
(12 Determining the weights of written and practical exams of the oratory and vocational practice course in Anatolian imam hatip high schools, planning students' vocational practices such as imamate, oratory, preacher, Qur'an course instructor and muezzin and similar issues are discussed, evaluated and decisions are taken in cooperation with provincial/district mufti offices.
In education campuses, committee of teachers meetings are held separately for each program implemented. Teachers participate in the meetings of the programs in which they teach.
In all schools and institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education, the work of the council of teachers is explained in detail, the method to be followed and the calendar to be followed are explained according to the Ministry of National Education Directive on Education Boards and Councils.
However, in almost all of our schools and institutions, the activities described above are either not carried out or are presented as if they were carried out on paper.
In particular, in private education institutions, activities such as making lesson visits between subject teachers depending on the unanimous decision of the subject group, evaluating the feedback on the teaching of the lesson and determining the principles of cooperation with other subject and field teachers, following academic and scientific studies related to the field of teaching, following technological developments, negotiating and reflecting them on practices are not carried out.
This situation shows that the Ministry of National Education's Directive on Education Committees and Councils, which was renewed with the aim of working together and sharing experiences, is not implemented in our schools and institutions, in short, it remains on paper.
Sources
Ministry of National Education Directive on Education Boards and Customs