EXAMINING SCHOOLING AGE FOR THE 1 ST GRADE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL ACCORDING TO THE VIEWS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL MANAGERS AND TEACHERS

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1 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - EXAMINING SCHOOLING AGE FOR THE ST GRADE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL ACCORDING TO THE VIEWS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL MANAGERS AND TEACHERS Assoc. Prof. Dr. Durmuş Kılıç Atatürk Uiversity Kazım Karabekir Faculty of Educatio Departmet of Classroom Teachig Erzurum, TURKEY dkilic@ataui.edu.tr Ömer Karbuğa Hüseyi Avi Primary School Classroom Teacher İebolu-Kastamou, TURKEY omerkarbuga@gmail.com Res. Assist. Yavuz Sökme Atatürk Uiversity Kazım Karabekir Faculty of Educatio Departmet of Classroom Teachig Erzurum, TURKEY Y_sokme@hotmail.com Abstract The aim of this research was to ivestigate the views of maagers ad teachers regardig schoolig age. The research was regulated i accordace with the screeig model. Ad a relatioal sca was coducted to test the effects of idepedet variables o result. The relatio betwee the maagers ad teachers variables o professioal seiority, brach ad place of duty ad the factors that affect the schoolig age o primary school was ivestigated. A total of maagers ad teachers, a total of participats, who work i te differet couties i the Erzurum provice costituted the research sample. The data were collected through a questioaire developed by the researcher based o expert opiio. Chi-square aalysis was applied to aalyze the data. I this study, ot oly the caledar age of primary freshma studets, but also the social, physical ad metal characteristics should be take ito cosideratio was cocluded. Key Words: Caledar age, schoolig age of primary school, the classroom teacher, school maager. CT. INTRODUCTION Startig school is oe of the most importat evets i a child s educatioal life. Startig school requires metal, physical emotioal ad social maturity (Ülkü, ). The period from to years costitutes the fastest ad most critical years of a child s developmet. There is a high chace that if the foudatios of physical health ad persoality structure are laid i these years, they will develop i the same course without chagig directio i later ages (Oktay, ; Oktay, ). Varyig research i this cetury has highlighted the cocept of schoolig maturity. Some of these researchers have ivestigated this cocept more broadly with regards to earig school-related skills comfortably whereas some researchers have further arrowed the subject by ivestigatig i terms of readig maturity. However,

2 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - both school maturity ad readig maturity aim to esure a child s etire developmet i order to reach a certai level (Oktay, ). Oe must be ready before startig primary school. As previously metioed, readiess is the physical, metal, emotioal ad experietial developmet stage i which childre have the ability to uderstad a certai thig easily ad comprehesively ad are eager to lear. Childre must be ready to experiece ay learig (Kılıç, ; Rya Jr., ; Oktay ad Uutka, ). Literacy is a bridge that is built amog studets, teachers ad families. Brigig the family culture to the school, childre create a school culture with the family culture (Tompkis, ). The fact that the families participate i school activities ad exhibit supportive attitudes i literacy activities is amog the importat factors that icrease childre s school success (Little ad Box, ). The fact that the families effectively participate i their childre s first literacy activities as well as their iteractio with their childre has a sigificat effect i developig their first literacy skills (Ortiz, ; Morrow, ). Today, schoolig age ad related procedures differ i the coutries of the world. I Germay, Frace, Belgium ad Austria the compulsory schoolig age is six. Educatio before this age is o a volutary basis (Katos, ; Memduhoğlu, ; Yılmaz, ). The compulsory schoolig age is i the Uited Kigdom (Ergier, ). Childre start primary school through guidace i the Uited States of America sice each state has formed its ow educatioal system (Harmacı, ). The traditioal schoolig age is i Japa (Telci, ). The procedure for startig school is decided with families ad childre uder the supervisio of experts i may developed coutries such as the Uited Kigdom, the Uited States of America ad Norther Europea coutries. Whe the caledar age is take as a basis, childre start primary school i the same age rage i may coutries. Although this age rages from five to eight, geerally childre who have reached six or seve years of age start primary school. Readig maturity is of top priority for startig school. Today, i Turkey, a child s readiess for primary school is decided by takig the caledar age as a basis, ad every child aged - moths starts primary school (MEB [Miistry of Natioal Educatio],, ). It is a matter of debate to what degree this coditio is healthy. It is supported with recetly coducted research that it is more importat to cosider the physical, social, emotioal, cogitive ad self-care fields apart from caledar age basis while decidig whether childre should start school (Çelek, ; Yapıcı, ). It is also amog the debated issues that parets should ot be the sole authority i decidig whether the child is ready for school ad will cotiue studyig i the st grade ad that teachers ad guidace couselors must participate i this process. Aim of the Research Schoolig age for the st grade of primary school was examied i this study accordig to the views of primary school maagers ad classroom teachers.. Do schools with differet socio-ecoomic levels affect schoolig age?. Does the educatioal level of the child s father affect schoolig age?. Is there a differece betwee schools located i rural areas ad cetral schools i terms of schoolig age?. Does pre-school educatio affect schoolig age?. Does the fact that the studet s mother ad father live together affect schoolig age?. Do the climatic coditios i the regio where the studet lives affect schoolig age?

3 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - METHOD Research model, uiverse ad sample, data collectio tools, data collectio ad data aalysis are highlighted i this sectio. Research Model I this study, which is of the screeig model, relatioal screeig was coducted i order to test the effect of the idepedet variables of the research o the result. Relatioal screeig models are the research models that aim to determie the existece ad/or the degree of chage betwee two or more variables (Karasar, ). Uiverse ad Sample The uiverse of the research was composed of maagers ad teachers workig i the primary schools of the Miistry of Natioal Educatio that are located i Erzurum s various districts, amely Aşkale, Aziziye, Çat, Hııs, Horasa, Narma, Paladöke, Pasiler, Tortum ad Yakutiye i the - school year. The sample of research was composed of maagers ad teachers workig i the primary schools of the Miistry of Natioal Educatio that are located i Erzurum s various districts, amely Aşkale, Aziziye, Çat, Hııs, Horasa, Narma, Paladöke, Pasiler, Tortum ad Yakutiye i the - school year. Data Collectio The data of the research was collected via the questioaire titled The Views of Classroom Teachers ad Primary School Maagers o Schoolig Age for the st Grade of Primary School which was prepared by the researchers. The questioaire, which was a -poit Likert type, was composed of a total of items. The optios of the questioaire items were prepared as follows: Completely Disagree, Disagree, Partially, ad Completely. The opiios of three field experts were take regardig the validity of the questioaire. Examiig the questioaire give to them, statig the ambiguous expressios ad optios, maagers ad teachers helped the researcher review ad revise the questioaire to a more comprehesible degree. The iteral cosistecy (Crobach s Alpha) of the questioaire was foud to be.. Data Aalysis The depedet variable of this research was the schoolig age for the st grade of primary school. The idepedet variables of this research were maagers occupatioal seiority, teachers occupatioal seiority, their fields ad the districts where they work. Statistical aalysis of the data was studied i a model that would set forth the effect of the idepedet variables o the depedet variables. Chi-square aalysis was used i order to uderstad whether there was a differece amog the items i terms of maagers occupatioal seiority, teachers occupatioal seiority, their fields ad the districts where they work. The sigificace level was determied to be. i data aalysis. FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS The results ad iterpretatios of the statistical aalyses applied to the data that were collected i the research are give uder four mai headigs i this sectio. The questioaire, which was prepared i accordace with the coducted study, was admiistered to the teachers ad primary school maagers i the districts ad district ceters (Aşkale, Aziziye, Çat, Hııs, Horasa, Narma, Paladöke, Pasiler, Tortum ad Yakutiye) located withi the boudaries of Erzurum provice. The obtaied data were graded i a rage from to usig a statistical package program, ad chi-square aalysis was coducted o the data. The data of the participats who marked their occupatioal seiority as - years, - years ad years or over were combied with the data of the participats who had - years of occupatioal seiority ad they were collectively take as six years or over i order for the chi-square aalysis to yield more accurate ad clear results. Furthermore, the mai fields were Turkish, Mathematics, Sciece ad Techology, Social Scieces ad Eglish whereas Religious Culture ad Moral Kowledge, Physical Educatio, Visual Arts, Music, Iformatio Techologies, Techology- Desig ad Couselig, the areas of the teachers ad primary school maagers, were take as the other fields. The obtaied results were give as tables, ad the iterpretatios are preseted below the tables.

4 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - Table : The Distributio of the Effect of Schools with Differet Socio-ecoomic Levels o Schoolig Age i Terms of the Fields of Primary School Maagers ad Teachers Teachers Occupatioal Completel Partially Completely Disagree Seiority y Disagree Classroom Teacher Mathematics Turkish Social Scieces Sciece ad Techology Other S.D.= χ=. p=. Chi-square aalysis was coducted o the give aswers i order to uderstad whether schools with differet socio-ecoomic levels affect schoolig age i terms of the fields of primary school maagers ad teachers. χ value was calculated as. ad p =,; this was foud to be sigificat at the p <. sigificace level. This fidig shows that there is a differece i the effect of schools with differet socioecoomic levels o schoolig age i terms of the fields of primary school teachers. Whe the table is examied, it is observed that of the classroom teachers, of the teachers of mai fields (Mathematics, Turkish, Sciece ad Techology, Social Scieces ad Eglish) ad of teachers of other fields marked the optio. Cosequetly, it ca be stated that the teachers of mai fields exhibited a higher degree of agreemet with the idea that schools with differet socio-ecoomic levels affect schoolig age Table : The Effect of the Educatioal Level of the Studet s Father o Schoolig Age Teachers ccupatioal Completely Disagree Partially Seiority Disagree Classroom Teacher Mathematics Turkish Social Scieces Sciece ad Techology Other Completely... S.D.= χ=. p=.

5 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - Chi-square aalysis was coducted o the give aswers i order to uderstad whether there was a differece i the degree to which primary school maagers ad teachers agree with the idea that the educatioal level of the studet s father affects schoolig age i terms of their fields. χ value was calculated as. ad p =.; this was foud to be sigificat at the p <. sigificace level. This fidig shows that there is ot a importat differece i the effect of the educatioal level of the studet s father o schoolig age i terms of the fields of primary school maagers ad teachers. Whe the table is examied, it is observed that of the classroom teachers, of the teachers of mai fields ad of teachers of other fields marked the optio. Cosequetly, it ca be stated that the classroom teachers exhibited a higher degree of agreemet with the idea that the educatioal level of the studet s father affects schoolig age. Table : Is There a Differece Betwee Schools Located i Rural Areas ad Cetral Schools i Terms of Schoolig Age? District Completely Partially Completely Disagree Disagree Aşkale... Aziziye Çat Hııs.... Horasa.... Narma Paladöke..... Pasiler..... Tortum.... Yakutiye..... S.D.= χ=. p=. Chi-square aalysis was coducted o the give aswers i order to uderstad whether there was a differece i the degree to which primary school maagers ad teachers agree with the idea that there is a differece betwee schools located i rural areas ad cetral schools regardig schoolig age i terms of the district where they work. χ value was calculated as. ad p =.; this was foud to be sigificat at the p <. sigificace level. This fidig shows that there is ot a importat differece i the effect of the differece betwee schools located i rural areas ad cetral schools o schoolig age i terms of the district where maagers ad teachers work. Whe the table is examied, it is observed that of the maagers ad teachers marked the optio i terms of the district where they work. Cosequetly, it ca be stated that the teachers workig i Çat exhibited a higher degree of agreemet with the idea that there is a differece betwee schools located i rural areas ad cetral schools regardig schoolig age.

6 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - Table : The Effect of Pre-School Educatio o Schoolig Age District Completely Partially Completely Disagree Disagree Aşkale... Aziziye Çat Hııs.... Horasa..... Narma Paladöke.... Pasiler.... Tortum... Yakutiye..... S.D.= χ=. p=. Chi-square aalysis was coducted o the give aswers i order to uderstad whether there was a differece i the degree to which primary school maagers ad teachers agree with the idea that the preschool educatio affects schoolig age i terms of the district where they work. χ value was calculated as. ad p =.; this was foud to be isigificat at the p <. sigificace level. This fidig shows that there is ot a importat differece i the effect of pre-school educatio o schoolig age i terms of the district where maagers ad teachers work. Whe the table is examied, it is observed that of the maagers ad teachers marked the optio i terms of the district where they work. Cosequetly, it ca be stated that the teachers workig i Aziziye exhibited a higher degree of agreemet with the idea that the pre-school educatio affects schoolig age. Table : The Effect of the Parets Marital Status o Schoolig Age District Completely Partially Completely Disagree Disagree Aşkale... Aziziye Çat Hııs... Horasa..... Narma Paladöke....

7 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - Pasiler.... Tortum.... Yakutiye.... S.D.= χ=. p=... Chi-square aalysis was coducted o the give aswers i order to uderstad whether there was a differece i the degree to which primary school maagers ad teachers agree with the idea that the studet s mother ad father live together affects schoolig age i terms of the district where they work. χ value was calculated as. ad p =.; this was foud sigificat at the p <. sigificace level. This fidig shows that there is a importat differece i the degree to which maagers ad teachers agree with the idea that the studet s mother ad father of live together affects schoolig age i terms of the district where they work. Whe the table is examied, it is observed that of the maagers ad teachers marked the optio i terms of the district where they work. Cosequetly, it ca be stated that the teachers workig i Aşkale exhibited a higher degree of agreemet with the idea that the studet s mother ad father live together affects schoolig age. Table : The Effect of the Climatic Coditios i the Regio Where the Studet Lives o Schoolig Age District Completely Partially Completely Disagree Disagree Aşkale.... Aziziye Çat Hııs..... Horasa..... Narma Paladöke.... Pasiler..... Tortum.... Yakutiye..... S.D.= χ=. p=. Chi-square aalysis was coducted o the give aswers i order to uderstad whether there was a differece i the degree to which primary school maagers ad teachers agree with the idea that the climatic coditios i the regio where the studet lives affect schoolig age i terms of the district where they work. χ value was calculated as. ad p =.; this was foud sigificat at the p <. sigificace level. This fidig shows that there is a importat differece i the degree to which maagers ad teachers agree

8 February, Volume: Issue: Article: ISSN: - with the idea that the climatic coditios i the regio where the studet lives affect schoolig age i terms of the district where they work. Whe the table is examied, it is observed that of the maagers ad teachers marked the Partially optio i terms of the district where they work. Cosequetly, it ca be stated that the teachers workig i Tortum partially agreed with the idea that the climatic coditios i the regio where the studet lives affect schoolig age. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION It is ot adequate to take chroological age as the sole criterio for schoolig age. The developmet levels of the childre ca be idetified usig developmetal tests, ad experieced specialist educators ca fid the overall level of the childre by makig a objective evaluatio. The behavioural level of the childre, which ca be foud to be uder or over the chroological age of the childre, is a more accurate criterio compared to chroological age whe determiig schoolig age (Baerji, Smith ad Dedrick, ). Whe the fidigs of the research are examied, it is observed that primary school maagers ad teachers expressed that they cosider determiig schoolig age accordig to caledar age aloe to be icorrect i terms of several variables. These fidigs correspod with the opiios of Baerji, Smith ad Dedrick (). I Turkey, the Miistry of Natioal Educatio implemeted a ew regulatio o schoolig age as of the - school year, ad determied that the schoolig year is - moths. The miistry showed that it paid attetio to the views of parets ad other participats. This idicates that schoolig age differs accordig to socio-ecoomic level, the educatioal level of mothers ad fathers, havig pre-school educatio, livig i rural or urba areas ad climatic coditios. WJEIS s Note : This study was prepared by beefitig from the graduate study etitled Examiig Schoolig Age for the st Grade of Primary School Accordig to the Views of Primary School Maagers ad Teachers that was argued that the Departmet of Classroom Teachig, Istitute of Social Scieces, Atatürk Uiversity. WJEIS s Note : This article was preseted at World Coferece o Educatioal ad Istructioal Studies WCEIS - November,, Atalya-Turkey ad was selected for publicatio for Volume Number of WJEIS by WJEIS Scietific Committee. REFERENCES Baerji, M., Smith, Richard, M. ad Dedrick, R. (). Dimesioality of a Early Childhood Scale Usig Rasch Aalysis ad Cofirmatory Factor Aalysis. Joural of Outcome Measuremet, (), -. Çelek, S. (). Icubatio Period i the First Literacy Istructio. Abat İzzet Baysal Uiversity, Joural of Faculty of Educatio, - (), -. Ergier, A. (). Europea Uio Educatio Systems, Pegem Akademi Yayıları, Akara. Harmacı, F.M. (). Educatio System of the Uited States of America, Editor: Ali Balcı, Comparative Educatio Systems, Pegem Akademi Yayıları, -, Akara. Katos, Z.E. (). Educatio System of the Federal Germay, Editor: Prof. Dr. Ali Balcı, Comparative Educatio Systems, Pegem Akademi Yayıları, -, Akara. Kılıç, Z. (). Compariso of Developmet Skills of the Studets Who Took Pre-School Educatio ad the Studets Who Did Not Take Pre-School Educatio Accordig to the Views of the Teachers of the st Grade of Primary School. Upublished Postgraduate Thesis. Beyket Uiversity, İstabul.

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