Elementary Education Online, 12(4), 1032‐1040, 2013. İlköğretim Online, 12(4), 1032‐1040, 2013. [Online]: http://ilkogretim‐online.org.tr The Rules Pre-School Teachers Establish for Their Classes and Their Application Neslihan DURMUŞOĞLU SALTALI 1 , Emel ARSLAN 2 ABSTRACT. The main aim of this study was to describe the rules pre-school teachers establish and the ways they are applied. With this main aim in mind, we sought to determine the rules in nursery classes; how these rules are established; what precautions teachers take so that students do not forget them; what teachers do when students do not obey the rules and what teachers do when students obey the rules. The study was carried out with 39 pre-school teachers who worked in Konya city. The study was carried out with a qualitative research design. In this study, first it was found that pre-school teachers mostly establish rules about keeping the class clean and maintaining order, using class materials and managing peer relations. As a result of study, it was determined that teachers most frequently use repetition and reminding so that students do not forget the rules. Key Words: Rule, pre-school teachers, classroom Introduction: Purpose of this study was to describe the rules pre-school teachers establish and the ways they are applied. With this main aim in mind, we sought to determine: a. the rules in preschool education classes b. how these rules are established, c. what precautions teachers take so that students do not forget them, d. what teachers do when students do not obey the rules and e. what teachers do when students obey the rules. Method: The study was carried out through a qualitative research design. The study was carried out with 39 pre-school teachers who worked in Konya city. To collect data, a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers was used. Findings: When determining the rules in the nursery classes, teachers stated that they sought to determine the rules with the children; they observed the needs of the class and communal life; they established rules when a need emerged or a flaw was seen; s/he determined rules in line with the interactions s/he had with his/her colleagues. To ensure children did not to forget the rules, teachers stated that they reminded children the rules by repeating them at certain intervals; they put some visual materials about the rules on places where children could see; they set an example for children. When children did not obey the rules, teachers stated that they punished the child; they reminded them the rules; they asked the child to consider what s/he did; they warned the child; they explained the child the result of his/her behavior; they told the parents about his/her behavior. When the applications pre- school teachers use when children obey the rules are examined, it is seen that all the teachers participated in this study stated that they rewarded children, their methods of rewarding varied though. Results: In this study, first it was found that pre-school teachers mostly established rules about keeping the class clean and maintaining order, using class materials and managing peer relations. Besides, it was also found that almost all of the teachers established class rules with children. This result is important in that their active participation in the decision making about them supports children’s development of their understanding of democracy and their self-confidence. Furthermore, getting children involved in rule establishment process can raise his/her feeling of belonging to the class and increase his/her desire to obey the rules (Çelebi Öncü, 2011). As a result of study, it was determined that teachers most frequently used repetition and reminding so that students did not forget the rules. This application complies with the information that the rules are to be revised to achieve desired behaviors in the class at certain intervals throughout the year, at the beginning of the second term, when a new student joins the class, after vacations (Gözütok, 2000; İflazoğlu Saban, 2008). When the results of our study are assessed under the light of this information, it can be suggested that teachers are to be encouraged to use strategies like making the child consider their behavior and explain the result of his/her behavior more frequently. 1 Yrd. Doç. Dr. Mevlana Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Okul Öncesi Eğitimi Anabilim Dalı, ndsaltali@mevlana.edu.tr 2 Doç. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan üniversitesi, A. Keleşoğlu Eğitim Fakültesi, Okul Öncesi Eğitimi Anabilim Dalı, emelarslan@konya.edu.tr brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk