CHALLENGES OF BEING A SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER

Abstract

This study was conducted to reveal the challenges experienced by mathematics teachers working in secondary schools. The study is a descriptive case study which was carried out in accordance with a qualitative understanding. The participants of the study consisted of 145 secondary school mathematics teachers. The participants reported the challenges they experienced by writing on a form developed by the researchers. The data obtained were analysed through the content analysis method, by considering the professional experiences of the participants. The findings of the study indicated that the challenges experienced by the participating mathematics teachers were based on four basic sources including learner, teaching process, parents, and curriculum. Learner-related challenges included students’ negative attitude towards mathematics, lack of prior knowledge, unwillingness to learn, lack of study habits and misconceptions. In terms of the challenges related to the teaching process, the participants stated that they experienced difficulties in the following areas: teaching according to student level, teaching abstract concepts, the pressure of high-stake tests, teaching with more effort compared to other courses, and limited technological infrastructure. Parent-based challenges, on the other hand, included parents’ prejudice against mathematics and unrealistic expectations from their children. As for the curriculum-related challenges, the mathematics teachers faced difficulties because of an excessive number of topics in the curriculum, abstract concepts, constantly changing curriculums and curriculum’s being above the student level. Article visualizations: