Understanding a Group of Teachers Who Carry out a Duty in a Socioeconomically Disadvantageous Area in the Southeast of Turkey

Abstract

We know that the socioeconomic structure of the areas of schools affects schools and their educational activities. Considering this fact, in the present study we sought to stress how the socioeconomic structure of the areas of schools where teachers carried out a duty affected the teachers. In the phenomenological study, we aimed to reveal the inequalities faced by the teachers who carried out a duty in a socioeconomically disadvantageous area in the southeast of Turkey. In order to collect data, we conducted face-to-face interviews with the teachers who experienced educational inequalities in their schools. We found that the teachers experienced both physical and educational inequalities and these inequalities had individual and organizational effects. Due to these effects, the teachers had social and individual expectations. As a consequence, it is possible to state that the teachers had similar job definitions, however, they did not have similar opportunities in terms of the areas where they carried out a duty. We stress the necessity of actualizing fair applications that pay regard to the qualities of areas where teachers carry out a duty.