Metaphorical perceptions of students studying in multi-grade classrooms towards the concepts of school and teacher

The aim of this study is to determine the metaphorical perceptions of students studying in multi-grade classrooms regarding the concepts of school and teacher. The research, which was conducted by adopting the phenomenological design from qualitative research methods, was conducted with 103 third and fourth grade students studying in multi-grade class state primary schools in Yozgat province in the spring semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. The research adopted the phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods. To determine students' metaphorical perceptions, a structured interview form was prepared, and data were collected using this form. In the demographic information section of the structured interview form, students in multi-grade classrooms were asked to indicate their gender and grade level. In the metaphor section, they were asked to complete the phrases "School is like ............ because ........................." and "Teacher is like ............ because ........................." using similes. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis. The analysis of the data revealed that students generated 31 metaphors related to the concepts of school and teacher. The metaphors regarding the concept of "teacher" were grouped into five categories, while those concerning the concept of "school" were grouped into four categories. The findings showed that students in multi-grade classrooms produced entirely positive metaphors about teachers, while their metaphors about school were mostly positive but also included negative perceptions.