Investigation of the effect of value elements in children's plays on preschool teachers' classroom management

The purpose of this study is to examine the value elements included in preschool plays and their effects on classroom management according to preschool teachers' opinions. The research determines the value elements in the plays in the preschool period and will make important contributions in terms of determining the effect of these value elements on classroom management. The research is designed in a qualitative research pattern. The study group consists of 29 preschool teachers working in the city center of Kırklareli in the 2018-2019 academic year. Before conducting the reseatch the necessary legal permits were obtained and voluntary participation was ensured. The study group was determined by using a convenience sampling which is a qualitative research method. The data of the study were collected by using a semi-structured interview form consisting of 10 open-ended questions developed as a result of expert opinion and pilot application. The data obtained through the interview were divided into 10 themes and categories related to these themes and analyzed with the help of content analysis. According to the findings of the study, teachers perceive classroom management as communication, rules, order, teacher domination and cooperation. Participants define plays as learning, self-expression, entertainment, recognition of children and socialization. Teachers often choose to engage in regular, moving, free, dramatic, competitive, musical and educational plays. Teachers usually spend 1-3 hours a day on the play. According to the participants, the plays in the preschool period have a positive contribution to the classroom management of the teachers in terms of positive communication-interaction, rule learning, participation in activities, adaptation, queue waiting and attention. Teachers specify the value elements found in plays as respect, patience, benevolence, love, sharing, friendship, tolerance, empathy, cooperation, self-confidence, courtesy and truth-justice. According to the participants, the effects of the value elements in the plays on classroom management which are respectively the reduction of problematic behaviors, sustaining the order, the awareness of friendship, respect and communication provide positive contributions for increasing compliance and sharing. The preschool teachers who participated in the research also state that they give importance to values of respect, love, tolerance, sharing, patience, benevolence, cooperation, justice, friendship and honesty. Teachers remark that in the preschool period the first three values that the students should gain are respect, tolerance and affection. Teachers expect to solve the problems of communication, self-regulation skills and friendship encountered in classroom management via the elements of value in plays. In order to solve the problems of classroom management in the preschool period, teachers propose to educate the families, decrease the number of students in a classroom and organize the physical structures of the classrooms. Keywords: Classroom Management, Play, Preschool Education, Values