Evaluation of leisure-time activities practiced at pre-schools in terms of teacher opinions

In pre-schools, certain aims are achieved through various activities, one of which is leisure- time activities. Leisure-time activities are those which help children teach themselves, improve the activities they start, reinforce their friendships, solve their problems or at least try to do so. During such activities, teachers guide and support the students and improve them in all ways by preparing the necessary educational environment and providing them with effective learning opportunities. Leisure-time activities can't be regarded as set times when children do whatever they want, with no definite aims whatsoever. Children acquire important qualities with Leisure-time activities, such as problem solving, reasoning, taking decisions, creative thinking, using different viewpoints simultaneously and learning how to learn. In order for children to acquire these qualities, it is essential that leisure-time activities be employed at schools efficiently and effectively. The aim of this study is to evaluate leisure-time activities used at pre-schools with regard to teacher opinions.The study is designed as a survey study because it aimed to determine the opinions of pre school teachers about leisure-time activities, their aims and application principles in 2001- 2002 educational period at governmental and private pre-schools educational in Eskişehir. The data were collected by using a questionnaire in order the take the opinions of pre- schools teachers about leisure-time activities that take part in the curriculum of pre-schools. In order to analyze the data obtained, the answers to the questionnaires were transferred to computer. Teacher opinions were calculated as percent and numerical values and for double comparisons independent t-test and for triple or more comparisons one-way variance analysis were used to see whether there were any difference between the answers in terms of service years, the higher education programs that they completed, and the institutions they are currently employed. The results of the study have revealed that the leisure-time activities used at schools are performed in accordance with their aims and application principles and that they acquire students with the necessary and target behavior. Moreover, it has also been found that the levels of using teaching strategies, methods and techniques and reinforcers in leisure-time activities are not that high. Besides, as a result of the analysis, it has been concluded that the application levels of the leisure-time activities differentiate only a little in terms of service years of the teachers in profession, the programs they graduated from, and the institutions they are employed in.