Reflections of activities regarding caring behaviors on learning environments, teacher and student behaviors

One of the points emphasized in the general aims of Turkish education, 2023 education vision and curriculum is to guide the individual's cognitive, social and emotional development and self-knowledge. However, in today's neoliberal understanding, it is understood that the aim of education is to train manpower for the neoliberal order, to increase the level of welfare and to gain a place in this order in the future. However, it is seen that the concepts of the field of economy such as standardization, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability shape education. As a result of this, primary education level serves as a preparation for high school transition exams and secondary education level university transition exams. It is seen that from time to time lessons related to values education are included in primary education programs. In the literature, the concept of caring emerges as an alternative to the teaching of listed and determined values. Caring, in general, means that the individual is accepted in the existential sense, reveals his own potential, and guides him to know the world by discovering himself. From this point of view, it is aimed to determine the current situation of teacher-student behaviors and learning environments for caring behaviors and to perform a needs analysis. Secondly, it is aimed to determine how the activities organized with a focus on caring affect teacher- student behaviors and learning environments. In this study, case study in a single-case embedded design was used for situation determination and needs analysis, which is one of the qualitative research methods, and collaborative action research was used for the application phase. Using the criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods of the research, the teachers and 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students working in a village primary school in the central district of Muğla were selected for the 2018-2019 academic spring semester. The analysis unit consisted of students, teachers and learning environments. The study group of the action research consisted of 3 teachers working in the same school in the fall semester of 2020-2021 academic year and 27 students studying in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades. In the case study, observation, teacher and parent interviews, field notes were used to collect data. Descriptive data on caring behaviors were revealed and needs were determined. In line with these needs, teacher seminars and student activities were designed. A teaching model has been developed to be used in the implementation of the activities. In the evaluation of seminars and activities on caring behaviors, data were collected before, after and during the implementation. In order to collect data before and after the implementation, the Caring Student Behaviors Scale, the Caring Teacher Behaviors Scale and the Caring Teacher Behaviors Scale Student Form were developed. In addition, teacher-parent questionnaires, interviews, student scenarios and focus group interviews were used to collect data. For the implementation process video recordings of the application process, self-evaluation form, student diary, homework, parent interviews, student interviews and researcher reflective evaluations were used.The teacher seminars consisted of 5 sessions and the seminars were given via video. Student activities consisted of 16 activities in 12 weeks. Student activities were generally held online, via the Zoom program. According to the results of the research, teachers regarding caring behaviors received support in the subjects of "taking into account individual needs", " availability", "teaching support", "autonomy support", "emotional support", "prosocial support" and "interpersonal relationship"; It has been understood that students need support in caring about themselves, others, learning and things. As a result of the teacher seminars, it was observed that the teachers' awareness levels contributed to the increase, but they had difficulties in putting them into practice. It has been observed that students have generally improved in their desire to learn, responsibility for learning, effort, self-expression, self-knowledge, politeness and obeying classroom rules, and exhibiting positive social behavior. On the other hand, some students seem to be insufficient in internalizing some behaviors. It can be said that the most important reason for this is that the events take place online in a limited time. However, it is understood that putting caring behaviors into the focus of existing programs will make great contributions to the holistic development of students. In line with these results, some of the suggestions made are to ensure that students are cared for as a role model for practitioners and through relationships, to work with students at different levels regarding caring behaviors for future research, and to develop care- oriented programs for decision makers. Keywords: caring, primary school teacher, primary school students, affective education, values education.