Examination of primary school teachers problems in the education of students with broken families

This study aims to identify the problems of classroom teachers who have students with broken families during the teaching of ?My Unique Family? theme in Life Science course in primary schools. The study also aims to determine the teaching practices of classroom teachers towards this sort of students. ?My Unique Family? theme consists of intensive concepts about family, so that in the study, problems of students who have broken families are also aimed to be investigated during teaching and learning activities of this theme. The study designed in the qualitative research approach and case study method is utilized. The study was carried out in 2011-2012 academic year. The study group consists of 13 primary school teachers who work in 3 different primary schools of Trabzon city and who have students in their classrooms with broken families and 12 students who attend to classrooms of those teachers. In the selection of teachers homogeneous sampling method was used. Data of study were collected through the utilization of non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews and document examination techniques. 13 primary students with broken families who attend to 6 teachers? classrooms were observed by using semi-structured observation form total of 47 hours during ?My Unique Family Theme? activities in Life Science course. After that, 12 primary school teachers were interviewed by using semi-structured interview form. In addition, observed students? completed activities in their workbooks were examined as a means of document analysis. In the analysis of data, descriptive analysis, constant comparative analysis and document analysis methods were employed. Results of the study indicate that, classroom teachers are faced with various problems during the teaching of ?My Unique Family? theme in Life Science course in primary schools due to presence of students with broken families in classrooms. Some of the problems encountered were feeling lonely in this situation; inadequate support from school guiding services; and teachers were affected emotionally during this process. In addition as a result of study it was revealed that students with broken families were not able to participate in activities of My Unique Family Theme sufficiently due to their family backgrounds. It was also found out that those students emotionally were affected negatively during the activities. It is suggested that curriculum needs to be re-designed taking students with broken families into consideration. Practicing teachers and pre-service teachers should be informed about teaching strategies towards education of students with broken families and finally teachers should be provided with effective guiding services in schools on this issue. Key Words: Life Science Curriculum, Children with Broken Families, Classroom Teachers.