Within the framework of human resource management process performance evaluation in teacher evaluation: Perceptions of primary school teachers in a private primary school

The aim of the present study is to figure out the perceptions of primary school teachers on performance evaluation system in teacher evaluation. Regarding this aim, the data of the present study is gathered through a semi structured interview technique, which is a qualitative research method, and the gathered data is analyzed through content analysis method. The application of the study is held in MAT FKB private Gelişim Primary School in Eskişehir during the Fall semester of 2006 ? 2007 educational term. Participants of the study are 12 primary school teachers, who work in the primary section of the school. The data of the study is gathered between 25 December 2006?15 January 2007 in the meeting room of the school in the convenient occasions of the teachers. The data gathering instruments were ?Semi-structured Interview Form? and ?Teacher Demographic Information Form? which were developed by the researcher. The gathered data were analyzed through content analysis technique and the findings were defined and interpreted with respect to the research questions. Concerning the gathered data of the present study following findings are defined; ? In the research, concerning to the perceptions of the teachers, it is seen that, two of them defined performance and 11 of them defined performance evaluation. According to the teachers who defined performance, performance is that teachers give importance to their job. ? Except one of the teachers all of them stated that performance evaluation system must be used. Concerning to the reason of using performance evaluation system, teachers stated some factors such as professional development (8), determination of the level of the realization of the organizational aims (4), guidance for the performance (2), awarding (2), assessment of teacher education (1) and developing the communicational function of the education (1). ? About the teacher evaluation via performance evaluation, 11 teachers are positive and one is not. Teachers who believes that performance evaluation system would be used for them, stated some reasons such as professional development (6), awarding (4), guidance for the performance (2), developing the qualification of teaching-training (2), objective evaluation (1). About the use of performance evaluation system, one teacher mentioned his professional experience as a reason. One teacher who negative about the use of performance evaluation system in teacher evaluation, gave personal anxiety level as a reason. ? Teachers agree that there must be multiple persons and institutes in the process of evaluation of teacher performance. And all of the teachers agree that the school managers must take place in the performance evaluation process. Also teachers believes that, parents (9), students (7), other teachers (6), academicians (4), inspectors (4), school personal (2) must take place in the process. Additionally, civil society organizations, the community near the school region, school-family union, village headman, other public officers, governor and national educational ministry have been stated by one of the teachers. ? Except one of the teachers all of them stated their views regarding the problems would be encountered in the process of performance evaluation. These views are, insufficient time for evaluation (5), possibility of subjective evaluation (5), possible problems in communication (3), the fact that examination scores seen as teacher performance (2) and the usage of evaluation results in wrong way (2). And negative teacher attitudes, causing unnecessary rivalry and very few attendant participation factors have been stated by one of the teachers. According to the results of the study, fallowing suggestions were made; ? Teachers must be informed about the aim and process of performance evaluation in teacher evaluation. ? Teachers must be informed regarding the persons who must be in teacher evaluation process. ? Teachers must be informed about the functions of performance evaluation system.