Teachers' views on the prestige of the teaching profession

The aim of this study is to examine teachers' views, experiences, and interpretations regarding the prestige of the teaching profession in depth. The study focuses on the current level of social prestige attributed to the teaching profession, the individual and structural factors affecting professional prestige, the role of the media and social media, economic conditions, educational policies, administrative approaches, and recommendations for strengthening the prestige of the teaching profession. The research was conducted using a qualitative research approach based on a phenomenological design. The study group consisted of 42 teachers working at different levels of education. Maximum variation sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods, was employed to determine the participants. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview form and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the social prestige of the teaching profession has declined compared to the past. The main reasons for this decline include inadequate economic conditions, problems related to personal rights and employment benefits, parental attitudes, negative representations in the media and social media, violence against teachers, instability in educational policies, and the lack of merit-based practices. In contrast, teachers' professional competence, ethical conduct, and supportive school leadership were identified as the primary factors contributing to the enhancement of professional prestige.