Invisible Educators: Understanding the Role and Impact of Casual Relief Teachers in Turkish Schools

Abstract

Casual relief teachers (CRTs) are teachers who take the place of regular classroom teachers (RCTs) in primary schools when they are absent from school for various reasons such as illness, professional development activities or annual leave. Casual relief teaching, which is not defined as an official duty in the legislation of the Turkish education system, usually occurs when surplus teachers nominated to the provincial order are assigned to crowded schools in provincial-district centres. CRTs contribute to the sustainability of education activities in the absence of RCTs. The working conditions of these teachers vary, and they teach in different grade levels. In this study, the working conditions of CRTs in the context of the Turkish education system are analysed from the perspective of different stakeholders. This study was conducted with phenomenological research design, one of the qualitative research designs. The participants of the study consisted of school administrators (principals and vice principals), RCTs, CRTs and parents. The data obtained through qualitative interviews using individual semi-structured forms were analysed by content analysis method. According to the findings, CRTs were found to suffer from not having a fixed classroom, not being able to adapt to different teaching methods, experiencing various problems in classroom management and facing disrespect from their colleagues from time to time. While serving as a CRT is an advantage for some CRTs due to family reasons, disadvantages occur in terms of having problems in adapting to the school culture and forming organisational commitment. RCTs see CRTs as an important part of the education system and think that they contribute to the sustainability of teaching processes. School administrators, on the other hand, see CRTs as useful stakeholders of the school system. For school administrators, CRTs contribute to the school in terms of providing teacher flexibility and sometimes helping with administrative tasks.