TEACHERS CLOSE TO BORDERS
Project Information
The research project “Teachers Close to Borders: Uncovering Teachers’ Practices as they Work to Enact Equitable Teaching with Refugee Children” aims to understand the perspectives and practices of a small group of highly engaged teachers, previously identified in earlier research project GÖÇ-MAT, as holding potentials to enact equitable teaching practices in their work with refugee children and families. The project is funded by TÜBİTAK 2236 European Commission Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Cofund program “Co-Funded Brain Circulation2 Scheme (CoCirculation2)”.
This ethnographically oriented research includes data collection methods such as fieldwork, classroom observations, video recordings, and interviews. During the course of the project, teachers are provided PD opportunities on topics such as culturally responsive education and gender issues in refugee education.
The project is carried out between 2021 and 2023.
Project Team
Elif Karslı Çalamak, PhD
Project Coordinator
Feyza Tantekin Erden, PhD
Project Advisor
Elif Naz Altaş
Project Assistant (Volunteer)
Project Updates
The project activities included the following tasks so far: two-cycles of fieldwork and data collection (interviews, classroom observations and video-taping) in schools in Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep, recruitment of participants, and preparation of the teacher training on gender issues. The teacher interviews mainly focused on their current experiences with refugee children and families, the influence of pandemic, their take-aways from the previous GÖÇ-MAT project and the current discourses about refugees in Turkey and its connections to education, and gender issues (i.e. refugee girls experiences in school contexts). Currently, the data collection and analysis continue.
Teacher Education
We have created a teacher training with gender-sensitive content in refugee education. The mentor of the project Dr. Feyza Erden has completed the content of the teacher training on gender issues. The training will provide teachers with the knowledge to contribute to the effective implementation of gender equity strategies in their multicultural classrooms. The specific content of the module is as follows: What do we know about gender and education? What does the term “gender” signify? Introducing gender equity. Basic principles of gender equity. Gender socialization. Teaching methods: Language, activities, organization Books & Toys. Challenges and obstacles in multicultural schools when it comes down to gender equity. How do we achieve gender equity in multicultural classrooms?
Presentation
- Karslı-Çalamak, E.& Erden F. (2022). “Family Engagement Practices of Teachers Who Work on Building Equitable Teaching with Refugee Children”. 13th Biennial Conference European Network of Parents About Education (ERNAPE), Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- Karslı-Çalamak, E., Tantekin-Erden F. & Altaş E. N. (2022). “What Distinguishes Teachers Who Enact Equitable Teaching with Refugee Children? 31st European Early Childhood Education Research Conference (EECERA), Glasgow, Scotland.
This website will be updated as the project progresses.
Supporting Teachers Working With Refugee and Immigrant Children in Mathematics Education.
The Project MIGRA-MATH (215K478) is Supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).
ADDRESS
TED Üniversitesi Ziya Gökalp Caddesi No:48 06420, Kolej Çankaya Ankara
