Social Studies Teachers Perceptions of Tolerance Education and Tolerance Education Practices

The purpose of this study is to understand social studies teachers perceptions of tolerance education and their practices. The participants were 10 social studies teachers who were determined using criterion sampling. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. According to the results of the study, most of the teachers emphasized that tolerance could be gained through education, educated people were more tolerant, and teachers should be tolerant. The social studies teachers emphasized that values and diversities should be taught for tolerance. The teachers also pointed out that after receiving tolerance education, the students should have empathy, be respectful for diversities, confident, patient, obey the rules, be objective, have developed communication skills and have a broad perspective. They stated that with regard to tolerance, they mostly talked about events emerging in the classroom during their lessons. Moreover, the teachers, as the guidance teachers, talked about tolerance outside the classroom, and organized book activities and competitions towards tolerance. They indicated that tolerance was not included in the Social Studies curriculum sufficiently. Educational activities which will improve teachers’, families’ and students’ perceptions of tolerance can be arranged. Qualitative and quantitaive researchs can be conducted about families’ and students’ perceptions of tolerance.