Abstract :
The main purpose of this study was to determine teachers’ mental images about concept of curriculum via metaphors. The research is a qualitative research and designed as phenomenological pattern. Research data was carried out by participating of 73 teachers working at various schools in Gaziantep, in 2013-2014 education year. The questionnaire consisted of open ended questions has been created to gather data. The questions are generally similar to “Current curriculum is like ….. ; because …..“. Data has been analyzed with content analysis technique.Teachers explained the concept of curriculum via some metaphors such as jigsaw, puzzle. The metaphors created by teachers collected under ten categories in terms of common features: curriculum as a piece of a whole that completes each other, curriculum as a constantly changing structure, curriculum as an inner bad outer beautifully designed structure, curriculum as information stack, curriculum as a process that considers individual characteristics, curriculum as a nonrealistic structure, curriculum as a guidance, curriculum as a structure substructure is missing, curriculum as a structure shaped in the hands of the teacher. As a result, it has been found that teachers have negative thoughts regarding curriculum. As a result of this research suggestions were developed.
