Teachers have an important role in the development and learning of their students not only in the cognitive skills, but also pro-social skills. A major component of quality schooling includes well-qualified teachers who can confront the challenges presented by poor resources as well those of cultural differences. Research has shown that truly effective teachers with the necessary skills, knowledge, values and attitudes can provide quality schooling even in resource-poor schools (Beloin and Peterson, 2000). A significant problem in education systems is described as the distance between teachers and students, especially when migration is an intruding component. This gap between teachers’ and students’ culture has many manifestations, ranging from language, religious, social class and age differences to differing views about the role of education (Gundara, 2000). Unfortunately, this may have an impact on teachers’ beliefs. For instance, teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs seem to be positively correlated with the status of schools, whether they are described as advanced by their superintendents (Caprara et al., 2003). However, a recent study on diverse intercultural communities in Turkey found that teachers have little experience or knowledge of how to deal with classroom diversity, with the exception of learning differences (Akar et al., 2008).

Another factor to consider with regard to educating children of migrant neighborhoods is whether or not teachers are adequately prepared to respond appropriately to the needs of the new migrants entering their classrooms (Goodwin, 2002). Again, there is evidence that migrant students have lower self-esteem and life satisfaction than non-migrant students in Turkey (Aksel et al., 2007). Therefore, teachers’ views about their students’ behaviors, social skills, or cultural differences may influence how they create effective learning environments. It is important that children no matter what schools they attend have access to good education both formally as well as informally. In diverse societies the need for such education is greater because the complexities within them can be mispresented (Gundara, 2000). Teachers’ beliefs about their students may have a positive impact on their learning, and in return in their future academic aspirations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to address the following research question: What are the background and school related factors that influence teachers’ views of their students’ positive classroom behaviors, social skills, and cultural differences in schools that are located in communities subjected to internal migration.

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