Regarded as a virtue that all citizens of a country should have, patriotism is one of the concepts which have changed and been discussed due to the change in the conception of citizenship. Although patriotism was traditionally defined as individuals’ love, loyalty and sacrifice of many things for their country in the past (Berns, 1997, et all. Oh, Williams, Bliss, Krohn, 2009), it is used to express different meanings as a result of the conditions brought about by globalization today. Because of the changes in educational and instructional programs accompanied by globalization and political decisions, the emphasis on national citizenship has been reduced and the concept of world citizenship has emerged on the stage (Marshall, 2009; Quillen, 1944). NCSS (1982), states that the purpose of global education is to “cultivate in young people a perspective of the world which emphasizes the interconnectedness among cultures, species, and the planet”. This situation raised controversies about patriotism’s implications in educational practices. One of the questions which people from a wide range of disciplines such as educational policy-makers, curriculum experts and teachers try to answer is what kind of a patriotism education should be offered. Social Studies Education, which aims to help individuals develop their social sides and supports their social existence, is directly related to the concept and teaching of patriotism. Social studies educators should foster student’s commitment to the country being lived (Westheimer, 2009). The concept of patriotism taught through Social Studies Education, the way teachers deal with patriotism and teachers’ attitudes about it have profound impacts on students’ perception of patriotism in primary school. Teachers are significant key players of the curriculum. They are the persons who enact the curriculum, they are the “curricular-instructional gatekeepers” (Thornton, 1998).

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