SCHOOL VISITS
Within the scope of TAEM 2010, Peter Frew of Taft School, Mary Schellhorn of Master’s School, Nathan Wright of North Broward Preparatory School and Alan Whittemore of Ceshire Academy has visited some foremost high schools in Istanbul with Leyla Merve Kayalı of Globalise.
Within these visits, American and Turkish educators discussed the educational system, American educators made recommendations and criticisms to Turkish educators as well as paying attention to their views. The representatives of the both sides exchanged ideas about joint projects and exchange programs.
American educators visited Işık Elementary School and attended some courses. They had the opportunity to examine student projects as well as visiting the library. As a result of this visit, American educators had some opinion about the educational system in Turkey. The educators interviewed with the head of foreign languages department, Sevgi Şiranlı and get some detailed information about their studies.
As a result of the interview in the Fevziye Mektepleri Vakfı Işık Elementary School, it was stated that German and French are also taught at the school as well as English. It was stated that some examples from the world literature are instructed such as Macbeth and Fahrenheit 451, and they added that according to their experienced teachers, the best way to teach English is to make the students love literature. Teachers who support the courses with different materials said that ‘Lord of the Flies’ and ‘Animal Farm’ are the books that students love most.
TED COLLEGE
Amerikalı eğitimciler TED Koleji’nde Yabancı Diller Bölüm Başkanı Ayşin Alp, Üniversite Danışmanı Müge Evren ve İngilizce Öğretmeni Micheal Ferrera ile görüştü.
American educators met the head of foreign languages department Ayşin Alp, university consultant Müge Evren and English teacher Michael Ferrera. Educators at TED College told that they provide consultancy services for their students in order that they make the right choices about university. Teachers said that they help students to discover in what fields they are talented, and thus the students make their university choices consciously. It was told that at the TED College a research process begins at the 11th grade for the students who want to take their university education abroad. It was stated that many universities from the USA came to TED College for presentation and interviewed with the students. Within this conversation, the differences between Turkish and American educational systems were discussed. Other subjects mentioned were joint projects and teacher and student exchange programs.
It was mentioned that activities that promote summer schools in the USA are very useful for Turkish students. Peter Frew of TAFT Schools stated that students coming from all around the world have education at summer schools together. Frew also added that they have a plan to organise a trip to Connecticut in order that TED students learn more about American schools and by the help of this trip they aim to strengthen the connection between the schools and optimize the exchange programs.
Another subject matter was the difficulties that the students face in adapting to a country where they go for their university education without knowing its culture or life style. It was stated that many students have difficulty in this and the best way to overcome this difficulty is to go to that country as an exchange student in order to know its culture and education better. Another way is to attend the program called PG (Postgraduate Year). This program, shortly called PG, provides the students with the opportunity to improve their academic abilities, prepare for the exams and participate in sports activities one year before they begin their education. Thus the students can easily overcome the adaptation problems.
DOGA COLLEGE
Doğa College, which has the conception of environmentalist education model, was another stop for American educators. The group met Doğukan Özgen and Didem Ünver and were informed about Doğa College.
It was stated that Doğa College, established in 2002 in Beykoz, operates for providing education in accordance with the nature. It was also stated that Doğa College continues education by building new campuses in various neighbourhoods of Istanbul and different cities of Turkey. It is said that at Doğa College, different than other schools there are courses like love of nature and organic agriculture within the context of environmentalist education model. It has taken the attention of American educators that the campus in Beykoz is more like a giant farm rather than a school and full of animals like camels, peacocks, cows and horses. That each classroom has its own garden, that the students are growing vegetables in these gardens and that they have an education within the nature were other subject matters.
It is stated that Doğa College, since its establishment has the mission to participate in international organisations and also hold these organisations in order that their students can have education abroad. They also said that they have developed a TMBA (MBA for Teenagers) model for this mission and this model has a great impact on the process of determining which field the children want to work in and also developing their current abilities. At the college, these information was given about TMBA model: “This model is based on the idea that students have high school education abroad. Thus, the students not only have a good high school education, but also they can improve their global perspectives and they can start their university lives as young people who know what they want. Every high school student in Doğa College is involved in TMBA. We send our students abroad so that they will be closely acquainted with foreign schools. We keep the education systems at international levels at Doğa College.” In this context, Nathan Wright stated that many foreign students come to North Broward Preparatory School in the same way; they get to know the school, walk around the campus and have some opinion on abroad education opportunities even for a few weeks. In this visit it was discussed that how American education system is beneficial for Turkish students. The teachers, who stated that they conduct social responsibility projects as Doğa College with students, also said that they were involved in projects for helping the orphans. After the talks, educators from Doğa College show their American colleagues around the campus. American educators gave the lunch composed of completely natural foods the thumbs up, as well as the natural beauty of the campus.
IBRAHİM KUTLUAY BASKETBALL ACADEMY
At İbrahim Kutluay Basketball Academy, educators told that, unlike other schools, they give priority to sports and through this to the development of youths' education. Devrim Kıvanç stressed the positive contributions of the summer camps to students' development. He mentioned that sport's place in youth's life is vital both in terms of personality development and educational vise and for the continuity of these positive contributions; they continue to provide summer schools.
Devrim Kıvanç highlighted the need to take summer schools seriously for young people's mental and physical health. He also told that they organize major basketball events in the country and thousands of students to Turkey in order to benefit from these organizations. He complained about the non-existence of a kids' league and added that they are trying to organize one. In addition, Devrim Kıvanç stressed that over 70 per cent of the kids here travel abroad for studying and in this context; they are trying to share a vision with the kids.
According to Kıvanç, in order kids to be successful in their academic lives, first of all, they have to be happy in their social lives and such a thing could be best achieved via athletics. Another topic mention at the school was the students' great fortune of practicing at any sports during their study. For example, a student wishing to study in the field of economics, would be an accomplished athlete professionally as well as progressing in his or her area of study, this is a great opportunity for a student. According to the educators, through sports, young people discipline their lives and this discipline gives them an advantage in every area of their lives. They told that in summer camps by giving young people both athletics and education together; they prepare disciplined and happy young people to life in every possible way.
ISTEK VAKFI SCHOOLS
İstanbul’un çevreci eğitim modeli anlayışını benimseyen Doğa Koleji Amerikalı eğitimcilerin bir diğer ziyaret durağı oldu. Burada Doğukan Özgen ve Didem Ünver ile görüşen ekibe Doğa Koleji ile ilgili bilgi verildi.
They stressed that English education in ISTEK schools is to be highly effective, so that, English language education starts from kindergarten. It is stated that at ISTEK Schools, there are over 7,000 students and over 200 foreign language teachers. Various textbooks such as Oxford, Cambridge and Longman are used. They cooperate with several international pedagogues coming from the US, Canada and the UK. Their providing scholarship opportunities to successful students'
is also mentioned. It is mentioned that English education in primary schools is more challenging and more intense than English education in high schools. A subject the American educators mentioned is the level of assistance at ISTEK schools when the students are trying to decide a university to attend. The answer to this was that the consulting department is in charge of the subject matter and the English Department was doing some tests and face to face interviews with students. Also it is mentioned that in the school, volunteer teachers give 'story telling' classes and a range of workshops all year long.
Nathan talked about the personal development programs, workshops and face to face interviews that are done in the 11 schools that he is in charge of and his duty of organizing these activities every 2 weeks.
He told that by doing they have the advantage of determining what kind of problems they might face in the future and how to prevent them from happening.