Istanbul International School - K12-Kindergarten Programs

Istanbul International School:
Istanbul International School in Turkey offers affordable, parent-friendly, child centred, professional, sensible, multicultural, secular education by dedicated, talented staff on the Asian side of Istanbul. Experienced, native English speaking teachers. Istanbul International School preschool, primary and secondary education follows the models and experiences in education described and applied by educational innovators such as Dewey, Bruner and Gardner and applications such as in Reggio Emilia, Italy, all who owe their inspiration to child development studies especially by Vygotsky.

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K12 - kindergarten-playgroups, Bilingual School (Turkish-English); Language Classes: Finnish, Korean, Spanish; Cambridge University International Exams; Weekend playgroups; Summer school - UK summer camps

İstanbul International School is the only school in Turkey where a national and international programme are provided under the same roof with the deliberate intention of creating settings in which children meet each other as equals and share learning experiences together. In the programe two distinct curricula operate – one national, representing the Turkish school programme regulated by the National Board of Education . The other is an international curriculum which is British based but suitably flexible to incorporate an eclectic approach to education and choice of materials. Though the two programmes have distinct national features to meet the needs of Turkish or foreign students, they identify themselves as members of the IIS learning community. Assemblies are conducted jointly, club activites are mixed as are as much as possible Music, PE and Art lessons. Turkish children learn English and foreign children are taught Turkish. The programme focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and also in the outside, through environments where children learn.

The educational framework meets children’s various needs – academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural. Learning is child centred and value based. Central to the programme are the elements of knowledge, skills, attitudes and action. These are encouraged through a suitable broad area of studies and answer questions and needs such as: who we are, where we are in place and time, how we express ourselves, how the world works, how we organise ourselves. Finding a way to answer the most basic questions, we have emphasised the importance of teacher, learning and teaching methodology and the importance of learning environment. As for the programme we have designed it to focus on three major areas of interest:

- ENVIRONMENT: science history, geography, religion, technology
- EXPRESSIVE ARTS: music, art and design, drama, physical education
- LIFE STUDIES: mother language, foreign languages, mathematics, personal development.

The student body represents more than ten different countries as does the teaching staff. Staff are selected for their educational experience, a heart for children and their suitability for work in a collaborative teaching-learning model.

We offer an Early Learning Programme intended for kids from age two to five. This period is recognised as a distinct stage of learning, when children learn best through active play and investigation which builds on their individual needs and interests. We know that young children have a wide range of different experiences, skills and interests when they join a setting or school at age three, four or five. They need a well planned and resourced curriculum to take their learning forward and to provide opportunities for them to succeed in an atmosphere of care and in a place where they feel valued.

The programme at our at our Pre School is entirely in English as we use English as our language of communication and not only taught as a foreign language. You would be surprised to see how receptive young children are!

The Early Learning Curriculum (ELC) is based on active learning for children through real-life situations, investigation and play.

Our ELP is based upon the following principles:

Emergent Curriculum: An emergent curriculum is one that builds upon the interests of children. Topics for study are as much as possible captured from the talk of children, through the known interests of children (puddles, shadow, dinosaurs, etc.). Team planning is an essential component of the emergent curriculum. Teachers work together to formulate hypotheses about the possible directions of a project, the materials needed, and possible parent and/or community support and involvement.

Project Work: Projects, also emergent, are in-depth studies of concepts, ideas, and interests, which arise within the group. Considered as an adventure, projects may last one week or could continue throughout the school year. Throughout a project, teachers help children make decisions about the direction of study, the ways in which the group will research the topic, the representational medium that will demonstrate and showcase the topic and the selection of materials needed to represent the work.

Representational Development: Consistent with Howard Gardner's notion of schooling for multiple intelligences, our Early Learning programme calls for the integration of graphic arts as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development. Presentation of concepts and hypotheses in multiple forms of representation -- print, art, construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play -- are viewed as essential to children's understanding of experience.

Collaboration: Collaborative group work, both large and small, is considered valuable and necessary to advance cognitive development. Children are encouraged to dialogue, critique, compare, negotiate, hypothesize, and problem solve through group work.

Teachers as Researchers: The teacher's role within the ELP approach is complex. Working as co-teachers, the role of the teacher is first and foremost to be that of a learner alongside the children. The teacher is a teacher-researcher, a resource and guide as she/he lends expertise to children. Within such a teacher-researcher role, educators carefully listen, observe, and document children's work and the growth of community in their classroom and are to provoke, co-construct, and stimulate thinking, and children's collaboration with peers. Teachers are committed to reflection about their own teaching and learning.

Documentation: Similar to the portfolio approach which is used in our International School, documentation of children's work in progress is viewed as an important tool in the learning process for children, teachers, and parents. Pictures of children engaged in experiences, their words as they discuss what they are doing, feeling and thinking, and the children's interpretation of experience through the visual media are displayed as a graphic presentation of the dynamics of learning.

Environment: Great attention is given to the look and feel of the classroom. Environment is considered the "third teacher." Teachers carefully organize space for small and large group projects and small intimate spaces for one, two or three children. Documentation of children's work, plants, and collections that children have made from former outings are displayed both at the children's and adult eye level. Common space available to all children in the school includes dramatic play areas and worktables for children from different classrooms to come together.