EDUCATION

We aim to raise individuals who can explore mathematics, solve problems, analyze, think thoroughly, use technology as a tool, and apply the learned material to real life problems and who are open to critical thinking.

In order to reach these goals, we use different teaching and learning techniques such as differentiated group work, question-answer sessions, problem solving methods, and projects with web-based research.

All Grade 9 and 10 students study Cambridge IGCSE International Mathematics 0607 Extended Class. They study IB High Level or Standard Level Mathematics Course in Grade 11 and 12.

All Grade 9, 10 and 11 students can attend CEMC Fermat and Cayley competitions held in our school. We also get prepared and participate in competitions such as Tübitak and Salih Zeki Project Competitions.

High school mathematics classes, we aim at helping students acquiring the skills listed below:

• To acquire the basic mathematical skills which are necessary for the High School IB Program and for their future studies
• To acquire the necessary mathematical skills, which are necessary to analyze incidents that they encounter or will encounter in their daily lives, to model and interpret them in order to make informed decisions
• To acknowledge the mathematics language and to use it correctly
• To acquire the skills to access mathematical resources and use these resources appropriately
• To use current technology (graphic calculator, i-pad etc.) in an advanced way to support mathematics learning
• To ensure that they are open to changes and innovations
• Supporting students who wish to participate in national and international Mathematics competitions
• To help them gain disciplined study habits
• To think in a rational and a critical way by analysing
• Supporting students who find Mathematics difficult and ensuring that successful ones advance one step further.

In English classes, students are provided with a program enabling the acquisition of a broad range of English skills for future education and ultimately a career. By the end of Grade 12, students are expected to communicate fluently and effectively in English in a wide range of situations and be able to write academically in a variety of forms including, essays, memoirs, research papers, literary analysis reports and poetry. Finally, students are expected to apply critical reading skills and understand spoken English at a native pace in a wide range of contexts.

High School Prep Programme

Students who do not pass the Enka Proficiency exam will be admitted to the Prep year in order to master the English language. It consists of 20 periods a week divided into three courses:

• Literature and writing
• Grammar
• Listening and speaking

The aim of the programme is for students to reach a B2 level of English based on the Common European Framework Reference. Students must be able to express themselves fluently, be able to write a variety of different genres competently and read and understand a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts at an upper intermediate level. Through process writing, instilling the love of literature, and developing communication skills, students will be ready to confidently enter grade 9 English where the IGCSE First Language English course will be taught.

Grade 9 & 10 IGCSE First Language English

In Grades 9 & 10 all students will be studying the IGCSE First Language English course. This international course will help students to communicate effectively and accurately through both written and spoken English. The aims of the course are:

• To develop the understanding of the spoken word and the capacity to participate effectively in a variety of speaking and listening activities
• Develop the ability to read, understand and respond to material from a variety of sources
• To recognise and appreciate themes and attitudes and the ways in which writers achieve their effects
• Develop the ability to construct and convey meaning in written language, matching style to audience and purpose.

Students will be assessed both internally and externally at the end of Grade 10 through coursework and an external exam.

Grade 11 & 12

In Grade 11& 12 all students will have the opportunity to study the following International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme subject for English:

• English Language and Literature (HL or SL)

English Language and Literature

The main aim of the English Language and Literature course is to increase literacy skills so that students can offer critical responses to a broad range of texts. The course is divided into four parts

1. Language in cultural context
2. Language and mass communication
3. Literature: texts and contexts
4. Literature: a critical study

Students will have the opportunity to study English Language and Literature at either a High level (HL – minimum 240 hours) or at a Standard Level (SL – minimum 150 hours).

On a Final Note

Regardless of the programme students follow, the high school English program aims to:

• Develop a love of literature and use it as a vehicle to provide insight into themselves and other cultures, to acquire information and for pleasure
• Understand and compose written forms of language in a range of styles using standard conventions of English
• Read, write and think critically about the world through the written word
• Communicate clearly and fluently in an academic setting with comprehensive vocabulary.

Social Studies programme is an education programme that aims for students to acquire the necessary information, skill and values needed to adapt to social live and to come up with solutions to social problems.

The basic approach in the History, Geography, Philosophy and Religion Culture and Moral Knowledge lessons in the department is to improve our students’ creativity. Our main goal is to help students learn their environment ant the world, and to improve their awareness about history, environment, nature and culture.

One of our primary goals is to ensure that we create the necessary efficient environments for students where they can reach knowledge, to facilitate for them to prepare presentations, dramatizations and scenarios, and to guide them to discover their skills.

In line of these goals:

• In philosophy lessons, the ideas of thinkers from Antiquity to the modern age, philosophical issues and main schools of philosophy
• In sociology lessons, the social events and scientific data about the society that they live in
• In geography lessons, throughout the high school natural systems, human systems, spatial synthesis, geographical areas, countries, environment and society are the main topics
• In history lessons the main topics are the important periods of human history from the Antique Ages to modern era, the progress and change in the cultural history of Turkey, important personalities in Turkish and world history, important events and monuments are the main topics.

 

On the other hand, The Turkish Social Sciences lesson (SBS) that is offered within the IB Diploma Programme is an IBO approved elective course. This lesson is in Turkish and it includes History, Geography and Sociology courses. It is compatible both with the National Ministry Curriculum and the IB Curriculum. The aforementioned lessons are studied within the scope of the curriculum in relation to one another. This lesson has a two-year curriculum and at the end of the year, an exam is organised by the IBO. The grade that the student gets on this exam is added to the IB Diploma grade.

Global Politics

The DP global politics two-year course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, equality, sustainability and peace in a range of contexts.

It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international and global dimensions of political activity and processes, as well as to explore political issues affecting their own lives. The course helps students to understand abstract political concepts by grounding them in real-world examples and case studies. It also invites comparison between such examples and case studies to ensure a wider and transnational perspective.

IB Economics

Why has the Turkish Lira fallen in value? Why is inflation a problem? What factors influence the price of oil? What policies can a government use to reduce traffic congestion? Why has the Chinese economy grown so quickly? Why does the US have such a large trade deficit? These are the types of questions with which the IB Diploma Economics syllabus is concerned.

Students study microeconomic and macroeconomic theories and concepts and their real-world applications. In addition, issues related to the development process that nations encounter when they enter the process of change are also in the scope of the study.

IB Turkey in the 20th Century

The focus of this class is to explore Turkey in 20th century. The main goal of this course is to enable the students to acquire basic knowledge to understand the political, social and cultural structure of Turkey in the 20th century, to explore the historical, geographical and sociological structure of Turkey in the 20th century, to see the effects of the developments and changes in Europe and the world on Turkey and to teach the political, economic and cultural dimensions of these developments and changes.

IB Psychology

The IB Psychology two-year course is the systematic study of behaviour and mental processes. Psychology has its roots in both the natural and social sciences, leading to a variety of research designs and applications, and providing a unique approach to understanding modern society. IB psychology examines the interaction of biological, cognitive and sociocultural influences on human behaviour, thereby adopting an integrative approach. Understanding how psychological knowledge is generated, developed and applied enables students to achieve a greater understanding of themselves and appreciate the diversity of human behaviour. The ethical concerns raised by the methodology and application of psychological research are key considerations in IB psychology.

IB Information Technology in a Global Society – (ITGS)

The IB Diploma Programme Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) course is the study and evaluation of the impacts of information technology (IT) on individuals and society. It explores the advantages and disadvantages of the access and use of digitized information at the local and global level. ITGS provides a framework for the student to make informed judgments and decisions about the use of IT within social contexts.

Although ITGS shares methods of critical investigation and analysis with other social sciences, it also considers social and ethical considerations that are common to other subjects in group 3. Students come into contact with IT on a daily basis because it is so pervasive in the world in which we live. This increasingly widespread use of IT inevitably raises important questions with regard to the social and ethical considerations that shape our society today. ITGS offers an opportunity for a systematic study of these considerations, whose range is such that they fall outside the scope of any other single discipline.

German/French Courses:

Modern Foreign Languages Course – designed for High School students – has a communicative approach for language instruction and development. According to this approach, speaking German/French in the class is a main criteria. Students need to use their French/German language skills for any purpose.

The language of instruction is always in the target language which enables students to develop communication skills.

The principal goal is to develop listening, speaking, reading-understanding, and writing skills in order to raise global awareness. To develop critical thinking and to integrate values of tolerance and open-mindedness through language knowledge leading to empathy. They discuss and analyze modern world problems and get opportunities to understand the French/German culture worldwide.

Students learn actively by using authentic resources (newspapers, videos, songs, and essays, etc). As the world becomes globalized, and international exchanges continue to increase rapidly, it’s a necessity for our students to encounter different cultures and languages in their daily lives. Learning a new language thus becomes more important as they learn to become active citizens in this global community.

Modern Foreign Languages German and French programs have following goals. We aim at students’ developing these skills and the knowledge provided below:

• Being proficient in 4 language skills; reading, speaking, writing and listening
• Being able to communicate about daily lives such as school, work and leisure time in a clear language
• Being able to express themselves consistently about their areas of interest and familiar areas
• Being able to share their experiences and to talk about their goals, hopes and dreams
• Being able to make justifications and explanations on a given topic
• Being able to understand the main ideas of complex texts with abstract and/or concrete topics.

The Science subject aims at developing students’ creativity, research-inquiry skills and sensitivity to surroundings in addition to teaching students how to access information in the changing world and Turkey.

Projects enable students to follow national and international activities and to have a broader perspective.

We follow the Ministry of Education curriculum in Grade 9 and 10. Students choose at least one of these courses in either Standard or High Level in Grade 11 and 12; Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Environment Systems.

In grades 9-12 Science classes, we aim at helping students acquiring the knowledge and skills listed below:

Science Department consists of some sub-departments; Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Environment Systems and Societies. Our aim is to ensure that students experience and learn from laboratory work in all lessons. The language of instruction is English.

• To get the basic scientific skills which are necessary for the High School IB Program and for their future studies
• To become lifelong learners who search, inquire, make judgements based on rational thinking, who can solve problems, who are self-confident, entrepreneur, open to cooperation, who can express themselves and have sustainable development awareness
• To have the understanding of the relationship between Science, Engineering, Technology, Society and Environment and psychomotor skills
• To have basic knowledge about Biology, Physics, Chemistry of Environment Systems and Societies
• To be equipped with the skills to explore nature and to live in harmony with nature
• To be respectful to cultural and universal values and sensitive to social problems
• To be able to integrate Science into other disciplines to turn their theoretical knowledge into implementation and to products
• To be able to evaluate scientific ideas, synthesize them, solve problems and carry out accurate analyses and calculations and present their findings in an appropriate manner and using the correct terminology
• To get the necessary planning, preparing and timing study habits
• Are able to access necessary Scientific resources for themselves and to use current technology in an advanced way to support their Science learning
• To be open to changes and innovations
• To use laboratory tools and technology in an advanced manner when making experiments or solving problems
• To be aware of the importance of safety for themselves and for others while conducting experiments
• To use principles and concepts that they have learned when making decisions about current issues
• Supporting students who find Science difficult and ensuring that successful ones advance one step further.

Our aim is to develop students’ creativity and originality and to ensure that they produce aesthetical works. We aim at raising students who have universal values, who can make analysis of the art history and who are sensitive to contemporary art activities. We give them all necessary materials to express themselves and we wish to contribute to their personal development with group activities.

There are 3 learning areas in Visual Arts program in Prep, Grade 9 and 10 classes in line with the MEB curriculum.

• Shaping in Visual Arts
• Visual Arts Culture
• Historical Environment and Museum Awareness

 

All Art activities contribute to the IB Art program.

IB ART Elements

IB Visual Art curriculum consists of three areas in SL and HL;

Communicating Visual Arts
Visual Art Methods
Visual Arts in Context

Students are expected to search basic curriculum in these areas:

• Theories
• Art application techniques and methods
• Museum Tasks.

 

Students are expected to prepare Visual Arts portfolio in IB SL and HL.
Students are also expected to choose at least two of the techniques stated below and to produce work.

What are we doing now?

Personal Exhibition of Students

We give opportunities to students – who are interested in Art and who produce work- to open exhibitions. Students need to participate actively in Art lessons, to create original and appropriate tasks, and to attend activities in and out of the school. We want students to be an example for their peers and to be interested in Art throughout their lives.

Caricature Activity

One of the important activities is Caricature Activity in the Art Department. Students use their drawing power, and thinking process. We organize this event every year. We have different themes every year. Famous caricature artists also come to the school to talk to our students and to organize workshops. Caricature activity gives a universal perspective to the students.

Art Festival

We organize Art Festival every year. It is for all grade levels. Students meet with visual artists and activities in an entertaining environment. They express themselves with original designs.

Aritsts in the School

We host various artists such as painters, ceramics, sculpture and photography artists for 1-2 months, once every week. Students become familiar with the art making process by making observations. They talk to artists and organize workshops.

The music course is in line with the Ministry of Education learning outcomes for Prep, Grade 9 and 10. Students play instruments that they have selected. They attend various festivals and competitions. In Grade 11 and 12, we have the IB Music program. There are two different programs in IB Music; Standard and High Level. Our school facilities, the students’ education and modern music understanding play an important role in the course.

The Ministry of Education music learning outcomes are also covered in Grade 11 and 12. Our goal is to help students understand the nature and value of improvisation, to create compositions and perform, to realize their musical talents and to use these talents with self-confidence.

Our goals:

• To develop individuals who are interested in arts and culture, and are able to research and distinguish between high-quality music
• To develop musical play, listening, creativity, rhythm, body language and note learning skills
• To help students understand the importance of culture, art and music on people and on communities
• To help students take an interest in the effects of contemporary musical technology
• To encourage students to participate in music groups both in and out of the school by playing instruments or singing.

 

IB Music Course Goals:

• To help students develop an understanding and appreciation of different music genres of different cultures, histories and styles
• To help them to develop necessary skills for critical thinking, listening, describing, music writing and performing
• To help them identify expected responses for musical sounds which they have learned previously
• To help them see the changes and continuum of Western music with a historical perspective
• To help them understand the bright structure of the music genres in the 20th century
• To help them realize and understand musical genres which do not belong to their culture.

In our classes, in line with the principle of learning through physical activities, play and sports, our goal is to contribute to the social, emotional, moral and physical development of our students, to enable them gain the habit of living an active and healthy life in student centered environments by giving the opportunity to restructure their own learning. We care about our students to find solutions as an individual or a group to the problems they encounter, to have critical and reflective thinking. We consider the individual differences while assessing students’ achievements.

In Physical Education classes, our students:

• Can integrate sports into their own lives
• Have the knowledge on basic hygiene and nutrition
• Set as a model for others by engaging in sports
• Can make the link between healthy nutrition and sports
• Follow up the sports branch they are interested in and make comments
• Can make comments regarding the technical and tactical aspects of the competition they participated
• Know about the developing sports branches
• Know about the world wide big sports organizations
• Know about the fair play spirit
• Can build a sports organization on the branch they are interested in and referee
• Have the knowledge on basic first aid
• Know about the harmful items for their bodies and are attentive not to use them
• Know about the athletes and their achievements in the Olympic Games
• With the regular participation, they use the information and skills improving health in their own life and personal development.