TÜRK EĞİTİM VAKFI İNANÇ TÜRKEŞ ÖZEL LİSESİ
TEV Inanç Türkes High School is the first and only school in Turkey which provides special high school education for gifted students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds. It is one of only four schools of its kind in the world. Inanç School is a full-time boarding high school. After classes, general education continues with activities, study sessions and special events.
On the school campus, there are four boarding houses, one science building with IB standard laboratories, the main school building, arts and sciences building, prep building and a modern gymnasium with sport fields. The campus is currently constructing a large arts and theatre centre. Inanç School is uniquely situated on a green hill beside the Marmara Sea . The panoramic view of the sea and sunset can be viewed from every part of the school. The campus is the largest of all the high schools in Turkey . Teachers' accommodations are comfortable apartments, many with superb views over the Marmara Sea to the mountains behind.
IB at TEVİTÖL
At TEVİTÖL we have been doing the International Baccalaureate Diploma for four years and have had two sets of graduates so far. 33 students in 2007 and 26 students in 2008. The IB is a 2 year program for 11th and 12th grade students that has the mission outlined below. At TEVİTÖL we have a similar mission and so feel that the IB should be a part of our school program. In year 11 all student become IB 1 students. Whether they are TM (Turkish-Math in Turkish system) or FM (Science-Math in Turkish system) they must choose 6 major subjects from the following list (only 1 from each group );
Group 1 – 1st Language - Turkish
Group 2 – 2nd languages – English (A2 or B), German (ab initio), French (ab initio)
Group 3 – Social Science – ITGS (Information Technology in a Global Society),TSS (Turkish Social Studies), Economics
Group 4 – Natural Sciences – Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Group 5 – Mathematics
Group 6 – The Arts – Music, Visual Arts or a second choice of any of the above
(German, French, Economics, ITGS, TSS, Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
The aim of the IB is to produce students with a good general education in all areas not one specific area like science. In the 11th grade all students have each group lesson for 5 hours a week. They are given the relevant IB curriculum e.g. they must produce lab reports in Science, portfolios in Mathematics and Economy. They must write essays in Turkish, English, and Turkish Social Studies etc. This give us a total of 30 lessons per week. The student also have 2 hours per week of TOK (Theory of Knowledge, Critical thinking). As a part of this course students write essays and give presentations. The remaining 10 lessons are from the standard “Milli-egitim” program. As a part of the IB student do CAS activities each day for which they must keep records of their progress.
At the end of Grade 11, students in conjunction with their teachers choose whether to complete the IB program with a diploma, Certtificate or simply complete the IB without either certificate or Diploma and concentrate on the ÖSS exam. This decision Depends on the students peformance, responsibility, time manangement and averages. Those students who decide to complete the IBDP must then also complete an Extended Essay in their chosen subject. This is an 4000 word in depth essay on a subject of the students choice. Students currently at University have said that the IB prepares them excellently for the type of work they have to do at University. This background is missing for non-IB students.
Students who wish to study abroad MUST be IBDP students. Students who wish to study at “Vakif” Universities (like Koç, Sabanci, Bilkent) are are advised to take the IB as it has some advantages as far as scholarship and tracks are concerned. Students who are interested in only Turkish state schools are advised to concentrate more on the ÖSS and maybe take some Certificates.
-David Helliwell
The IB coordinator in TEVİTÖL
Mission Statement
The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
(IBO, Geneva, November 2002) For Further Information: http://ibo.org