Early Learning Centre Principal

To encourage the freedom, curiosity and creativity of our children, opportunities should be given to them in the process of learning and acquiring knowledge. Children need to be active in order to have an interest towards a subject, to explore it and to use their full potential in a motivated way.

We, as Işıkkent Early Learning Centre (ELC), are witnessing your child’s golden age. As the first school experience, kindergartens shape the children’s perception of school and learning, and leave a permanent mark. Işıkkent pedagogues and educators design environments that make this experience enjoyable, lively and exciting. Through the integration of IB-PYP and Reggio Emilia programs into the Ministry of Education curriculum, Işıkkent ELC aims to develop inquirers and lifelong learners who actively participate in experiential learning processes.

Our specialists and educators are trained leaders who stand by the students to facilitate their process of knowledge acquisition through organising their learning environment. Işıkkent ELC implements the Bilingual Collaborative Teaching (BCT) method in the classroom.

A mini workshop is placed in the ELC’s Piazza area, which is supported by the Reggio Emilia approach. Throughout the year, this workshop is home to various recyclable materials and resources on which students carry out projects. The materials collected are stored in places where the students can easily see and access. Before starting a project, the facilitator gives clues about the area of inquiry. After that, the children start building the project using the relevant resources. The enthusiasm and motivation of the child determines exactly where the project will end up and what will it be used for. For this reason, no Reggio Emilia project is the same.

We are enjoying Işıkkent’s nature friendly campus in our ELC building designed in line with the Reggio Emilia philosophy: A well-lit living space with high ceilings surrounded by three green gardens.

We invite you to our Early Learning Centre to have a closer look.

Kind regards,

Our Educational Approach

The dialogue between students and teachers is valued in the Işıkkent Early Learning Centre. The process of learning how to learn starts at home through verbal communication and open ended questions. This process does not involve

The dialogue between students and teachers is valued in the Işıkkent Early Learning Centre. The process of learning how to learn starts at home through verbal communication and open ended questions. This process does not involve rote learning, and is based on interactive and positive communication. Through open ended questions, the learning process enables children to question what they learn and develop their metacognitive and transfer skills. The approach that we embrace at Işıkkent supports the acquisition of the students’ academic knowledge and increases their self–confidence.

We attach importance to skills education as well as reaching academic outcomes. In order to raise individuals that the modern world needs, we need to unveil and develop their abilities and potential. We know this is possible through the application of the multiple intelligence theory- which implies that each individual has a different way and habit of learning.

Our teachers observe students and determine their predisposition towards different learning styles. Then they diversify the lessons with activities carried out inside / outside the classroom according to each individual’s learning habits and understanding. The Brain Development room located inside the Early Learning Centre is designed to provide students with a suitable environment according to their learning styles.

Learning Environment in ELC

An effective learning environment which enables students to meet their individual needs and interests

Modern teaching techniques are applied across our School. Classroom tools are designed to contribute to the development of our students, to support and enhance learning outcomes. For this reason, rich, nurturing environments support learning through action, experimentation and application. Our classrooms enable students to perform a wide variety of activities, and to work in small groups.

Our Early Learning Centre is equipped with rich learning materials which students can access at any time. The classroom population is limited to 20 students. Two teachers in each classroom meet the individual needs and interests of the students. Each student is encouraged to actively participate in the classroom activities.

The Brain Development room located inside the Early Learning Centre is designed to provide students with a suitable environment according to their learning styles. This room also helps students experience and apply what they learn in the classroom. In the Işıkkent Early Learning Centre, the Reggio Emilia pedagogical philosophy is also carried out as a basis for teaching.

Just like the PYP, The Reggio Emilia philosophy also puts learners in the centre of the learning process, and facilitates learning through inquiry. The Piazza is a common social and academic learning area where students carry out long and short term projects and mingle with each other. This environment lets students experiment, model and develop their skills, reinforce their social relationships and carry out team work under the leadership of their branch teachers.