Primary School

The Turkish language program primarily aims to help students acquire the habit of reading and writing. It aims to develop students’ ability to read and understand selected texts from Turkish and world literature, to integrate the power of interpretation with the ability to write.

Grammar and spelling rules are presented to students in a program integrated with the texts read. In this integrated program, in which texts from distinguished authors from Turkish and world literature are also used, students are given basic information about language use as well as detailed information about written expression.

In addition to these, the program aims to enable students to use their mother tongue correctly and effectively both orally and in writing, to have information about authors, to read works from different genres and to write genre-specific texts.

Some of the methods used to support the program include reading and analyzing at least one book a week, whole-school reading hour activities once a month, and analyzing the books read by the class through classroom activities.

The aim of mathematics lessons is to develop students’ reasoning and problem solving skills that are necessary in their lives.

In order to achieve this, all our lessons are structured by thinking about why we need mathematical concepts. In the lessons, students are encouraged to develop intuition about mathematical concepts by using concrete materials and having real life experiences. As a result of these experiences, students learn how to draw conclusions and generalize on their own. They are also supported with problems for mathematical thinking.

This system ensures that the students develop life long skills like decision-making, forecasting, responsibility taking and scientific thinking and helps them become thinking , inquiring and self-confident individuals.

Our program is based on the British National Curriculum and Ministery of Education program objectives and these objectives are tailored to the needs of Açı students. The program addresses 4 main skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing), and the lessons are planned to make sure that all skills are develpoed equally. The program develops the skills acquired in pre-school and aims to provide students with a high level of literacy.

Our curriculum uses “Oxford Reading Tree”, an internationally accepted reading series. It is designed to enhance the joy of reading and enrich students’ English language acquisition, thus, it is used as weekend homework tasks and class work.

The grammar rules are not taught as a stand-alone lesson but are incorporated into reading and writing as well as speaking and listening lessons, as they are learnt more effectively in context.

In 1st and 2nd grade, students familiarize themselves with the grammar topics necessary for the acquisition of the 4 skills on a level basis. As of 3rd grade, they gradually discover some grammar aspects being exposed to meaningful contexts and encouraged to use the language for a real reason, in real life situations and in accordance with the content, subject and situation.

In addition to baseline assessments, students’ progress is monitored through assessments during and at the end of each semester and necessary changes and plans are made according to the results of these eveluations. Once the needs are determined, class and homewprk activities are planned taking their individual differences into account.

The program aims to create learning opportunities where students love learning English, take responsibility for their own learning from an early age, develop their language skills, and develop research, group work and higher-order thinking skills.

General Aims and Objectives of the Music Program:

Açı Music Program creates opportunities for students to;

* Recognize and respect different types of music in historical, cultural and social contexts,

* Be able to express the emotions, thoughts and images created by music with the correct terminology,

* Become individuals who have the opportunity to have musical experiences individually and collectively.

The 8 year music program, helps students learn about the lives of nearly fifty musicians being exposed to examples of different genres, including classical music, jazz, new age, rock’n roll, popular music, Turkish folk music, classical Turkish music, Mehter, world music and alternative music. Additionally they learn about eighty terms from music terminology. They also put what they learn into practice through, singing, listening and performance work with musical instruments while studying the historical development of all genres from classical music to jazz, from Turkish folk music to rock and roll.

With its art program, Açı Schools aim to help students incorporate art into their daily lives as viewers and practitioners, and to raise them not as artists, but as individuals who understand art and enjoy watching and participating in art activities. The program categorizes these goals under three main headings.

* Producing art
* Seeing art in everyday life
* Looking at and evaluating art

Recognition and appreciation of art are the major differences that Açı art program creates. Love of art develops only with acquiring the necessary knowledge to appreciate art. Açı Schools takes the first fifteen minutes of every art class to look at and discuss a piece of art. This visual presentation is not independent of the activity being performed. On the contrary, it makes the activity performed a more meaningful experience. Visits to art galleries and museums are an important tool in the realization of this goal.

The physical education program aims to create a culture that will enable students to develop necessary skills to maintain their physical and mental health.

The lessons consist of topics like physical fitness and healthy eating habits, athletics, throwing and catching, basketball, gymnastics, jumping rope, handball, badminton, soccer and volleyball activities. The program is grouped under the headings of technical skills, healthy living and eating habits, sports culture and attitude.

Students’ physiological development is monitored through periodic tests. Body composition values obtained through measurements, physical-motor characteristics and the development of these characteristics over time are controlled.

The program aims at having students who love sports and incorporate sports into their daily lives as spectators and active participants.

In the first 3 years of primary school, there is a life science course and social studies course begins in the 4th grade. The life science curriculum aims to raise students as individuals with basic life skills and desired personal qualities and to provide them with information they can use in life. The life studies course is organized under three main themes. These three main themes are “My School Excitement”, “My Unique Home”, “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow”.

In 4th grade, students continue to develop the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the life studies course. The 4th grade program aims to help students to recognize themselves, their families, their country and the world, to learn about the city they live in with its the cultural and historical aspects with its pros and cons by comparing it with different cultures, and to be a sensitive and questioning individual.

Trips and interviews, which are organized with attention to the characteristics of the age group and in connection with the subjects, are very important in terms of reinforcing learning. Our students also develop some research skills through research studies conducted throughout the year.

The primary goal of Açı Primary School Science and Technology course is to introduce students to science and technology. Observation, examination, experimentation and research methods support “scientific curiosity” and “learning by doing” approaches. The program employs a variety of teaching methods that encourage students to develop creativity, critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills. Through this program, it is aimed that our students associate the knowledge and skills they acquire with their daily lives

Classes

Classrooms are designed so that students can move freely and meet their learning needs. Each classroom has a reading corner. These corners are enriched with reading books and reference books brought by students and teachers. Students who finish their work early can spend their time reading in these corners. Different class corners are created according to the interests of the students in the class. The aim here is to meet the needs of students with different interests.

Classroom boards are used as teaching materials. There is a board for each subject area. These boards contain information, pictures, maps, etc. related to the themes covered. The aim is to enable students to perceive the subject visually.

Material

At Açı Primary School, materials are used in all courses in order to meet learning objectives and make students’ learning more permanent. Booklets containing lectures and exercises function as a book and notebook together. Worksheets enable students to comprehend and reinforce the objectives. Posters and diagrams are used to create a visual learning environment, inform and motivate students.

Homework Tasks

One of the most important attitudes we aim to develop in our students is responsibility. In this context, our students are expected to complete a given work in a specified time in accordance with their knowledge and skills. Students make their knowledge and skills permanent by reinforcing what they have learned via school activities. In addition, homework tasks provide students with important opportunities to expand the boundaries of their knowledge, to apply the knowledge learned in different areas.

In-School

Performance Tasks

Performance tasks are short-term tasks that enable the monitoring of mental processes such as researching, organizing, using, analyzing and synthesizing information. Performance activities are carried out in the classroom and at home during the specified weeks. These activities can also be done as group work. When the work is completed, students present their work to their friends or exhibit their work in designated areas.

Project

Project work is a long-term task carried out in all grades. Students conduct research on topics determined in accordance with the grade level and academic program. In addition to their research, they prepare experiments, observations, excursions, models, questionnaires, interviews, photo albums, etc. with the support of the teachers in charge of the project. After completing their work, students present some of their projects to their friends and family.

Observations and Experiments

Observation technique is used especially in science and social studies courses. Students reach a conclusion by observing any situation or experiment they create. They make inferences through experimentation and observation.

Effort-Success

At Açı Primary School, assessment and evaluation are used to encourage learning and support students’ learning process. The aim is to show the student’s their strengths and areas to develop, the progress made in a certain period and to agree on the goals for the next step. The results are also used to evaluate the curriculum and the teaching techniques.

Tracking Lists

The most important focus of our assessment and evaluation approach is to evaluate effort as well as success. Açı Schools adopt an assessment and evaluation practice that not only focuses on the results but also takes into account the processes and efforts.

Students’ progress is measured by different assessment tools. In the process of evaluating our students’ performance, it is of great importance to be able to keep track of how each student is doing with their homework, in-class work, projects, trip reports, worksheets and booklets.

At Açı Primary School, teachers use tracking lists to monitor all the work students do in and out of school related to the academic program on a daily basis. Data received from the analysis of lists is used to plan the next learning activity.

Açı Reports

At Açı Primary School, Açı reports are given in November, January, April and June. Açı reports evaluate students’ progress and indicate what they have learnt and what they need to learn more for specific course objectives. In the reports given in January and June, branch courses are also evaluated.

1-3. While only effort is evaluated in grades 1-3, from grade 4 onwards, effort and achievement are evaluated together. In Açı reports, the achievement is evaluated based on the student’s effort, not on what the student cannot do.