The first month of my new life in Scotland

After all distressed days in Turkey, I finally make my dreams come true. Now, I am just happy to be here! Therefore, I decided to go back writing my blog because it may be helpful for other people who seek similar routes/opportunities. By this way, I can also keep on track and improve my writing skill.

I still remember the day when I decided to go Porto for curriculum studies conference in 2015, which totally changed my life over time. My decision to focus on teacher agency and local curriculum development was not easily acceptable subject at that time in terms of political issues. But I have believed the capital importance of this area and pushed boundaries to get it done. Glad not to choose the easy path! Because, I probably would not go to the conference and meet my supervisor who supported me a lot.

How is to be an international PhD student in University of Stirling? 

I feel warmly welcomed here. Stirling has the most beautiful campus I have ever seen. I stop to bother about weather long ago when I was living in Finland. But for your information, it is dark and rainy. 

Everybody here is ready to help and support as long as you ask for something. There are no courses in PhD that is different from many countries. In the beginning of PhD, you run a skills analysis and then you figure out in which areas you need trainings. I appreciate this flexibility. There are numerous opportunities both in the university (for free) and in other organizations such as BERA, SRA, SERA, etc. You can apply to get funding for trainings and conferences. Basically, you create your own timetable to be able to reach your aims. It can be challenging for some because freedom is something difficult to manage. I try to set deadlines for myself which helps a lot. There is also PhD by publication alternative to PhD by dissertation. You can find further information here.

The most challenging part in securing PhD place is to find scholarship for many overseas students. What I can suggest is to look for specific areas and try to network with important people in this area. I get my scholarship thanks to Stirling Network for Curriculum Studies. You can sign up for newsletter and events, here. We will be more active in social media as the year progresses.

As for my study, I will focus on the role of reflexivity in teacher mediation of curriculum. It is always subject to change but the core idea will stay. I have been reading Margaret Archer's work related to culture and agency, realist social theory and reflexivity. I have to admit that these are not the easiest ones for a first year PhD student. However, I somehow enjoying it because the real life is too complicated to be simplified. I will write more about these issues in following posts.

Educational Technology Summit

   No matter who you are and where you are, you are affected by technology in many ways. Especially solution seeking age in education can not just stand away from technological developments and tools. The essential question is: How and why we integrate technology in our traditional minded classrooms in Turkey? That must be answered and I feel lucky to have a deeper understanding now thanks to "Educational Technology Summit".

   It was not possible to attend all the classes, still I try to summarize key points from my view of point.

1- Perceptual Differences

2-Wisdom &  Assessment

3- Personal Learning Networks

4- Paragogy

5-Connectivism

6- Myths

1- Perceptual differences ( Photos are from Steeve Wheeler's presentation)

    We have to consider that even now there is a huge difference in perceptual understanding. That means it is useless to provide surface learning by only direct instruction. Strategic learning is vital since we can not describe future. To decrease the gap in terms of perceptions between young and "old" generations, it is suggested to provide conditions that they can learn, not to "teach" them things. Therefore, rich learning environments must be provided including technology.

2-Wisdom & Assessment

   Wisdom is the most difficult thing for assessment especially when a teacher assessing OF learning instead of assessing FOR learning. However, considering the future of education, even wisdom may not be adequate to comprehend 21st century skills. 

   In Turkey's circumstances, standardized tests make difficult to provide and evaluate wisdom.

3-Personal Learning Networks

   We have to accept that many of us have that kind of windows for learning in many cases. As for students, they are more tend to use computers and internet to explore the world. Moreover, when they get a connection with somebody which has connections with other people, then  a very complex network with many different people all around the world appears. So memorizing is no more valuable. Knowing where to find information when needed is the new way of thinking things. 

4- Paragogy

   Paragogy is proposed by Corneli and Danoff to characterize the critical study and practice of peer learning. Paragody is dealing with analysing and co-creating the educational environments as a whole. 

There are five principles of paragogy:

1- Context as a decentered center

2- Meta-learning as a font of knowledge

3- Peers are equals but different

4-Learning is distributed and nonlinear

5- Realize the dream, and wake up!

5- Connectivism

   In Ziya Selçuk's presentation, one of the highlighted issues is that lack of an educational theory in Turkish education system. It is mentioned that connectivism could be conceptual framework of this theory. George Siemens who introduced this new theory of learning indicated that "knowledge is growing exponentially so we can no longer personally acquire knowledge but we derive our competence from forming connections".

   Karen Stephenson also states that “ Experience has long been considered the best teacher of knowledge. Since we cannot experience everything, other people’s experiences, and hence other people, become the surrogate for knowledge. ‘I store my knowledge in my friends’ is an axiom for collecting knowledge through collecting people.”

6- Myhts

   Kürşat Çağıltay gave also a great talk. Like in his example of learning, I made new connections between my neurons. He mentioned about four myths which are commonly known as truths in education. They are:

1- Digital Locals, X, Y, Z generations, Multitaskers

   Human brain is last evolved 30.000 years ago which means if we bring a person from that time, there will not be any difference in terms of learning comparing with people from 21st century. Therefore, all these things are myths. For instance, "multitaskers" are not capable solving a Maths problem and painting at the mean time. 

2- Learning Styles and Right and Left Brained People

3- Learners can decide the content and control their own learning

4- Learning Pyramid

You can visit the web page http://www.egitimteknolojilerizirvesi.com/MainPage

Kitap "çalan" çocuğa ağıt

"Sakin, tutucu ve huzurlu bir hayattan

Fırlatılırız birdenbire dünyaya

Yüz binlerce dalga çalkalar

Her şey tahrik eder bizi,

Bazısı hoşumuza gider, bazısı keyfimizi kaçırır

Uymaz bir saatimiz bir saatimize

Gider geliriz huzursuz duygular arasında,

Hissederiz ve hissettiğimiz şeyler

Alır götürür dünyanın renkli kargaşasını." Goethe

Ben, okul koridorlarında çoraplarıyla gezip, yürüyerek kitap okumaya çalışan çocuklar gördüm. Yeni gelen kitapları iştahla tanıtan öğretmenler, her hafta kütüphaneye gitmeyi teşvik eden müdürler tanıdım. Koridorların kitaplıklarla doldurulduğu okulların kokusunu çektim içime, kahve kokusuyla karışık. İşte bu yerler bilirler ki "İyi kitaplar en iyi üniversitelerin yerini tutar."

Peki ya Türkiye? Bir kenara bırakalım okuma alışkanlıkları kazandırma çalışmalarını şimdilik. Bir bakalım, kitap "çalan" öğrenciyi nasıl cezalandırıyoruz? Ona nasıl bir çarpık ahlak dersi veriyoruz da bu çocuk yaşamdan vazgeçiyor? Bu dersi kim değerlendirecek peki? Kim verecek öğretmenin notunu? 

Peki ya akademisyenler? Literatür öğretmen hatalarını sayfalarca incelemişken, bu hatayı hangi tema kapsar? Önlemsel yaklaşım mıdır? Y teorisi midir? 

Haydi artık! Öğretmenler, akademisyenler, aileler! Gerçek dünyaya fırlatılma zamanı geldi; gitti dünyanın renkleri ölen çocuklarla.

Bir "Milli Eğitim Şûrası" kişisel yorumudur.

   

     Eğitim hayatımda ilk defa bir Milli Eğitim Şûrası'nı bu kadar yakından takip edip; araştırmaya, sorgulamaya ve anlamaya çalıştım. Alınan kararlar tavsiye niteliğinde olsa da şûrada bulunan veya bir şekilde etkileri olan (dolaylı) katılımcıların görüşlerini ve isteklerini yansıtması açısından önemli bulunmaktadır. Çeşitli sendikalar, akademisyenler, okul müdürleri, öğretmenlerden oluşan yaklaşık 600 kişi bu şûraya katılarak 179 adet karar aldılar. Bu kararların hepsini değil ama çarpıcı, gündemde ve alanımla ilgili olanları yorumlamaya çalışacağım.

1- Öğretim Programı ve Haftalık Ders Çizelgeleri ile İlgili Alınan Kararlardan Birkaçı

1.1. Okul öncesi eğitimde programın oyun temelli olması

Oyun, çocukların yaratıcı düşünme ve iletişim becerilerini geliştirmede önemli bir araçtır. Dikkat edilmesi gereken oyunların sürekli sınıf içi aktivite olarak verilmemesidir. Özellikle okul öncesinde çocukların dışarıda vakit geçirmesi, yapılan birçok araştırmada öğrenmeyi kolaylaştırdığından sıklıkla önerilmektedir. Ülkemizde bazı öğretmenler, yağmurlu, rüzgarlı veya karlı havalarda çocuğun özellikle dışarı çıkmaması için (veli tarafından da gelen bir baskıyla) ayrı bir çaba göstermektedir. Fakat, çocuklar bu doğa olayları ile gerçek yaşamda karşılaşmayacak gibi onları sınıfa hapsetmek tamamen akla aykırıdır. Kuzey ülkelerinde okul öncesi eğitimde çocuklar günün büyük kısmını dışarıda geçirirken, ilkokul çağında olan çocukların tenefüste dışarıya çıkmaları neredeyse zorunludur. Şûrada oyun temelli program geliştirme yerinde bir karar olmakla birlikte, bununla ilgili eksiklerin olduğu söylenebilir.

1.2.Programda değerler eğitimine yer verilmesi

Değerler denildiğinde akla sevgi, saygı, adalet, ahlak ve toplum içindeki örtük kurallar gelir. Programın içeriğine oyun ile birlikte bazı değerlerin yerleştirilmesi mümkün gözükürken, alçakgönüllülük, kanaatkarlık gibi daha üst düzey duyuşsal özellikleri gerektiren değerlerin okul öncesi programının içeriğinde nasıl yer alacağı merak konusudur.

1.3.  İlkokul 1, 2 ve 3. sınıflara da Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi dersinin konulması

Bu madde şûradan sonra en çok tartışılan kararlardan biridir. Eğitim sisteminde başarılı olarak bilinen ülkelere baktığımızda bu uygulamanın olduğunu görmekteyiz. Kitap içerikleri incelendiğinde ahlak bilgisinin daha baskın bir şekilde yer aldığı, din bilgisine soyut düşünme becerilerinin daha gelişmiş olduğu 11-12 yaşlarında eğilindiği görülmektedir. Bu dersin başka dinlerden olan öğrencilere de zorunlu tutulmaması gerekmektedir.

Diğer bir açıdan, normal şartlarda program geliştirme çalışmaları değişen ve gelişen teknoloji ve ihtiyaçlar baz alınarak yapılırken, ülkemizde değişen iktidar ve siyasi güç tüm bunlardan daha etkili olmaktadır. Bu nedenle verilen karar siyasi otoritenin etkisinden çok da uzak gözükmemektedir. 

1.4. Osmanlı Türkçesi dersinin sosyal bilimler lisesinde olduğu gibi, Anadolu imam hatip lisesinde de zorun ders olarak, diğer ortaöğretim kurumlarında ise seçmeli ders olarak okutulması

Bir diğer çok tartışılan karar da Osmanlıca dersidir. Bu karar alınırken hangi ihtiyaç göz önüne alınmıştır?,  bu sorgulanmalıdır. Eğer söylendiği gibi öğrenciler dedelerinin mezarını okuyamıyorlar ise, z neslinin eğitim aldığı düşünüldüğünde, dedelerinin mezarları büyük olasılıkla zaten Osmanlıca yazılmamış olması gerekir. Bir kültürel dönüşüme ihtiyaç duyulmakta ise o zaman uzunca tartışılması gereken bir konu olduğunu düşünmekteyim. Yine de seçmeli ders olması öğrencilerin üniversitede yerleşmek istedikleri bölümlerle ilişkili olabileceği göz önüne alındığında, yerinde bir karardır.

1.5. Bütün ortaöğretim kurumlarında görsel sanatlar dersi çatısı altında geleneksel sanatlarımız olan Hat, Ebru, Tezhip ve Minyatür öğretim programlarının da uygulanmasına imkân verilmesi

Köy enstitüleri incelendiğinde, yöresel dansların, sanatların her bir enstitüde ders olarak ama her yerelde farklı olarak konulduğu görülmektedir. Bu uygulama ile öğrencilerin sanatsal gelişimlerine katkıda bulunulacağını düşünmekteyim. Bunun yanında, öğrencilerden bir ihtiyaç analizi raporu ile diğer sanat dallarının da uygulanmasına imkan verilmelidir. Bunun için gerekli alt yapı çalışmalarını yürütmenin çok da zor olduğunu düşünmüyorum.

Son olarak karma eğitim ile ilgili olan tartışmaların gündemden çıkarılması doğru bir karar olmakla birlikte, birkaç boyutu üzerinden kısaca yorumlama ihtiyacı hissediyorum. Karma eğitimin tamamen kaldırılmasını eğitim ve insan hakkı ihlali olarak görüyorum. Yine kuzey ülkelerinden Danimarka'da kızlar ve erkeklerin farklı bilişsel ve duyuşsal özelliklerinden yararlanmak adına etkinlikler yapılıp, öğrenme süreci zenginleştiriirken; karma eğitimin kaldırılması ve zorunlu tutulması okullarda daha iyi bir öğrenme sağlamayacaktır. Bunun yanında, karma eğitimi istemeyen aileler için bir seçenek olarak sunulması, elbette demokrasinin gereğidir. Bu anlamda ihtiyaç belirlenmeli, talepler değerlendirilmelidir. Unutulmamalıdır ki, toplumda her bir cinsiyet, her birey eğitimden eşit ve adil bir şekilde yararlanma hakkına sahiptir. 

Alınan tüm kararların liste için tıklayınız.

Lesson Study

    We have been searching for sustainable development of teaching training to keep teachers updated with all new developments and approaches to education. So here is the great solution: Lesson Study from Japan!

   It is indisputable truth that Japanese students are doing good in international exams. If we have a glance at the related literature, we across this Lesson Study model as the main reason behind their success. Therefore, it is worth to investigate and have a try to implement in Turkey considering the cultural differences. 

   As for the content of Lesson Study, this model enables teachers to work as researchers, professional learners and teachers. 3 to 7 teachers (from the same department and successive levels are prefered) gather to form a professional learning community with the aim of improving students' learning abilities and the quality of instruction. That sounds simple, yet there are huge amount of work for teachers. So the initial characteristics of those mentioned community members are being really eager to work voluntarily, determined and energetic. Here is the circle of lesson study:

What’s Going on Backstage? Revealing the Work of Lesson Study (2009) by Catherine Bruce and Mary Ladky

1. Set goals

As teachers, we have several problems with applying new teaching techniques not just because of the lack of time ,which intensiveness of curricula causes, but also because of the variety of different learners as well as learning and individual differences of them. Therefore, we can set the goal around what we really aim to develop among our students considering the problems and needs. 

2. Plan the lesson

In lesson study team, there are always bright teachers to make brainstorm about the steps and flow of the lesson. The aim is clear so it is time to search for the best ways to reach them. In this phase, teachers work collaboratively and as researchers. They collect data and plan their research lesson.

3. Implement

It is time for action! One teacher who is selected in democratic ways teach the research lesson while the others are observing. The vital thing here is that observer teachers do not judge the teacher but investigate how students think, answer, react, interact. That makes lesson study more special and less competitive. Observer teachers can record the video and jot down details. Besides, they should have the research lesson plan to follow up and make notes in the related parts as well as the sitting plan to examine students after the implementation. Oberserver teachers do not interfere in the class.

4. Discussions and Revize the Plan

Sometimes, plans just do not go how we predict. Lesson study model enables teachers to scrutinize students learning and plan of the lesson. In this phase, it is time to reveal observation notes and video recordings to discuss students learning reactions and how we understand if they learn. Revised plan is ready to implement for the second time. (Even it is optional for lesson study model, it is recommended to do since new student profiles and different teacher characteristics will enrich the data and report of the planning process.) 

Here is the sample videos how to conduct a lesson study with real discussions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tr0ZLxcHBc&list=PL8F2DC1E5AE07092F

Here is the video of Clea Fernandez who conduct a research about lesson study in Columbia University

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv-7xmZDozo

Here is the tools to give a picture of the model in action

http://www.tc.columbia.edu/lessonstudy/tools.html

In Turkey, there are few researchers who work on Lesson Study. You can find the articles here:

Evrim ERBİLGİN

Adnan BAKİ, İsmail ERKAN, Enes DEMiR

İbrahim BUDAK, Ayfer BUDAK, Işıl BOZKURT, Bülent KAYGIN

IGNITE? What is that?

In METU(http://www.metu.edu.tr/), We as Curriculum and Instruction Master Students have the course called 'Theories of Learning'. Even though it sounds like very theoretical and boring, it is inspirational and it does include very contemporary issues. The dynamism never gets down, actually there is no time for that because of work load. The enthusiastic instructor is Evrim BARAN, you can find her website here:http://evrimbaran.com/

One of the assignments was to prepare an ignite presentation when we had clearly no idea about it. Then, we did learn and experience! Ignite is a 5 min presentation within 20 slides and 15 seconds for each. It is pretty dynamic, highly fun and quite intensive. To do that presentation, depending on the subject that you are going to give a speech, summary should be done very effectively and organized. The slides do not wait for you! Here is my ignite which tells you about my adventure of learning in this course: My learning adventure

Here is the link of our ignite show: Ignite show

I guess, the course itself was sort of an ignite since there was very limited time for all comprehensive and attracted topics and we had to do it in effective way. I believe that one of the main purposes of the course is to inspire and enhance prior knowledge for each subject. Here is our agenda:

Personal Learning Theory
Foundations for Learning Sciences
Experts-Novice
Situated Learning
Cognitive and Intelligent Tutors
Motivation and Flow Theory
Case Based Reasoning
Design Based Research
Neuroscience
Computer Supported Collaborative Learning
TPACK (http://www.tpack.org/)
Teacher Education

Motivation and Flow Theory

        

After a loong break between my last entry, it is now time to go on with more 'academical' issues.

What is motivation? How do we get motivated for something in our life? How do teachers provide motivation for classes? How long does it last? Orr is there any certain time distinction for this?

I dont know how you feel while you are travelling in a place you have never been before but I feel like losing my consciousness and more trusting to relativity. The pain on my food, the hunger, the location, the weather or anything about feasibility as well as conditions of the time while travelling lose their presence and importance. This is what  Mihály Csíkszentmihályi(C) calls 'Flow'. It is also called 'Optimal experience'. The question arises: Why am I in flow experience while travelling? One possible and reasonable answer comes from C: '' For many people, happiness comes from creating new things and making new discoveries.''
As I was re-creating my 'world' in newness by myself with my very clear goal and route in my map, It was pure enjoyment and fun. We have to consider the balance between challenges and skills also to be in flow. For instance, I would not go to Alaska without knowing skiing enough, it would not be that fun;)

*The challenging thing in teaching is keeping the distinction between boredom and anxiety and have the balance in flow zone.

That requires following determinants:

- Finding the tasks which match with learners' interest, expertise and level
-Flexibility in activities and opportunity to control within action
-Feedbacks in the process
-Clear and structured goals
-INTRINSIC MOTIVATION!(This kind of learning occurs in a situation in which the most narrowly defined activity from which the learning occurs would be done without any external reward or punishment.)

Educators mainly focus cognitive engagement during the zone of flow. We all know that motivation is not sufficient for achieving. Cognitive engagement mediates to connect values, needs, competences, relatedness and curiosity with learning.

Examples from my experiences would be from Denmark, first. It is still staying surprisingly great idea for me to evaluate students with the game what they were used to play as a class activity. The second comes from Finland: Activities for addititon and subtraction with odd and even numbers while skating.(They had to find expected result(greatest even or odd) quickly.

Run Finland Run!

Run Finland Run! fa fa fa fa fa far better!

Some Finnish schools are so busy with Kiva project, greenflag project, some clubs, after school activities and school trips. Kuparivuoren, my lovely school is one of them! Our teachers put a lot of effort on those. Here is 'Nuori Suomi' or 'Young Finland' assosiation's project which aims to find joy on the move! 

#Liikuntakortti-Sports Card#
The card where they can make crosses according to their physical activities either at home or at school during 3 weeks. 10 min of move is considered one cross. 





Here is the map that they can fly anywhere as long as they have enough crosses in their sports card. The more they have cross the more they gain kilometres. One class was in Helsinki today. Our wish  is to go Istanbul where spring and summer are mixed up nowadays. 


The one thing what one of my smartest colleagues told me is that they have been doing that for 6 years so students get bored and not so much excited anymore to fill the card. Well, that is also another side of coin. But at least, they had done some move that they would not do probably during lessons!

Web Site: In Finnish

Have a glance at Finnish cuisine!

PULLA

Can be a good reason to have a cup of coffee in any cafe! It tastes like heaven! It is sort of sweet bread roll with cinnamon and sugar. Different kinds are baked with crashed cardamom seeds which is constantly used for Finnish sweat breads and rarely with raisins.

PORRIDGE

Your smooth breakfast is ready with delicious berries and cinnamon. Porridge has a bunch of grains to fill up your tummy. If you like, you can have rice porridge especially in Christmas time, rolled oats porridge, rye porridge, milk based porridge. Even one minute porridge for ones who either can not cook properly(like me) or do not have time! I am gonna miss this, for sure.

REINDEER MEET WITH LINGONBERRY SAUCE

Ihana ihana ihana! Wonderful! Hard to express how it tastes. Anyway, it is gamier than beef and sort of pungent taste, but still so delicious! Since Finland is so rich with any kinds of berries, they add them even to main courses. Even though it sounds a bit weird, it goes well together. And of course, don't forget to make smashed potatoes which are the most common food in Finland.

KARJALANPIIRAKKA

It is basically one of my favourites. Karjala is a town which is very close to Russian board and used to be ruled by Russia.There is also a beer called Karjala. The fillings can be potato, rice, millet and buckwheat. It is preferably eaten with eggbutter. You can easily  find them any market in Finland.

SALMIAKKI!

Salmiakki or salty liquorice is one of Finnish taste you shall give it a try before you leave, at least once.(You may not willing to have another one though,most probably) Your brain gets mixed up with salty and sweet flavour in it. You can even recognise the strong smell of salmiakki from a few metres away.It is not that bad if you keep trying.(Maybe because of tongue-numbing:) ) They have quiet many products with salmiakki flavour such as ice cream, vodka and chocolade.

SMOKED SALMON

Honestly, I haven't tried it yet coz I do not like fish at all,but I have heard about it a lot. Finnish couisine is quiet rich with seafoods, thanks for thousands of lakes, for instance salmon soup, cold smoked salmon, Baltic herring with boiled potatoes and so on.

What to do in Finland?

Stratovarious-Land of ice and snow

''The land of ice and snow
Where the midnight sun blows
Hundred thousand lakes glow
In the land of ice and snow

Northern lights guide our way
Come whatever may
Forest god protects our day
In the land of ice and snow

Where Koskenkorva flows
Where the freezing wind blows
Summer nights are white and warm
In the land of ice and snow

Some might say that we are cold
Don't believe all that's been told
Our hearts are mad of gold
In the land of ice and snow

We didn't bow under oppression
We fought and we died
Redeemed in blood
The land of ice and snow

Here I was born and here I've lived
And one day here I will die
Under northern starry sky
In the land of ice and snow''

Tervetuloa Suomi! Welcome to Finland!

Are you dare enough to come Finland in hardcore winter? You might need to think twice and determine.

If you have northern heart and will for wilderness, then Finland welcomes you 'warmly'! Here are a few suggestions for you not to get depressed but to get involved to society and enjoy coldness.

1- Go ice swimming!

It is easy to reach any public sauna here and since every lake is frozen during winter, you can easily find ice hole for winter swimming. In case you do not have any sauna master, the ritual starts with to get wet first before sauna.After 10 min in sauna, you are meant to be sweated already which indicates that you are welcome to ice hole! It is better to have slippers and hat not to lose heat easily.(Sauna may be over 80 Celcius and the water can be 5 Celcius) Ready for great shock and the best reliefing feeling after. Don't forget to bring some liquids! Karhu? The golden beer of Lapland which is Lapin Kulta? Karjala? Anything goes well!:)

2-Hunt Norhern Lights!

If you do not know about Northern Lights yet, you can check this link. 

The more you go north, the more you may see them. I can honestly tell that it was the best experience in Finland. Just put warm clothes on you and keep your eyes open and follow the forecast.

3-See ice hockey match!

It was the time that I did understand why Finnish people are quite in their daily life. Because ice hockey matchs are where they can show their anger and play a bit violent! The speedy puck is not easy to follow every single minute. But this is why it is so much fun!

4- Go ice fishing!

It is better to wait till March when the sun wakes up in Northern part of world. You drill as many holes as you can in the ice and wait for hours to catch one fish. When you have company with you, it is not boring as it sounds!

Overall, Finland has the best nature I have ever seen! The colours in Finnish flag are coming from water(lakes) and sky. Because the sky is enormous! 

Math in Finland and Turkey

The base of Finnish Education System has adorable and insprational,however I have to tell that I am not convinced of evidences about their great result in Pisa, Math concept in the schools. Here is the link that you can learn what Pisa is and have a glance at their scores. 

http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/programmeforinternationalstudentassessmentpisa/34002454.pdf

What I have been learning till now is not to teach math  mechanicly but to relate it with as much as things that we can, eventually with daily life, and then let them figure out the rules, formulas with the help of word problems, later on they will be able to get involve with mechanic way of problem solving. Suprisingly, in Math classes we do not teach to think mathematicly. The thing is that if they know how to solve problems, they reach the success. From my point of view, it is of course one way to figure out if they get it or not but not the first or not the vital sign. I usually want them not to solve the problems but to create their own word problems. That is the way it should be, the way I was taught to teach.

Here is the first exercises in integers from the same graders books. The first one is from Turkish book which is published in 2009 to use in 2010-2011, pretty new. And You do not necessarily need to understand the language to comprehend the style of exercises which is exactly word problems. One more thing is to let them think!The second one is published in 2011. I do not feel the need to explain anything, just calculations.

So overall, what I think the reason behind their sucsess? How can they be the top in PISA and famous for education system all over the world?

Without any doubt, they focus on each subject with the same effort and interest. They do care about the special need ones to reach equal level of success. They LISTEN students with a great patience. School is not only seen as a place to  study but also to learn how to live with. Exams are so much according to their lessons. Students are not having extreme and spectecular exams so stress is out. Finnish teachers do their jobs with pleasure! 

And one more thing, Finland is country of peace. Peace makes the difference.