On February 7, 2026, we conducted a comprehensive professional development training program for our teachers. Planned with the aim of strengthening our educational vision and further advancing the quality of our instruction, this special program served as a strong example of effective academic and institutional collaboration.
As part of the program, we had the pleasure of hosting Prof. Dr. Armağan Ateşkan, Head of the Department of Primary Education at the Faculty of Education of Bilkent Üniversitesi, at our school. In his presentation titled “International Education and the IB Primary Years Framework,” Prof. Dr. Ateşkan shared with our teachers the fundamental principles of international education, the inquiry-based learning approach, and the holistic perspective that the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) brings to educational processes. The presentation also included comprehensive evaluations on interdisciplinary learning, the development of conceptual understanding, learner profile attributes, and assessment practices.
In addition, Shams Alyarova and Özgün Koçak, department coordinators for Mathematics, Science, Turkish, and English at Bilkent Laboratory & International School (BLIS), conducted an interactive workshop with our teachers on co-teaching strategies. During the workshop, collaborative planning processes, in-class role distribution, differentiated instruction practices, and interdisciplinary collaboration models were addressed through practical examples.
This professional development program not only strengthened interschool collaboration but also provided tangible gains in curriculum alignment, instructional strategies, and academic planning processes. We believe that ensuring sustainable quality in education is achieved through continuous professional development, and we are confident that this productive initiative will offer long-term and meaningful contributions for both our teachers and our students.
