Teacher - Exchange - Project RC Radolfzell-Hegau - RC Sisli, Istanbul

Four German Teachers in Istanbul March 28th, 2010. – April 02nd, 2010

A Stepping Stone Towards Better Understanding:Rotary initiative enables Turkish and German teachers to study

each other’s educational systems.

• Radolfzell-Hegau Rotaries together with their Turkish partner club Sisli-Istanbul will organize a first Turkish-German teacher exchange visit. Four teachers of each country will have the opportunity of visiting several schools and to get a first insight into the educational system and, of course, the cultural background of the other country. This experience is supposed to help develop a new attitude towards the topic “schools and migration”. The Rotarians see this as a stepping stone to a better understanding between nations, an idea Rotary International has always been dedicated to.

• While visiting Istanbul last year, acting President W. Pohlmeier and his predecessor W. Uebel initiated a first contact with RC Sisli. A first spontaneous idea quickly developed into a concrete plan which will now be realized: this March 28th, Caroline Donnet (Teggingerschule Radolfzell), Christel Eichkorn (Grund- und Hauptschule Gailingen), Martin Trinkner (Grund- und Hauptschule Hilzingen) and Thomas Hesse (Alexander-von-Humboldt Gymnasium Konstanz), together with some representatives of RC Radolfzell-Hegau, will start their 5 day trip to Istanbul (which takes place in their holidays). Scheduled are, among other things, visits to different Lyce (equivalents of German Gymnasium) as well as to Primary Schools (German Grundschule) together with background talks and discussions. The return visit of Turkish teachers in Germany is expected later this year. “We are very pleased that even the heads of the schools involved stand behind this exchange”, W. Uebel stated.

• All costs will be covered by the two Rotary Clubs. The members of RC Radolfzell-Hegau have made special funds available for this project. The teacher exchange marks a beginning, it will be followed by a bi-national exchange of police officers.

These four teachers are looking forward to taking part in the first teacher exchange between RC Radolfzell-Hegau and RC Sisli Istanbul: Christel Eichkorn, Grund- and Hauptschule Gailingen, Caroline Donnet, Teggingerschule Radolfzell, Martin Trinkner, Grund- und Hauptschule Hilzingen and Thomas Hesse, Alexander-von-Humboldt Gymnasium Konstanz

March, 29th 2010

Istanbul Lisesi

Private school, mainly teaching in German, classes 8 - 12

Welcome by the headmaster

Rotarians in deep discussions…

Turkish pupils singing German songs and dancing

Control panel in the door

Istanbul Lisesi - affiliated primary school, classes 1 – 8,here pupils are welcoming the German teachers.

March, 29th 2010

Sisli Technical and Vocational Lisesi

Information about the Turkish educational system

Classes 9 – 12, with a job guarantee

March 30th, 2010

Meeting RC Sisli Istanbul

Martin Trinkner presenting his school within the German educational system

Christel Eichkorn presenting her school

Caroline Donnet presenting her school

Thomas Hesse presenting his school

March 31st, 2010

Esenler Primary School

Headmaster‘s introduction

Ready to interview the German visitors:

...more questions and answers...

Another friendly welcome…

March31th, 2010

Halk Egitimi Merkezi Schooladult education including vocational training

Different branches, for instance.........Hairstyling

Handicraft

Accounting

Accounting

April 01st, 2010 Ministery of Education Istanbul Area Management

Mr. Dr. Muammer YILDIZexplains the centralised Turkish educational system

April 1st, 2010

ALEV School's Complex - Omerli

private school - from kindergarden to class 12

a foundation of graduates of the Austrian Lisesi (St. Georg)

Discussion

Kindergarden

Guests and hosts united...

In Celebration of Rotary International’s 100th anniversary in 2005

April 2nd, 2010

A donation of 60 Turkish Rotary Clubs

Public Lisesi, classes 9 -12

Kemal Attatürk watching our efforts...

Statements

“Thank you for offering us these great opportunities: not only that of taking an inside look at different schools in different environments and with different backgrounds (which has taught us a lot about our own schools as well…) but also that of meeting wonderful people in a fascinating country! This exchange is definitely worth continuing.” Thomas Hesse

„The people who chaperoned us became real friends. I never thought, that the things we learned about the education system in Turkey could be so overwhelming… just amazing“ Martin Trinkner

“I have been impressed by the dedication and commitment of the Turkish students. It has been a great experience to see how much they appreciate their education. The obvious fact that they respect their teachers will probably help these in fulfilling their important tasks.” Christel Eichkorn

“Visiting Turkish schools has helped me to take a fresh look at our own educational efforts, to assess their qualities as well as their deficiencies. Schools mirror the developments of our societies, but the educational system can only belatedly follow such developments.” Caroline Donnet

The group: Caroline Donnet, Christel Eichkorn, Thomas Hesse, Dr. Ute Hübner, Jochen Reichert, Martin Trinkner, Dr. Wolfgang Übel (team leader) Hulusi Gencay (team leader RC SISLI

Thanks to all members of RC SISLI Istanbul and RC Radolfzell - Hegau for supporting this idea and the realisation of the first part of this Teacher Exchange.

SEE OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE US! (R. BURNS)

SUMMARY

Thomas Hesse

Our journey to Istanbul has left us with so many different impressions, experiences and images that it is still difficult to write a final resume. Meanwhile, the state of German -Turkish relationships and the conditions of the Turkish diaspora here in Germany have made the headlines of the news once and again. We had to read that the percentage of school dropouts or students with low level diplomas is above average for Turkish migrants – on the other hand a determined and resolute young Muslima has been appointed the first ever Turkish-German female Government Minister in a State Government (and this by the Christian Democratic Party!). Times are changing…What have we learned and gained from our visit? - We have realized how keenly the Turkish people watch the state of German-Turkish relationships and the situation of their fellow countrymen/-women in German. Though we hope that we have been able to correct some overly harsh views that Turks in general tend to be discriminated by our educational system, we ourselves have definitely become more aware of the problems at stake. We do feel, however, that on the German side considerable efforts have been made to correct some mistakes of the past and to open up more opportunities for the different generations of Turkish immigrants to make their way into and in our educational system.

- We vividly remember the reactions at the RC-Sisli meeting, when C. Donnet presented her class, and some Rotarians realized that Germany does not only have to cater for the needs of Turkish immigrants but has actually become a multicultural and multi-national society. We, on the other hand, have become aware of the problems Istanbul faces as an ever-growing metropolis. It has been very interesting to see how the Ministry of Education tries to cope with these demands: Highly sophisticated vocational training, top level secondary education, training classes for adults, the prolongation of primary education for all students some years ago. We were impressed by the dedication of the teachers and staff we met when visiting the different schools – and nobody in our group had been aware of the fact that even earthquake emergency needs heap further demands onto the Turkish educational system.- When we visited ALEV schools we were pleased to find that this state-of-art institution tries to implement the very same didactic and methodological improvements that we hope to see at our German schools as well. It is highly motivating and encouraging to see that an institution that is obviously determined to adopt only highest quality solutions has found similar answers to the educational questions posed to the school systems in our countries.- Last but not the least: We have simply been overwhelmed by the hospitality and friendliness that we met with - be it at the schools that we were able to visit (we will never forget the spontaneous and open-minded questions of the Turkish students), be it at the Istanbul department of the Ministry of Education – and, above all, by the hospitality and friendship that we found at RC-Sisli. Through your efforts and dedication we have been introduced to Turkish culture, history and way-of-life in a way that we will not forget, an experience that will truly help to develop mutual understanding and friendship further .