Project Virtuous Triangle was an eight week long project between March and June 2017 with 20 Syrian children between the ages of 9-13 selected as a result of various preliminary studies and criteria from the Alibeykoy and Yesilpinar districts located in the Alibeykoy neighborhood. Hosted by Istanbul Commerce University, the project prioritized long-term education and social and psychological support for the children.

Within the scope of the project, high school students were paired up with university students to form long-term ‘kalfa’ (apprentice) - ‘coach’ relationships. This way, in addition to education, opportunities to connect with role models were targeted. Our students, kalfas, and coaches were paired according to their life goals, learning skill types and personality traits.

CONTENT

Turkish as a Foreign Language
Along with being the most important element of integration, language is also vital for refugees to comfortably go about their day-to-day lives. As a part of our Turkish language lessons as a foreign language, interactive studies were done with young refugee children to develop their four basic language skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing.

MEB Curriculum Lessons
The Ministry of National Education’s plan to link its Temporary Training Centers with the public school system is to the benefit of refugee children in long-term goals of learning Turkish and continuing their education. However, whether it be intense and packed curriculum, the social integration process will no doubt be challenging for Syrian children. The fact that their parents are also foreign to this system will also be a weak point. Our goal is to minimise this gap. In this context Turkish and Math classes were taught, carried out in part like a tutor session, using the ministry’s resources.

Intelligence / Critical Thinking Games 

By making games aiming to development problem-solving, planning skills, reasoning, sequential and critical thinking, strategy and concentration skills a regular part of our education, we aim to improve their mental thinking skills while also giving them a fun time.

Ability, Skill Identification and Development Activities

Multiple Intelligence Theory

Multiple Intelligence Theory argues that intelligence is not one dimensional, but rather that each individual has various levels of different intelligences. Emphasizing that this explains the individual’s learning styles, interests, abilities and tendencies, the theory allows instructors to use the basic principles of this theory creatively and prepare programs valuing and strengthening individual differences of each student. In addition, this theory also serves as a constructive template for the development of student achievement.

Following the first two weeks planned to get to know the children better and to acclimate to the project, an 8 week plan was prepared using Harvard University lecturer Howard Gardner’s 1999 8 types of intelligence. For each week, activities aimed at using and developing each one of the intelligence types, while also attempting to determine the children's’ skills was prepared.

These intelligence types are: Visual/Spatial Intelligence, Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence, Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence, Social/Interpersonal Intelligence, Personal/Intelligent Intelligence, Logical/Mathematical Intelligence, Nature/Natural Intelligence .

Workshop Studies

One of the main objectives of the project is to help children discover themselves and to be guided in the right path. Because, as a result of their age group, they are not yet aware of their interests and talents, various workshops were held to allow them to see and experience different things.

Project Coordinators: İbrahim Kibar, İbrahim Çıkrıkçıoğlu