Ana İçerik

The "Century of Türkiye Maarif Model (TYMM) Early Childhood Education Curriculum Workshop," organized collaboratively by Marmara University Atatürk Faculty of Education Department of Basic Education Division of Early Childhood Education and the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, was successfully held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Atatürk Faculty of Education A4 Building.

Academics, school administrators, and hundreds of practicing early childhood education teachers from 12 different provinces across Türkiye showed keen interest and broad participation in the workshop, which introduced the new curriculum prepared under the coordination of the Ministry of National Education Directorate General of Basic Education Department of Early Childhood Education, shared its core philosophy, and addressed its classroom implementations.

Opening Ceremony and Protocol Speeches

Following the registration starting at 08:00 AM, the workshop commenced with a joint opening session broadcast live from the Conference Hall to the other designated workshop rooms. Following the Moment of Silence and the Turkish National Anthem, the program proceeded with a music performance and protocol speeches.

The addresses highlighted the synthesis of deep-rooted early childhood educational heritage with an innovative educational vision, emphasizing the vital significance of institutional collaboration among the Ministry, universities, and practicing classroom educators.

In the subsequent part of the opening session, Program Coordinator Prof. Dr. Özgül Polat delivered a presentation detailing the framework; the general session concluded with an award and plaque ceremony honoring contributing stakeholders.

Collaborative Efforts of 24 Universities, 40 Contributing Academics, and Field Teachers

The curriculum was developed over seven months of rigorous, dedicated work by specialist academics from 24 different universities alongside experienced classroom practitioners, under the coordination of the Ministry of National Education Directorate General of Basic Education Department of Early Childhood Education, led by Head of Department Ms. Feyza Kübra Alpagat and National Education Expert Ms. Burcu Özkanlı Ertuğrul.

The workshop brought together the academic authors who drafted the curriculum directly with teachers, creating an invaluable platform to review and examine the new model firsthand through mutual engagement and professional exchange.

Hands-on Workshops Across 4 Parallel Halls

Throughout the morning and afternoon sessions, participants rotated across four designated workshop halls to engage in focused thematic sessions:

• Domain-Specific Skill Sessions: In-depth examinations of Turkish Language Skills, Mathematics Domain Skills, Science Domain Skills, Social Domain Skills, Movement and Health Skills, Visual Arts Skills, and Music Domain Skills.

• Holistic Development and Pedagogical Approaches: Sessions centered on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills, Values Education, Play-Based Learning, Daily Routines, and Designing Effective Learning Environments.

• Inclusivity and Assessment: Critical reviews of Instructional Differentiation Strategies, Child Observation and Authentic Assessment Processes, and Family and Community Engagement Models.

• Classroom Implementation: The session titled "Exemplary Demonstration of Monthly and Daily Lesson Plans," conducted concurrently across all halls, illustrated how the theoretical framework translates into concrete, practical classroom applications.

General Evaluation and Closing

The intensive program, which concluded at 07:00 PM, wrapped up with general evaluation, Q&A, and closing remarks held in each room. Designed to introduce the Century of Türkiye Maarif Model Early Childhood Education Curriculum to the field through confident and resilient steps, the workshop concluded with fruitful professional exchanges and highly positive feedback from all attendees.

Acknowledgements

We express our sincere gratitude to all stakeholders whose dedication and support contributed to the planning and successful execution of this workshop:

• To Our Esteemed Academics: To our curriculum authors and all faculty members from 24 universities who guided the workshops with their scholarship, academic rigor, and visionary leadership,

• To Our Valued Teachers and Administrators: To all our early childhood educators and school administrators who energized the sessions with their classroom experience, dedication, and pedagogical insight,

• To Our Supporting Sponsors and Partner Institutions: To all our sponsors and collaborating partners who generously facilitated our logistical and catering needs, ensuring an efficient and seamless organization,

• To Our Volunteer Team: To our undergraduate and graduate student organizing team, who worked with remarkable commitment and care at every step to ensure the flawless execution of the entire event.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to shaping the future of early childhood education.