Loves from Oylat

Dear All,
Today is the last day of the last month of the summer months. According to the weather forecasting reports we have got, highly expected rainy days are coming after the hot days in front of us. After the summer season, I wanted to finalize these warm days at a hotsprings/SPA, namely Oylat. It is a small mountain village, 17 km away from the nice town of İnegol, Bursa. It is famous fot its SPA, Waterfall, cave (Turcave) and local food. I must admit that after 7 years,I visited for the first time, I was expecting a more developed SPA Center. I hope next time, I will feel satisfied with the quality of the hotels and the town.
I feel happier and healthier here with the new friends I obtained at the resting place of the Güven Hotel which is called "Çardakaltı". Reading and writing here, accompanied with the cheerful voice of the birds, is very relaxing. Nowadays, I have been reading two books. One is related to education: "New educational System in school", written by Tınaz titiz. I want to share some interesting sentences and phrases with you:
"...Training classes and teacher training have not been talked and discuıssed on for many years....", "... Mind/Wisdom Deletion...", "...Education is the process of being aware of oneself...", "Those who cannot find any answer to their needs cannot learn anything...", "Learning is one of the main duties/responsibilities of individuals...".
I appreciate Prof.Titiz's efforts on education and I recommend the book to all educational partners.
Have healthy and peaceful days....

Hayal KOKSAL

VICTORY DAY

TURKEY CELEBRATES THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY DAY...

We all grateful to our ancestors who fought for the independence of Turkish people and lost their lives 85 years ago. We all owe this contemporary and secular country to our great leader Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK.

We will never forget him and we will always follow his principles and his way of thinking on the way of being a modern country.

Hayal KÖKSAL

Farewell to Our President...

Dear All,

Our 10th President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is going to hand over his post today. We are sad. We will miss him and his lovely family a lot. I would like to present my deepest gratitude to President Sezer and his wife, our First lady Semra sezer.

He demonstarated a very good leadership model at a very problem era of the world. He followed the rules and revolutionary mind of Atatürk with a great honour. He defended the justice, uniqueness of laws, he combatted for a secular and contemporary Türkiye. He and his wife represented Atatürk and his ideas well at Çankaya.
As an educator First Lady, Semra Sezer has become one of the leaders of educational and women issues. She has launched many educational campaigns and guided them. As a modest, secular and sensitive Turkish Family, they never showed off. They were very respectful towards the human rights and they never made use of their position on the way of disturbing their citizens. I am presenting my deepest feelings to my President and to my First Lady once more. I wish them a halthy and happy long life. We believe that their great support for Turkish Youth and for Turkish Justice will go on forever...
Hayal KÖKSAL

New Trends in Education and a Newly-Printed Book

Dear Colleagues,

A new academic year is going to start. This will activate the the work of administrators, teacehrs and parents. Viewing the recent changes in the programs, school rules and regulations, preparing the school building for the coming busy days, hygenic measures related to the global warming and water restrictions, and preparing the conditions for students to provide a more qualified and also peaceful education should be main responsibilities of the educators. Yesterday the working places and schools of the newly graduated teachers were determined by the Ministry of National Education. I wish them very energetic and fruitful years in this profession. Every term I make the same, following talk to my teacher trainee students: Teaching is such a profession that you have not financial but spiritual richness. However it is a very sacred one. If you want to be a teacher, you must not carry financial wealth through your salary, you must not hope that you will have much spare time for yourself and for other works, and you must not dream that it is a safe and secure job and you won'y have many unexpected events in it. If you start teaching with a great love in your heart, you must believe to me that this love will increase when you see the light in your students' eyes. Classrooms lead among the others the first place where sharing and caring and also two-way communication take place. The passion of mine for teaching started 32 years ago and it will not end until my death. I have been very happy for being a teacher and those feelings never leave my mind throughout the years. :)
Today I would like to introduce an ASCD Publication to you. It was written by Judy Willis and called as; "Brain-Friendly Strategies". It has 225 pages. It aims at helping the educators who have to teach students with learning disabilities.In the book, neurologist and classroom teacher author, Judy, explains that we can best help students by putting in place strategies, accomodations, and interventions that provide developmentally and academically appropriate challenges to suit the needs, gifts and goals of each student. It will help teachers implement strategies that are compatible with students' individual learning styles and honor their multiple intelligences.
While reading the book, I recalled some of my early memories related to my primary school in Manisa in 1963. In our school there was a specially designed classroom for disabled students and they were trained well and every week they used to present what they had learned throughout the week to us, visiting every classroom of the school. Thus, we had learned to share life with them, feel empathy for them and to learn how to care each other. I think we were very improved from the point of sentimental intelligence, don't we?
Have a happy and healthy day. With love and peace...
Hayal Köksal

Losing A Brother...

Dear All,

Today is a sad one for me. I have lost a very close friend of us, I have lost my big brother.

I have met Akbulut family in 1976. They were our first neighbours in Istanbul. We had been newly married and as a young teacher I was trying to adopt myself to this huge metropolitan city_Istanbul_ after the peaceful atmosphere of Izmir. I had just started teaching in Tuzla High School and the cheerful voices of the children of my neighbours were just a stress treatment for us after our tiring days. As a sensitive family they were not calling in, for we were newly married. According to Turkish culture, it was rude to disturb the young. Then, one night an earthquake made us meet closely. I had rushed out my flat to see the results of the earthquake and I met five wonderful people.

Later... I feel like sisters and brothers with them, even closer! My brother Lutfu, sister Saadet and their two daughters and one son. From the birth of my daughter to the retirement of us we were all together. They had taught us the keys and golden rules of a "Happy Marriage". They were defining themselves as each half of a big apple. They have led a very peaceful life from their relationship with their children to their neighbours, as well.

My dear brother Lütfü Akbulut had been ill for some time. Yesterday when I learned his death, I have become upset. My sister was crying after her husband saying; "I have lost my half, Hayal!". I could not utter even one word. This was the essence of life. Birth and death! Today, there is the funeral ceremony of him. We will hide him to the earth (Aegean people say like this) this afternoon. I am so sorry for informing my all friends about this. I wish healthy and long lives to the remaining of the Akbulut Family.

Hayal KÖKSAL

University Entrance Exam Results and the Future

Dear Colleagues,
2007 University Entrance Exam results were announced in Turkey yesterday. You can see and also download the list of the most popular universities that were preferred by the most successful 500 students of Turkey and also they were accepted to them. I would like to thank Prof.Dr.C.Behar from Boğaziçi University, for sharing the list with us.
It is obvious that there is a problem within the University Entrance System. Most of the best (Honorary) students could not enter the universities and most of the High School graduates got very low grades from the exam. Everyone accepts that the system should be re-engineered but I think that the only problem is not the "exam system":

.... Just like a chain; all the related sub-systems and processes should be dealt with. From the pre-school education system to higher education; from the university to recruitment of graduates to the business world and even from the retirement to the "life-long learning" systems are the components and they should be linked harmoniously. Seeing the "BIG PICTURE" is essential for training a "QUALITY & HAPPY COMMUNITY"....

I hope everything will be done by the authorities soon on the way of a well-trained human resource.

Have a happy weekend. With love...

Hayal KÖKSAL
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My holiday ends...

Dear all,
My holiday has ended and after so many years I have had 18 days in a dreamy area of Turkey. We were on the upper-western coast of Turkey with my family. If you are a workhaolic, it is always difficult for you to leave your lovely office and start a new life-even though it is for resting and will last only 18 days. On Tuesday, I will be answering all my calls at last! I send my good wishes to you...

Hayal Köksal

HOLIDAY, FAMILY AND US...

Dear Colleagues,
Our Altınoluk days still go on. I have been spending very happy and calmful days with my mum. After my graduation from Izmir Teachers' Training College in 1976, I got married and being a very busy lady I could have only saved some limited days to my parents. It is easy to say but live: 31 long years! My courses, business, travels, and many responsibilities... I had spent only very short days for my rest. I always prefer working to resting. However, newly appeared conditions and some health problems tell us that from then on we will not have much time with our oldies. As a result of this; we have decided to spend a different type of summer holiday. We are happy with this decision of us. We are here in Altınoluk at an apart hotel. We spend our days with mum; walking around, eating fresh food, swimming, reading, resting and visiting friends. I will be here some more time and save energy for my busy future days. Then, I will go back to İstanbul for a long and busy work period.
I am grateful to my web masters who redesigned my web pages during the hot days of the summer. Thanks to God they are with me and they are so creative...
I wish you a peaceful and fruitful sumemrtime.
Hayal Köksal

Ören

Dear Friends,

Today I would like to share a wonderful corner of my country with you which is namely; Ören. I had not visited there for a long time even though I spent my summers mostly when I was a child with my parents. How fascinating it is! I have missed Ören a lot. While eating the delicious food of Selina, I took a photo of the view. This summer noticing the importance of a good rest upon a healthy body, I have made a different type of holiday plan for myself. I will spend more time with my family, my friends and also for me.While doing these, I willr ead a lot and will start writing a new book.

I will share the photos of Edremit Bay and some memories with you through my blog. I wish you have whatever you dream.

Hayal KOKSAL