Yıl Anaokulu
Status: Public Kindergarten
Interviewee: Burcu Solak, Head of Kindergarten
Country: Turkey
“ Age-related issues in the school primarily manifest as generational conflicts with students, rather than serious internal problems. ”
“ The main reasons behind these conflicts are attributed to age differences, changes in social media usage, and shifting values over time. ”
“ Measures in place include values education, a corporate culture based on living out values, fostering communication grounded in love and respect, and the development of empathy. ”
“ Advantages of these measures include better understanding of individuals in terms of age, religious views, and family structure, allowing for the anticipation of potential problems. ”
Full Interview
Do you face any issues and problems related to the age of your teachers? Please, describe the situation in your school in a few words.
We do not have any serious problems related to age. It can be defined more as a generational conflict with the students.
What are the reasons that led to these problems?
Age difference, use of social media, loss of importance of certain values over time.
What measures have been put in place in your organization to prevent or address these issues?
Values education is a corporate culture based on living, not telling, communication based on love and respect, and the development of empathy. The guidance service works to anticipate and prevent problems.
Are you aware of the advantages and disadvantages of these measures (in use or planned)?
Advantages: It is useful to know the person in terms of age, religious views, family structure and to anticipate possible problems.
Disadvantages: none
What are the positive effects of the measures introduced?
Early diagnosis saves lives.
How are or could these measures be monitored and evaluated?
An institutional risk map is prepared for teachers and students. At the end of the year, the number, nature and resolution of problems are evaluated at the board meeting.
What other measures do you think could or should be introduced to tackle this issue?
Age-related physical problems should be prioritized more and the attrition rate should be considered. Considering that teachers are more psychologically worn out, it may be appropriate to make arrangements.
Which specific activities maintaining age-related measures - whether formal or informal - have you introduced in your organization?
The health status of teachers over a certain age is taken into account. On-call duty is voluntary. In some special cases we have unwritten team rules. We have full solidarity to be a complete team in the school.