Free workshop content will be prepared to develop disaster awareness in early childhood

After the earthquakes that took place as of February 6, one of the most discussed issues was education. At the 1st Founders’ Workshop held in Yalova, the independent schools community Private Bir Place Schools Network determined a roadmap for restorative education to be carried out after the earthquake. In the workshop, it was also decided to prepare the content of a workshop to develop disaster awareness in early childhood and to distribute it free of charge to the network members.

The founding and advisory board of the Independent Schools Association Private Bir Yer (ÖBY) Schools Network, the founders and academic directors of the schools included in the network came together at the 1st Founders’ Workshop in Yalova on February 18-19. During the two-day workshop, many topics were discussed, from child-oriented studies carried out by ÖBY Schools Network in the field of education since its establishment, to training of educators and parents, from international ethical principles to sustainable education activities.

In the workshop, a road map for the restorative trainings to be held after the Maraş earthquake, which affected 11 provinces on February 6, was also determined. In order to raise disaster awareness in early childhood, a workshop content was prepared and it was decided to distribute it free of charge to everyone in network member schools. The founders of Şanlıurfa Bebe Forest House Kindergarten, who participated in the workshop from the earthquake region and stated that they opened their schools to disaster victims to meet their basic needs, requested that their institutions be used as a center for the support to be made by the ÖBY School Network for children in the region.

“A new education ecosystem is needed”

In his presentation at the workshop, ÖBY Schools Network Founder Kayhan Karlı said that a new education ecosystem should be built with ethical values and said, “Perhaps the biggest problem we face in education today is the loss of trust. Parents, teachers, students, administrators… The stakeholders involved in the school ecosystem do not trust each other. First of all, we must get rid of this thought and rebuild the lost trust, even more strongly.

Kayhan Karlı stated that ÖBY Schools Network acts for the creation and dissemination of a trusted school ecosystem and continued as follows: “We set out to create an independent school community. In this journey that we started with preschool education institutions, we started to include K-12 schools in our community. Our goal is to create a reliable school network in our country whose standards are formed on the basis of ethical reasoning.”

“Earthquake can disrupt children’s sense of security and normal life patterns”

One of the important names participating in the workshop was Marmara University Faculty Member, ÖBY Schools Network Advisory Board Member. Oktay Aydin was born. Offering a guiding guide to network members, Dr. Aydın emphasized that the understanding of education should be based on data and scientific knowledge. He mentioned that effective communication should be simple, talked about the physical and psychological effects of the great earthquake on children and brought up the issues to be considered in communication with children after the earthquake. Dr. Oktay Aydın said, “Children can physically fall or be injured during an earthquake. Earthquake can cause feelings such as fear, anxiety, stress and trauma in children psychologically. The earthquake can disrupt children’s sense of security and normal life patterns.

“Parents should be a positive example for children to survive earthquake trauma”

Stating that it is important for children to be in a safe environment, to establish regular and open communication and to maintain a healthy lifestyle after the earthquake, Dr. Oktay Aydın said, “Parents should try to understand their children’s feelings and concerns and allow them to talk and share. It is important that children’s daily routines are not disrupted and that they participate in outdoor activities as well as activities at home. “To help children overcome trauma, parents should encourage and feel safe by setting positive examples for their children.”

Disaster action plan for schools

In the 1st Founders Workshop of the Private Place Schools Network, it was also decided to establish a Disaster Education Curriculum. It was decided that the teachers who will be included in the education through the program will organize their training as a formatter in other schools. In addition, the creation of action plans for each school in the ÖBY Schools Network on how to proceed in disasters was also among the decisions made. The Disaster Education Program will be prepared voluntarily by the Private Place Schools Network, working with experts, and it will cover not only earthquake but also preparation for all disasters that may occur, what to do during the disaster, predicting the situations that may occur after the disaster, psychological and social support processes, and that the network schools will provide this program to other schools. It was stated that the aim was to raise awareness of disasters starting from schools all over Turkey by disseminating the trainings.