The Koç School

The Turkish school creating an environment where education flourishes because its educators thrive

VKV Koç Özel Okulu, an independent secondary school in Tuzla, Istanbul, Türkiye, is reshaping teacher and student wellbeing through its Supporting Wellbeing in Teachers project that strengthens teacher resilience and creates a more positive learning environment for students. The school sought to address the issue of  teachers facing mounting pressure to deliver on demanding curricula combined with the challenge of supporting an increasing number of students dealing with anxiety, behavioral challenges, and adjustment difficulties, especially during the transition from childhood to adolescence, which left many with little time for developing their own emotional and communication skills. This often left them exhausted, overwhelmed, and unequipped to manage classroom dynamics effectively.

Along with enhancing teacher wellbeing, the project ensures educators have the skills to handle the complexities of adolescent development by incorporating workshops and activities designed around emotional intelligence, family engagement, and strengths-based character development. This empowers teachers with self-awareness, resilience, and skills to better manage stress and interpersonal relationships within and beyond the classroom. Emotional intelligence workshops teach them to recognise and manage their emotions, better equipping them to model and teach these skills to students, and sessions on character strengths and virtues provide a framework for teachers to build on both their own and their students' positive attributes, benefitting the social-emotional growth of learners. To bridge the home-school connection, the project also engages families through integrated workshops and outreach programmes where parents feel more connected and proactive in supporting their children's learning.

The school is also driving the implementation of various initiatives that support students’ holistic development. For example, the ‘Maths Week Collaborations Project’, started by the mathematics department, helps students, particularly those with a fear of maths, approach the subject in a more accessible, enjoyable way. The project includes competitions and games designed with simple and inclusive questions to engage students, as well as practical demonstrations of how maths can be used in everyday life to make it more accessible. The project is being extended to 21 public schools supported by the Koç Foundation, with four schools actively participating. The Wishing Tree Project helps students build their empathy and communication skills through a gift exchange with disabled or disadvantaged students, with some students even learning sign language as a means of communication. 

The project has already shown promising progress in meeting its goals of strengthening teacher and student wellbeing, while contributing to their growth and empowerment. Teachers report increased self-awareness and empathy toward students and colleagues and feel better equipped to manage the complex social dynamics within the classroom. Data collected to date shows a clear improvement in student behaviour and engagement. 

By focusing on teacher wellbeing, VKV Koç Özel Okulu provides an environment where teachers can capably embrace the task of educating, while students feel safe and supported to achieve.