The History of IB Days

The first IB Day was held at Eyuboglu Schools on February 14, 1999. At the meeting of Turkish IB Coordinators in December 1998, the idea for a mini-conference of Turkish IB schools, where teachers could meet and share resources and ideas for teaching, emerged. This idea turned into reality two months later and thus the first IB Day pine tree was planted.

 

It was the Koç Schools’ pleasure to invite IB schools in Turkey to the second IB Day in Turkey on Saturday, March 4, 2000. The 3rd IB day was held at Dogus Group of Schools. It had a theme which was “Turning Guiding Principles Into Tangible Quality”. After the third IB Day which was held at Dogus Schools, the title; “IB Day in Turkey” changed as “Annual IB Day in Turkey” as everyone who participated in IB Days had a wish that it must be repeated and be “traditional”.

 

The fourth Annual IB Day in Turkey was organised and hosted by MEF Schools. The fifth Annual IB Day in Turkey was organised that year by Ugur College. One of the most valuable aspects of such a day is the networking that teachers can do. It is not often that IB teachers get together but when they do they are able to share information and resources. The breaks between concurrent sessions, the cocktail and the closing ceremony at the end of the day provide a good opportunity to do this.

 

The sixth Annual IB Day in Turkey was organised and hosted by Yuzyilisil Schools. The 6th Annual IB Day had a theme. This theme features the Latin "Non Scholae Sed Vitae Discimus" translated, "We do not learn for school, but for life". Nélida Antuña Baragaño, the IBAEM Regional Director had the plenary session about the general overview on the international baccalaureate organization, its origins and philosophy, its internal structure and its 3 programmes. She provided information about the diploma, the middle years and the primary years programmes as well as an outline of the IBO dissemination across the regions and of the new strategic plan.

 

The seventh Annual IB Day in Turkey was held at Kültür College. Dr. Hill met with the IB Coordinators and Heads to discuss 'The role of the IBO in promoting IB Programmes in Turkey'.

 

The eighth Annual IB Day in Turkey was organised and hosted by TED Ankara Koleji. Nélida Antuña Baragaño, the Regional Director for the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, had a plenary session. The 9th Annual IB Day in Turkey was held at TED Bursa Koleji. Nélida Antuña Baragaño, the Regional Director for the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, had the plenary session this time, too.

 

Right after the nineth annual IB Day, during a meeting of Turkish IB Heads and Coordinators in May 2007, the idea emerged that IB Days must be in the form of biennial and this idea turned into reality two years later and thus the tenth IB Day pine tree was planted and the 10th IB Day in Turkey was organised and hosted by Izmir American College. It had the theme “From Local to Universal”. Andrew Bollington, the Regional Director for the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Europe, Africa, And the Middle East took part in the conference with a plenary session entitled; “IB Leadership Breakout”.

 

The Eleventh IB Day Biennial in Turkey was organised and hosted by Marmara Education Group (Ozel marmara Koleji) on 26th of March, 2011. The 11th IB Day Biennial had a theme of “Education for Life”. Dr. Hill met with the IB Coordinators and Heads and had the plenary session, as honorary guess of the day.

 

The twelveth of the IB Day Biennials in Turkey was organised and hosted by Beykent Schools on 13th of April 2013 and the Regional Director, Adrian Kearney, for the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Europe, Africa, And the Middle East took part in the conference (AEM) as one of the keynote speakers and honorary guess of the day.