GENESEO, N.Y. – Four undergraduate students from Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey, are involved this summer in the SUNY Geneseo School of Education’s “Soaring Stars” learning program for elementary-age students in rural areas.
Students Elif Ye?il, Nilüfer Ileri and Ahsen Çini are elementary science education teacher candidates, and Elif Büyükögütçü, is an early childhood education major. They are the first group of students participating in a new student and faculty exchange program between the Ella Cline Shear School of Education and Bogazici University. They are working alongside the faculty and staff of the “Soaring Stars” program, including teachers, graduate students and undergraduate students. The students spend their time observing the program, conducting independent research that will support “Soaring Stars” programming as well as the success of the children. Additionally, they are taking coursework.
“We are delighted to have these students and future educators from Turkey with us this summer,” said “Soaring Stars” Program Director Annmarie Urso, associate professor of education at Geneseo. “The knowledge and diversity they have brought to the program have been beneficial to all of us and is a terrific illustration of the value these kind of exchange programs provide.”
All four of the Turkish students said the experience with “Soaring Stars” has been beneficial and expressed appreciation for the kindness and support they have received.
“It’s interesting how the children are encouraged to make their decisions about what they are doing in the classroom,” said Buyukogutcu.
“There are clearly rules in the classroom but the kids are encouraged to explore and the teachers guide them,” said Clni. “This helped illustrate the value of the individual support the teacher gives.”
“Soaring Stars” is in its fifth year and is serving 68 rising K-5th-grade students from Livingston, Wyoming, and Steuben counties, many of whom have families facing economic challenges. Children have been attending the summer program at Mt. Morris Elementary School five days a week for six hours a day during a five-week period, which will end Aug. 5. Educators hope the experience will increase the students’ chances of graduating from high school being college and career ready.
According to Urso, many factors impact learning and achievement. However, two key -- and related -- indicators associated with low student achievement are poverty and summer learning loss. Data from the 2015 cohort of the program demonstrated an elimination of summer learning loss for 93% of the students, while demonstrating an increase in reading achievement for 63% of the students who have participated in the program for at least three years.
Urso and her team of teachers, teaching assistants, graduate students, and undergraduate students employ instruction inspired by the Reggio Emilia education philosophy, which encourages children to develop individual interests and explore them using art, music, drama, inquiry-based projects, and physical activities.
“The environment becomes as important as the teacher,” said Urso, “and the teacher helps the children follow their interests. The approach is grounded in the surrounding community and sees families as integral to the child’s academic success.”
The cohort of students this year come from the following school districts: Caledonia-Mumford, Avon, Livonia, Geneseo, York, Mt. Morris, Dansville, Perry, and Wayland-Cohocton. The program takes place at Mt. Morris Elementary School and is funded through the continued generous support and contributions of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership and component participating school districts, the Wilson Foundation, the Community Foundation, the Feinbloom Supporting Foundation, the United Way of Livingston County, the Office of the Provost, the Geneseo Foundation, the Ella Cline Shear School of Education and the Greater Rochester Summer Learning Association.
Media Contact:
David Irwin
College Communications
(585) 245-5529
Irwin@geneseo.edu