Country Information - Teaching in Turkey
Friday, 02 January 2009 19:29 Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 January 2009 17:24
Teaching Jobs in Istanbul
Teachers in a good school in Turkey will enjoy the wonderful experience of teaching children who are not only keen to learn but also well behaved; allowing you more time to fulfill your role as a teacher in pleasant surroundings.
Education in Turkey
International schools exist for children aged 3 to 18 and are mainly found in the larger towns and cities. Many of these schools follow the English National Curriculum whilst others follow the International Baccalaureate.
A typical school day will start at around 8.40 in the morning and finish at 4 in the afternoon. Nursery will normally finish at 1pm. A lunch break of an hour usually takes place from noon till 1pm is, during this time and also after school; club activities usually take place. These activities play an important role in the International Schools.
The school year is from September to June with schools usually closing for two months at the height of the summer. So just imagine sunshine, beautiful surroundings, attentive students, supportive parents, small classes and tremendous resources. What are you waiting for?
Living in Istanbul
So you are sold on the idea of working in an International School in Turkey but what are the living conditions for you and your family like?
The people of Turkey are a hospitable nationality. Mainly Muslims, they are willing to go out of their way to share what they can with you and help in any way they can. You will be guaranteed to be made most welcome.
Turkey is a country where East meets West and it combines many of the best qualities of both. People who live in the larger towns and cities enjoy clubs, bars, designer shops selling the latest fashions along side Bazaars where haggling for the best price is a must.
The climate is diverse with the coastal weather systems contrasting with that of the interior. Istanbul has a moderate climate with the Winter being normally no colder than 4 degrees C and Summer around 27 degrees C.
Istanbul, once the capital of Turkey is a vibrant, attractive city. It is the fourth most populated city in the world but despite this it is truly enormous and provides plenty of space for everyone. Indeed open spaces and well kept parks can be reached within a five minute walk from the centre of Istanbul.
Of great importance to you and your family is that Istanbul is a safe and clean city. The types of crimes you are most likely to read of are minor pick pocketing crimes. The streets are well cared for with graffiti and litter hardly being seen due to the hard work and dedication of the numerous cleaners. Istanbul's nightlife is quickly gaining recognition as one of the liveliest in Europe.
Istanbul's recent economic growth and increasing prosperity has had enormous effect on the variety of its nightlife. The range of night entertainment is huge, from traditional male-dominated birahanes to techno and rave nightclubs, with new venues opening by the week.
Eating out in Istanbul is a gourmet’s paradise. You will find restaurants serving food from all over the world.
Places of Interest
The sight of mosques and bustling bazaars and the smell of incense and spices are common in Istanbul. A visit to the Grand Bazaar with its 4000 shops is a must. The area around the Bazaar is devoted to shopping also. To the east of the bazaar you will find Jewellery stores and fine art boutiques. As well as the spice market there are trendy shops and boutiques with up to the minute fashion.
The Blue Mosque with its six towering minarets is one of Istanbul’s most famous monuments. Behind the Blue Mosque is the GreatPalace Museum which displays 6th century mosaics which were unearthed from a courtyard of the GreatPalace, originally built by Constantine the Great. TopkapiPalace, the former magnificent palace of the Ottoman Sultans became a museum in 1924. This most fascinating monument contains Chinese, Japanese, Turkish, and European famous treasures, porcelain, fabrics, jewellery, calligraphy, crystal, silver, armory and arms and imperial costumes worn by the Sultans and their families. Museums abound in Istanbul, they cover everything from the early history of the country, Naval history and the toy museum.
Hagia Sophia is a massive church in the old city quarter of Istanbul. It is one of the greatest architectural feats of its day. Dating from the 6th Century it is famed as the larges church in the world for over 1000 years. In the 1930’s it became a museum and stands as one of the landmarks of the city.
History of Istanbul
Istanbul was originally Byzantium and later Constantinople. In its long and exciting history Istanbul has been a place of civilization from around 3000BC. By 500BC Commerce was established here. In the early 100's BC, it became part of the Roman Empire and in 306 AD, Emperor Constantine the Great made Byzantium capital of the entire Roman Empire.
From that point on, the city was known as Constantinople. With the adoption of Christianity she became the most important culture and art center of Christianity throughout the medieval age and later became both the political and economic center also.
By the mid 1400’s Istanbul, once the capital of Byzantium fell to the Turks. From this point on the city was further developed and took on its Ottoman identity, resembling its present character.
After World War I, resistance movements became active during the Allied occupation of Istanbul, an occupation that lasted for nearly five years. When the resistance movement finally gained success, the Turkish army entered the city in 1923.
A new National Assembly was formed which made the decision that Istanbul would turn over its function as capital of the new nation to Ankara. Under republican rule, much new construction activity took place in Istanbul, starting with the building of family houses in the 1930s. During the 1950s, more than 7300 buildings were torn down and the road system reorganized. This caused historic changes to the fabric of the city.
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