As education is a constantly evolving field, teachers and education professionals must continuously improve themselves. With this in mind, Hisar School Professional Learning Center (PÖMER) was established in 2021 and has quickly made a difference with its innovative, sustainable, and internationally aligned professional learning programs. PÖMER aims to support educators’ knowledge-based, dynamic, and practice-oriented development processes, contributing not only to the professionals within Hisar School but also to the broader educational community in Turkey and internationally.
Projects and Collaborations
2021-2022: Laying the Foundations and First Steps
- In collaboration with Columbia University’s CPET, the “Leading and Learning” Program was implemented, and 40 educators completed the program.
2022-2023: Strategic Expansion and International Collaborations
- Teacher Talks and Round Table sharing sessions were launched to strengthen professional learning communities.
- Notable Collaborations:
- ECIS İş Birliği: A professional learning cycle and professional learning standards were developed.
- HighScope Preschool Training Program: 5 preschool teachers from Hisar completed an eight-month program and beacame the “HighScope Trainer of Trainers”.
- “Learning Together” Project was launched.
- 5 different sharing sessions were held, covering Turkish, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Psychological Guidance departments with Bitlis Güroymak Atatürk Middle School.
- International Accreditation: Hisar School initiated the NEASC ESO Accreditation Process, submitting its application in July 2023.
2023-2024: Broadening Impact
- Professional learning programs continued in online, in-person, and hybrid formats.
- In addition to Teacher Talks and Round Table sharing sessions, long-term Learning Meetups were introduced.
- Notable Collaborations:
- ECIS Collaboration: 68 educators from Hisar School participated in training sessions on Child Protection, Developing Critical Global Perspectives, and Cultivating Connections That Matter.
- SUNY Master’s Program: 11 Hisar teachers enrolled in SUNY’s Master’s Program.
- NEASC Accreditation Process: The self-assessment report was completed, and the review process by NEASC began.
- Coursera Collaboration: 72 teachers participated in various professional development courses through the Coursera platform.
- Community Engagement:
- “Learning Together” project continued.
- Kars “Changemakers” Project: Mathematics, Arts, and Social Studies teachers conducted 5 workshops with educators in Kars.
- PÖMER Library: Established in the high school library with over 100 donated books.
2024-2025: Aligning with Global Standards and Research & Development
- Professional learning programs continued in online and in-person formats, with total participation increasing to 2154.
- Teacher Talks, Learning Meetups, and Round Table sessions continued with enriched content.
- Alignment with International Standards:
- NEASC ESO Accreditation: NEASC visited the school and met 38 school administrators and teachers.
- PÖMER was accredited as an ESO( Educational Service Organization) by NEASC.
- ECIS Child Protection Training Programs were provided.
- Research and Development (R&D):
- Action Research Project: PÖMER remains committed to developing projects that integrate scientific research and action research, support sustainable educational development, contribute strategically to the institution’s academic and administrative structure, and further enrich the research culture. In this context, 11 teachers began an action research project focused on academic practices.
