SOCIAL SCIENCES DAY
Every year students carry out a research project, which are designed to develop their research skills and deepen their knowledge, and on the school’s Social Sciences Day they present their projects in front of a jury.

 

AMERICAN SCHOOLS SOCIAL SCIENCES FAIR
The Social Sciences fair is held every year at the SEV American Schools on a rotational and aims to strengthen interaction between students and teachers of the American Schools in Üsküdar, Tarsus and Izmir, increase students’ interest in Social Sciences and support scientific research in this field. Students who wish to participate in the fair prepare a project that meets scientific criteria and give an oral presentation of their project on the day of the fair. The projects are judged by academics who select the best project from those presented. Every participant is awarded a certificate.

 

SOCIAL SCIENCES ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
At the end of every school the Social Sciences Department offers achievement awards to the most successful students. The recipients of the award are chosen in consultation with teachers from the department. The awards given aim to support and encourage students in their work. The Social Sciences Achievement Award is given to students who perform well in all Social Science lessons (History, Geography, Religion and Philosophy), who carry out their work with quality, consistency, creativity and scientific methods and who participate in departmental activities. This award is not given simply for academic success. Academic success is supported through activities, behavior and attitudes.

 

TRIPS

Every year the Social Sciences Department organized the following trips with the aim of supporting the academic program:

• Grade 9: "Üsküdar"
• Grade 10: "Harbiye Military Museum"
• Grade 11 Elective Geography: "Santral Istanbul Energy Museum"

 

Participation in these trips is compulsory for all students as questions related to the sites and areas that are visited as part of the trips as well as the geographical characteristics of the area will be asked in their Geography, History, Philosophy and Religion exams. As it is proven that practical experience aids learning, the aim of these trips is to enable students to learn about topics that arise in their lessons through activities outside the classroom. With these trips students have the chance to learn through observation and practical experience of the subjects they study in their Social Sciences lessons.

 

PSYCHOLOGY WORKSHOP

Students from various schools participate in this workshop on the theme of “Social Psychology: Attitudes and Behaviors”.

The workshop is held in two stages. Firstly, students participate in discussion sessions run by academics from Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy departments. During these sessions the academics present students with a subject area and give information on what kind of research can be carried out and what methods should be used and how.

In the second stage, students choose a topic from the areas outlined in the earlier session and prepare a presentation on that topic. The presentations are followed by a debate and the academics participating in the workshop evaluate the presentations.

The aim of the workshop is develop students’ critical and analytical thinking skills and also to give them the necessary skills to carry out research on a specific topic by showing them how to identify the problem, select and correctly use the appropriate research methods, question and make connections between pieces of information.

 

PHILOSOPHY OLYMPIAD

Every year on the first Sunday in March, the national Philosophy Olympiad is held in ten centers across Turkey in order to develop students’ creative thinking and research skills, to provide students with the skills to understand the intellectual and ethical problems of the modern world and to select students for the International Philosophy Olympiad.

One student from each school can participate in the Olympiad. Students are given three quotes from different philosophers and are then asked to write a philosophical essay based on one of these quotes. The competition is held on the same day and at the same time in each of the competition centers. The questions are prepared by the Philosophical Society of Turkey. At the end of the exam, participating students and schools are all awarded a certificate of participation from the Philosophical Society of Turkey.

 

HISTORY DAYS IN TERAKKİ

The annual event “History Days at Terakki” looks at and invites debate on contemporary concepts that are the subject of many preconceptions, such as “nationalism, citizenship, democratization, tolerance and difference”, as well as other issues surrounding concepts. By looking at the world through a historical perspective, the event also aims to contribute to our students’ understanding of values that are important for our country and our world, such as “tolerance, critical thinking, respect for differences and freedom”.

During this event students give presentations on these themes in front of hundreds of students and also participate in workshops and panel debates. This event helps to develop students’ sensitivity towards problems at every level, both in their country and internationally, and to adopt the universal values of democratic citizenship based on the principles of cooperation and solidarity.