Registration Period: February-August 2024
Age Group: 31-37…read moremonths
* Building Architecture and Institution Introduction
The architectural design and fun furniture are attention-grabbing.
Printed documents are used for promotion and rules.
Payments are made in cash, and if an invoice is requested, an additional VAT is charged.
* Institution's Montessori Accreditation
The institution's educational staff is unfortunately not academically trained in the field. Instead, sales are conducted with a traditional method based on years of experience.
Furthermore, this institution does not have a current accreditation listed on its website. In other words, it follows an educational model that lacks standards. No documentation regarding its Montessori history has been presented by international authorities.
Note: Obtaining an internationally valid Montessori certificate is currently available at Boğaziçi Institute in Istanbul for only 949.99 TL (as of August 9, 2024), with no prior participation requirements.
* The Provided Educational Service Is Not Sustainable
Everything they claim to be part of the institution's culture is under the control of a single person, and trainers cannot say anything outside of what they are told. When I asked questions, they referred me to the founder. You can feel the fear and anxiety among the educators.
It's very difficult to make an appointment with the founder, and my requests for meetings have not been addressed in a reasonable time. Also, even the employees do not know the educational background of the founder.
The daily reports lack consistency. There are continuous changes in groups and educators, with no explanation provided for these changes. When I inquired about the reasons, I was simply brushed off with a request for understanding.
* Educator Staff Turnover Problem
Within a 6-month period, 4 educators were replaced. This caused adaptation problems for the child. While the child used to run to the daycare happily, during these transition periods, the child started crying when going. The only explanation given was: "Trust us," but that trust was never established.
* Staff Shortages
The absence of staff organizing daily routines is immediately noticeable. Children are handed over with incorrect clothing or lose their toys. (It was experienced that labels and writing are not a permanent solution to these issues.)
Branches may open, but management and organization are independent of individuals, and I see that this culture does not exist in this institution.
* Unreliable Observation Report
The institution's psychologist, who has graduated from a foundation university 3 months ago (congratulations to her...), wrote a report that led the founder to overstep her bounds and diagnose the child with a special needs condition.
In a state of concern, I approached a psychologist and a special education pedagogue who observed and spent time with the child, and they shared the common opinion that we should not trust the report.
* No Trackability or Follow-Up
The child came home with a huge bruise on their chin. When I asked the institution for information, I was told that they couldn't find anything on the camera recordings. It's worrying that the child was without a supervisor, teacher, or janitor--where was the child?
The teachers' anxiety when answering questions, the insufficient explanations, and the tendency to brush things off make it feel like the institution operates under a system of fear management. Behaviors observed indicate that it is not a transparent institution.
Another example is that, although the monthly meal lists are shared, despite my repeated requests, the menu and portion visuals were never provided. I believe it is the institution's responsibility to prove that the listed meals are actually served. (I asked for this information because the child often requests food as soon as they get into the car.)
