The book titled ‘Preschool Value Education’, prepared with the support of Kocabıyık Foundation (BKV) to develop ethical values in children was distributed to teachers of 5240 kindergartens in Istanbul before the semester holiday.

Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation (BKV) continues to support educational projects and thus, sponsored the book titled 'Preschool Value Education' written by Prof. Dr. Gülçin Alpöge. The book was prepared as a guide to teachers and parents on how to give basic ethical values to children at preschool-age.

Sponsored by the Foundation, the book ‘Preschool Value Education’ was distributed to teachers in 5240 kindergartens throughout Istanbul with the initiative of Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation Manager Nihal Alptekin and the support of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education.

Asım Kocabıyık, the Founder and Honorary President of Borusan Holding said the following about the book:
'Our children will build the future of a modern and happy society in our country. I find it very important that our children, who will shape the future of Turkey, learn to own our basic values from early ages. I am very pleased that our foundation supported the preparation of this book containing the valuable studies of Prof. Dr. Gülçin Alpöge, to guide our teachers who show great effort to raise future generations. I hope that our teachers shall benefit from this book to raise individuals who contribute to the society. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Muammer Yıldız, the Istanbul Provincial Director for National Education for showing maximum effort to distribute this book to thousands of teachers.’

Dr. Muammer Yıldız, the Istanbul Provincial Director for National Education said the following about the book:
‘Values Education has become one of the courses most emphasized by our teachers in recent years and in which the best practices are made and best examples are shared. The Ministry of National Education is taking great care in this regard and organizing various events on this field such as symposiums, conferences and workshops. A significant effort has been shown especially by our universities on such types of academic studies involving basic humanitarian values.
I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to Nihal Alptekin, the Foundation Manager and Asım Kocabıyık, who sponsored and supported distribution of the book containing the life skills that children must have such as sharing, human rights, love, respect, goodness, responsibility etc. which are universal values.’

Prof. Dr. Gülçin Alpöğe has worked in different positions such as teacher and principal in various preschool educational institutions and she is currently lecturing at the Bosporus University Faculty of Education. She defines the concept of ‘value’ which is examined in her book, as ‘phenomena accepted as value by all societies and which damage others or the person himself/herself in case of failure to conform’. Alpöge made the following assessment about her book in which she focused on values such as ‘making the right choice’, ‘honesty’, ‘love’, ‘respect’, ‘courage’, ‘goodness’, ‘responsibility’, ‘justice’, ‘friendship’, ‘concord (tranquility)’: ‘This book was prepared to help teachers and parents who wish to develop basic ethical values in children. Of course, value education starts at home. However, small children today spend most of their time at school. Therefore, we need teachers in this regard.’
Learning ‘values’ at an early age is important because adopting these values contribute to self-confidence, ability to make decisions, solve problems and happiness in children. Also, a society operating in trust depends on raising new generations with these values.’

Value Education to Children Through Fun Activities
Values are explained in chapters in the 'Preschool Values Education' book and best practices are implemented during the in-class activities in the nursery class of Borusan Otomotiv Zehra Nurhan Kocabıyık Avcılar Primary School. With the studies supported in each chapter with various activities, tales, stories, poems, songs and drama scenarios, the aimed is to enable children to adopt these values at an early age rather than learning by trial and error.