Burcak Temel

I started primary school in İzmir Melih Özakat Primary School and finished in Aydın Yedi Eylül Primary School. I know how hard it is to break up with your favourite class teacher when you were a freshman. I was very upset and raised my rebel flags to the people at home.

 

While I was studying at Gazipaşa Secondary School and Aydın High School, I always dreamed of becoming a military pilot or a scientist in the field of genetics. When I finished high school and chose the university, I took the university exam twice with this dream. After all, I was going to live this life; It's okay to start a year late! Well, there was also the uncertainty of the exam system change that I experienced in the last year of each school. After all, studying in Turkey is a bit...  how can I say... it increases creativity and struggle.  :D

​

I cannot tell you my excitement, pride and happiness when I was selected to the Department of Medical Biological Sciences, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University. The school is exactly what I wanted. Of course, like every student, I scooped up Istanbul and wandered around... Ok, I admit that I lost it in university in a year. Did I really lose?! I'm not sure about it! Because even though I lost a year, I discovered other interests and other professions that feed me over time.  My 6-year medical school adventure started to take shifts at the beginning of the 2nd year and turned into professional life at the same time. 1 year at Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine Central Biochemistry, 5 years at  I started working with enthusiasm before I graduated when I said emergency room biochemistry. Of course, my passion for genetics, the last years of my school,  Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine,  Molecular Oncology, İ.Ü. Faculty of Medicine Molecular Medicine and Tubitak MAM-GMBTE Immuno-genetics departments. Was I complaining? Not at all! It was the moment when I reached my dreams, even though I got up in the dark of the morning, changed continents and travelled for 2.5 hours - 2,5 hours on the way back. I have never felt so satisfied, joyful and excited.  Then, like every story, dreams started to turn upside down. Our department was closed in January 2003. In 2004, our right to take the  TUS exam and our right to work in medical faculties were gone. When our right to take the KPSS exam was taken away from us in 2005, our permanent studies at state hospitals were cancelled. Remained Private institutions and organizations.  In addition, I studied at Anadolu University Faculty of Business Administration Department of Health Management to support my education. After working in private health institutions for 9 years; In 2014, our working license from those institutions was cancelled...

 

She went sad, didn't she? Oh no no... 

I got over my disappointments... Thanks, Children! 

How Does? In the first years of my university education, I started volunteering in non-governmental organizations. Thanks to the Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV), I can say that I met with children and opened the door to one of the most important turning points in my life. I have introduced to creative drama thanks to my volunteering that started in 2001. I was enjoying it so much that even though I loved my job, it was wearing out to see the pain people go through while dealing with diseases, viruses and cancer. But when I went to an education park of TEGV and met the children, everything flew away. 

When I think about the process of my profession and my relationship with children, I say that I should be more knowledgeable about creative drama. Creative Drama Instructor and Leadership MEB certificate were trained to receive. In the fast position Supporting anger control in children aged 7-8 years with creative drama techniques. I got better results than I thought. Then it came like a sock rip.  

​

in 2015 Ataturk University Child Development associate degree I started the part. My goal was to learn all aspects of child development. Although I learned very well about their biological development and diseases starting from the cell size in medical school, I thought that I should also know about their social and emotional development. However, since this program is very simple for me and does not contain the information I want, it is considered as the fourth university. Istanbul University Child Development Department UndergraduateI went to the section. It was exactly how I wanted it. I strengthened the theory. After all, I realized that I was making progress in practice when I was constantly talking about workshops, events, research, current articles and studies in schools.

​

I said TEGV was one of the turning points of my life, here is another turning point, my dear teacher Nevzat SUER SEZGIN. It was after I met him. Of course, children's literature was one of my indispensable resources in Creative Drama and in my child development training. I have always loved creative reading and creative writing activities. But with my Nevzat teacher, I started to work professionally as a writer for children's books and literature. First, my stories were published in compilation books, then my fiction and non-fiction articles in children's magazines, and finally my upcoming novel. I'm really excited about this.

 

In 2018 İzmir Education Cooperative (İZEK)) we set up.  Since then, I have been working for children and parents at İZEK. If I briefly review the non-governmental organizations I am active in; AÇEV the Mother Support Program and Mother Meetings instructor. Still TEGV I am a volunteer and trainer. Teacher Club I am a member of the design team, Minus 18 Literary Society. I am an active member of the Systems Thinking Association I a board member. 

 

Bringing different disciplines together in my education is a passion for me. When medicine, creative drama, plastic arts, ecology, biology, systems thinking and painting all come together. Educational content that I really enjoy emerges. I enjoy it because I see that each individual I convey these experiences enjoys the smile on their face at the end of the event and I am happy. When learning becomes fun and playful, it becomes a pleasure rather than a necessity. What more could one want? 

​

Currently, I teach children and parents in public schools, colleges, and non-governmental organizations. I work with publishers and in this way, I bring books to children all over Turkey.