AboutÂ
Our School
The Turkish School of Connecticut is comprised of dedicated teachers, students and parents who meet every Sunday during the school year to teach and learn Turkish. Founded in 2023, all tuition proceeds and funds are used to teach and maintain the Turkish language and culture.
Mission
The Turkish School of Connecticut is committed to empowering language learners of all ages and backgrounds to immerse themselves in the richness of Turkish language and culture, while also recognizing its relevance in today’s world. Our school fosters an inclusive environment where anyone inspired by Turkish culture can explore the language, pursue academic goals, enhance professional skills, enrich personal lives, uncover family heritage, or simply expand their social and cultural horizons.
School Values
Inclusivity: Embracing learners from diverse backgrounds and fostering a welcoming community for all.
Cultural Appreciation: Promoting a deep understanding and respect for Turkish culture, history, and traditions.
Language Proficiency: Committing to high standards of language education to ensure effective communication skills.
Community Engagement: Encouraging connections among learners, families, and the broader community to celebrate Turkish culture.
Respect: Fostering an environment of mutual respect among students, teachers, and cultural differences.
Support: Providing guidance and resources to help learners achieve their goals, whether in language proficiency or cultural exploration.
Empowerment: Encouraging students to take ownership of their learning and to express their unique perspectives.
Faculty - Meliha Bayansal
Meliha holds a degree in Foreign Language Education from Gazi University in Ankara, Turkiye. With 21 years of experience as an English teacher in Turkiye, she has spent ten years in secondary education and eleven years in primary education.
Meliha embraces a student-centered teaching approach, utilizing innovative methods to encourage active learning both inside and outside the classroom. Her goal is to empower students to reach their full potential.
Dedicated to her professional growth, Meliha continuously stays updated on the latest developments in education. She has a wealth of experience in designing lesson plans that cater to diverse age groups, enhancing the effectiveness of her students' learning experiences. Throughout her career, Meliha has focused on fostering well-rounded individuals, contributing significantly to the education sector.
Faculty - Gozde Nur Guler Dursun
Gözde Nur earned her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Education from Osmangazi University in
EskiÅŸehir, Turkey. Since 2012, she has been working as a secondary school math teacher (grades 5-
8), gaining valuable experience at various schools, including Düzce Beyköy Middle School, Gölyaka
Haciyakup Middle School, and Konya Sarayönü Halıcı Ä°stiklal Middle School. Currently, she teaches at
Konya Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Middle School.
Throughout her career, Gözde has worked with diverse student populations, which has helped her to
develop strong relationships with teenagers. She is highly skilled at nurturing their curiosity and
encouraging excellence in mathematics. As a dedicated educator, she constantly strives to improve
her teaching methods to meet the needs of today's generation. Gözde Nur is married and a proud
mother of two daughters, Serranur and Humanur.
Faculty - Dr. Emine Guler Yavuz
Emine Yavuz holds a BSc in Chemistry from Bogaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey, and MS in
Biochemistry from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in MA. Driven by a growing interest in medicine,
she shifted her focus to immunology for her PhD at the Department of Immunology, Gazi University
Medical School in Ankara, Turkey.
Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Yavuz worked at Selçuk University’s Advanced Technology
Research and Application Center in Konya, where she led the Biotechnology Laboratories and
oversaw Confocal Microscopy Systems for 10 years. Throughout her career, Dr. Yavuz has taught
various chemistry and immunology-related courses while promoting lab skills to undergraduate
students. She also served as a postdoctoral researcher at King’s College London (2019-2022),
specializing in cancer nanomedicine.
She has published numerous articles and book chapters related to her research. As a Connecticut-
certified teacher, she currently teaches Biology, Chemistry, and Forensics at Quinebaug Middle
College in Danielson, Connecticut. She is married and has one son, who is attending UConn.
