Betül Öztürk
I graduated from the Department of Child Development at Istanbul Gedik University Faculty of Health Sciences in 2022. I opened my own Child Development Center, a dream I began to envision in my second year of university, upon graduating. Starting from my third year, I began to acquire the necessary training to realize this dream. For instance, I completed training in Family Counseling, Denver Developmental Screening Test, Dyslexia Practitioner Training, Development, IQ, and Attention testing, and Play Therapy. I was simultaneously completing my school internships as well. The experiences I gained from child development professionals in hospitals, experts in guidance and research centers, and teachers in early childhood institutions were extremely valuable for me. Additionally, participating in volunteer projects allowed me to observe many children with different developmental needs. Now, at my own established Beta Child Development Center, I work with children who show typical development or require developmental support. Furthermore, I am planning to progress in the academic field. I express my gratitude to the faculty members of the Child Development Department who have consistently supported us.
Ebrar Suruç Eryiğit
I graduated from the Child Development Department of Istanbul Gedik University Faculty of Health Sciences in 2022. During my undergraduate studies, in 2021, I was awarded a scholarship for the ‘Child and Play’ program organized by Humber College in their summer school. I completed the program successfully. I conducted two radio broadcasts on Radyo Gedik, covering the topics of ‘Secure Attachment’ and ‘The Impact of Parenting Styles on Children’s Personality Development’. In 2020, along with my fellow classmates, we wrote a compilation article titled ‘Privacy Education in Children’. I focused on the section related to ‘Privacy Education for Children with Special Needs’. I presented my part of this article at the Bursa Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services. For my thesis, I collaborated with a classmate on the topic ‘The Impact of Attachment Styles of Adolescents on Alexithymia’. In 2021, together with our department head, we prepared a project for TUBITAK titled ‘The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic Process on Adolescents’ Social Media Use’. During my undergraduate education, I gained practical experience through internships in hospitals, Guidance and Research Centers (RAM), Child Units of the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services (ASHB), rehabilitation centers, and kindergartens. These experiences allowed me to apply the theoretical knowledge of working with Children with Special Needs and their Families in real-world settings. After graduation, I am currently working in a Special Education and Rehabilitation Center, focusing on Developmental Monitoring and Education for Children with Special Needs. Additionally, I provide Developmental Tracking and Pedagogical Counseling through individual sessions. I am also a practitioner of Frostig, Metropolitan, Gessel, Good Enough, AGTE, Bender Gestalt, and Peabody tests. I am actively pursuing an academic career by taking exams, with the goal of one day becoming an academic and training my peers in this field. My utmost priority in every step I have taken and will take is to always consider the best interests of children. I am indebted to the Child Development Department of Istanbul Gedik University Faculty of Health Sciences, who instilled this awareness in me and contributed to my career and profession with love and care.