An Interview with Uğur Bulut

Hello Mr. Uğur, could you introduce yourself?

UB: Hello. My name is Uğur Bulut. I was born in 1983 in the Afşin district of Kahramanmaraş.

How many years have you been teaching?

UB: I have been teaching since 2006.

Where does the name KUANTUM come from? Does it have anything to do with the power of thought?

UB: I did my master's degree on Quantum Physics. The word "quantum" literally means "fragmented, detailed." We thought that such an understanding would contribute to success in education as well. The KUANTUM Education System has an educational structure built on this understanding, one that operates with an individual-specific, that is, an individualized education program. It is possible to see its effects in many areas, from a student's biological clock to question-solving, practice tests, and the formation of classrooms and study environments.

We have no interest in, connection to, or work involving the power of thought. However, we do agree with ideas present in quantum thought power such as "structuring," "building," and "you live what you think, you become what you think." Our guidance system treats our students as individuals. Alongside the subject-area courses our students take, our expert psychological counselors also provide a properly functioning mental health service. And the importance of guidance in the education system is increasing day by day. What we want to emphasize here is that every student can achieve learning when the right conditions are provided. One of the first sentences that comes to mind when Kuantum is mentioned is the principle we have adopted: "When learning is achieved, every student succeeds."

Could you give us some information about your mission and vision?

UB: Of course. We aim to raise our young people for the future in a contemporary, modern, and progress-oriented way. We have made it our duty to bring into life thinking, qualified individuals who look to the future with confidence. Our goal is on the side of lasting success. Based on holistic development, our ultimate goal is to give a different direction to development in the quantitative sciences by opening KUANTUM Science High Schools. We have a target year that we have set for ourselves, but before that, our aim is to keep adding to our soundness on the path of raising qualified individuals through Kuantum College, Kuantum Private Tutoring, and the Kuantum Plus Private Tutoring Course. We say it with conviction: "Success is possible by starting in the right place."

Could you tell us about your education system and goals?

UB: The Kuantum education system is structured around an individualized understanding of education. This individuality is not limited to a one-on-one lesson approach. In our individualized education model, alongside many programs, there are options geared to the student's needs, such as supplementary lessons, package programs, and private lessons. Every student is unique. Their levels and learning speeds differ from one another. What matters is bringing out the gem that already exists within the student. Before study programs are drawn up, the student is gotten to know through student coaching and individual guidance. First come dreams and goals. After this getting-to-know process, goals are set for the student. And that is what is decisive: showing the student the importance of having a goal and creating awareness. The student's needs are determined in line with their goals. We help them set goals and accompany them on the road to success. We want them to work in professions they love and to do their work with pleasure. I think it was in Chinese philosophy: "If you want to be happy for a lifetime, do the work you love." That is the essence of it. I touched on our goal earlier as well: to give a different direction to quantitative education by opening science high schools. To raise students with social sensitivity, who love their country and want to serve it, who will do their work with love, good doctors, good engineers, in short, qualified students. The future will be in their hands.

You have a student who ranked 28th in Turkey. How did you achieve this success?

UB: First of all, we must emphasize the importance of family and school in education. We are of the view that success is not a coincidence but a team effort. We also have another student who placed among the top in the country. All of these facts show that the Kuantum education system is a successful system. Students are first seen as individuals, and study programs are prepared according to individual differences. With the program we describe as the "top-ranking student development program," we map out a path that leads from dream to goal. Our experienced teaching staff has made, and continues to make, a very great contribution. Our educational coaching and guidance services support students' development. Motivation is also very important from a psychological standpoint and is an inseparable part of education. When parent-teacher-student cooperation is achieved, the system becomes very orderly. We attach great importance to communication with our parents. When we fulfill all these requirements, success becomes inevitable anyway.

Speaking of the teaching staff, what do you pay attention to when selecting teachers? Do you have specific criteria?

UB: There are many points we take into consideration. Tone of voice, dress, and behavior are the first impression. But the first impression is not enough for us. Our priority is experience. Among the criteria we consider in selecting a teacher, the exam we administer to them in their own field is of great importance. That is, when selecting a teacher for our institution, we administer an exam to see whether they have up-to-date knowledge related to their field, and whether they are familiar with new question formats and learning-teaching styles. After this exam, we have our teachers give a demo lesson before a committee. Here, too, we evaluate and take into account many elements such as the teacher's command of the classroom, their bearing, their speech, their lecturing, and their facial expressions. Finally, we administer psychological tests to our teachers, our aim here being entirely to create awareness. That is, we also care about the mental health of the teachers who will work with us, and we put in effort to that end. We want to work with teachers who are open to learning, adaptable, who want to develop themselves and the student in front of them, and who write questions. I believe development is continuous. By also taking on trainee teachers, we offer them opportunities to develop themselves. Our trainee teachers do not teach classes; by solving questions and staying in communication with subject teachers, they learn the profession, gain experience, and add to their own development. We do not subscribe to the logic of "a teacher who cannot teach, a student who cannot learn." Every student perceives things differently and has a different level of learning. Every teacher, too, has their own particular style of explanation. What matters is being able to convey the correct information. If a teacher cannot make that transfer, if the student is not giving feedback, we cannot continue with that teacher. But so far we have never experienced such a situation. Let's say this is the advantage of working with experienced teachers. We do not experience such situations with our trainee teachers either. Every one of them is a teacher who is open to learning, who is not afraid to ask questions, and who does research. KUANTUM is special with its teachers and strong with its teachers.

Finally, what are your views on the closure of study centers?

UB: I do not agree with the views put forward in support of the decision to close study centers. If the concern is terrorism, they have carried on, and will carry on, their activities under different names rather than as study centers; it will be difficult to prevent the so-called "under-the-stairs" illegal organizations. There will be question marks when it comes to ensuring oversight. Let us suppose a complaint is filed. What percentage of them will be reported and have their locations identified, or be found on the spot at that moment? Let us move on to the other view. There are statements that school education is sufficient. There are administrators and educators who do their job properly, and our respect for them is boundless. However, there is also a mentality that sees the student merely as a source of extra-lesson pay. They cannot even prepare students for education, let alone for the exam. If a student's foundation is not solid, development can only come to a certain point. This will be a different example, but you can think of it like construction. The more solid a building's foundation is, the more it accepts what is added on top of it, the more durable it becomes, and it does not collapse. The student's foundation, too, is knowledge. If knowledge is given completely from the start, the student becomes more open to taking in new knowledge. The first thing study centers did was to show special attention to such students. To build a foundation and help them learn and take in new knowledge. Now this will not happen. For families whose economic level is at a certain level, not much changes. They will get support through private schools and private lessons. As is known, in our country there are families getting by on minimum wage, and they too have children who continue their education. If these students could also receive support, wouldn't a brighter future await us? A future with science, art, and love. I would like to point out that it is not only about preparing for exams. Moreover, scholarship opportunities were also offered to successful students. Of course, not every institution had the same approach. For this and many other reasons, I think the closure of study centers will have negative effects. For them to be closed, there should first be a fundamental change in education at the schools, teachers should be changed, and exams should be presented not as an end, but as new beginnings. I cannot find closing them in this way appropriate.