Celebrating the Best
Isikkent Schools (Turkey)
is the winner of the 2013
ICF International Prism
Award. The ICF also awarded
an honorable mention to
the Defense Acquisition
University (USA).
In 2005, ICF Global adopted
the Prism Award, a concept
developed by ICF Toronto
that recognizes businesses
and organizations that
demonstrate how professional
coaching pays off on
many fronts. This award
represents the epitome of
what professional coaching
can accomplish within
organizations of all sizes and
in all sectors.
The 23 programs nominated
for this year’s award were
evaluated by a judging panel
comprised of ICF Members
from around the world
according to four criteria:
fulfilling rigorous professional
standards, addressing key
strategic goals, shaping
organizational culture, and
yielding discernible and
measureable positive impacts.
To learn more about the
International Prism
Award, visit
Coachfederation.org/prism.
18 Coaching World
Case Study:
The Top of the Class
Since the 1990s, coaching
has been a key component
of many schools’ facultydevelopment plans. In addition
to contracting Leadership
Coaches and Executive Coaches
to support the growth and
development of administrators,
a growing number of schools
are using coaching and coachskills training to enhance
teachers’ abilities to implement
curriculum; manage their
classrooms; and communicate
effectively with students,
parents and one another. A
substantial body of research on
Educational Coaching shows that
coaching empowers teachers
to understand and implement
new instructional practices and
strategies, resulting in heightened
student engagement.
Turkey’s Isikkent Schools have taken
the use of coaching one step further
by developing and implementing
a high-impact program designed
to directly touch the lives of every
member of the school community,
from teachers and administrators to
parents and students. The success
of Isikkent’s coaching program has
shown that coaching isn’t only for
adults: When adapted properly, it can
benefit individuals as young as three
years of age.
The Cutting Edge
The administrators, teachers, students
and parents affiliated with Isikkent
Schools have always taken pride in
being part of a learning community
that stands out from the crowd.
Established in 1998 within a nonprofit
foundation, Isikkent provides a
unique learning environment
that brings students ranging from
preschool through grade 12 together
on one campus—an organizational
model seen infrequently in Turkey.
The school is also set apart by its
educational vision: In a nation where
most students are taught to measure
success and learning by exam scores,
Isikkent focuses on holistic education.
With a creative, inquiry-based