Education is predominately a popular platform among politicians, national leaders and educational ministers who often jump-start their careers with education-reform talks to gain international recognition for their educational systems. Many different methods have been used by education-promoters such as a popular Turkish-television commercial, that later went viral, with the catchphrase "Eğitim Şart!" or "Education is a Must!" This phrase is still widely known and used in Turkish households today.If a closer look is taken at this catchphrase, important questions are raised, the most important being, what education reforms can be brought to the table and where have we fallen short in terms of the educational system? The universally-criticized element of the Turkish-educational system is rote learning, the method of learning with repetition and memorization. Although the current system may not be able to completely replace rote learning, there are still many amazing opportunities available to change the education process.Upon reviewing the early Republic, it can be seen that the main objective of the educational system was to raise "ideal citizens" dedicated to national values and Turkish culture in order to produce a generation that was open to new ideas. As a result, the early Republic generation became the admirers of the West. The approach has changed very little and students have since become indecisive individuals who lack the ability to question things independently, possess low self-confidence and are parading as wannabes in favor of copycat fashion.More recently, modern teaching systems have undergone innovative transformations. The new educational approaches place the student at the center and suggest a "productive and multi-dimensional intelligence theory."Certain schools have adopted the "project-based learning" practice that has become a craze in many Asian countries. Whereas the previous system prioritized content, this practice focuses on the cognitive thinking processes and encourages critical thinking, problem solving and better use of information technology while improving social skills. It is important to note, however, that these strategies were developed and applied to specific socio-economic and cultural situations and due to these environmental elements, may not be completely compatible with all educational institutions. Indeed, it would be suicidal to integrate these practices in the Turkish educational system without considering the current social needs and factors that would be affected by such a colossal upheaval. When this is looked at from a private-school perspective, however, adapting to a new innovative system would be much more feasible due to its financial advantages. However, often private schools are focused on finance as well as education which could possibly lead school managers or private school administrators to misuse such theories as marketing strategies.Unfortunately, reforming the education program remains a non-priority among the deputy principals of state, public or government schools. Any achievements and merits achieved by students are greatly credited to the public school teachers who are able to effectively use their own teaching strategies in their classrooms.Montessori method: An alternative approachAn Italian physician and educator, known for the philosophy of education named in her honor, Maria Montessori, introduced a revolutionary student-oriented approach to education which has had remarkable influence. Based on observation and experimentation, her system challenges traditional education methods by focusing on "the discovery of the child" as a guide for teachers. The Montessori Method encourages a child's self-discovery using play and activity methods that are highly individualized and allows the student to make personal choices. This method disregards disciplinary systems, competition or traditional classroom structure, instead including exclusively-designed materials, a classroom designed as a living space and promotes cooperation. Another unique principle is that children are responsible for controlling their own mistakes and external intervention is avoided unless necessary. Through this method, children can learn from their mistakes and discover what is right and wrong individually.Upon examining the Montessori method, it can be asked how this method relates to the Turkish educational system. The Palet Montessori Schools in Istanbul, which offer preschool and primary Montessori education, is an excellent example.A member of the American Montessori Society, this school attaches special importance to in-service training and new developments are regularly shared with parents and teachers during sessions with experts from the U.S. Interested teachers or teacher candidates are sent abroad to learn the Montessori Method.The teaching staff at these schools attentively apply the principles to the Turkish educational system and syllabus. To illustrate, rhythm training is given in the first half of a one-hour music class, incorporating composition and musical notes to encourage the students' creativity. The remaining time is spent playing musical instruments, during which each student chooses an instrument and practices, not only techniques, but also the rhythm training from the beginning of the class.In the values education class, students make a circle and chat with their teachers in a series of Q&A sessions. During the religious-Islamic course, students learn Arabic letters using flash cards, painting books and writing letters on sand trays.In the math course, students first learn addition and subtraction of four-digit numbers with special materials. An assistant teacher and an English teacher attend every class along with the class teacher. Students also practice English all day as the schools have bilingual teaching system.Combining the Montessori Method, which has similarities with the Enderun system in the Ottoman Empire, and the values of the Republican era educational system, the Turkish education system may flourish when its traditional system recognizes the importance of individualized education methods.