In an interview conducted by Bella Belding ’27, High School Math Teacher Perihan Yücel shared her educational background and professional journey prior to joining TASIS in 2025. Yücel studied mathematics in Türkiye and, despite an early inclination toward teaching, initially explored a corporate path. She worked for a private company conducting research and preparing statistical reports, where her competence was so valued that her employer offered a salary increase and even a free summer holiday in Bodrum to retain her. Realizing corporate life was not her calling, she returned to school to earn her teaching qualification. Her teaching career began at The Koç School in Istanbul, the first school in Turkey to introduce the IB Program, where she was among the initial group of Turkish teachers to deliver the IB curriculum. She remained there for 14 years and earned a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Teaching from Michigan State University. She then spent 11 years at Üsküdar American Academy, a school with a 150-year history and one of Turkey’s most well-known private institutions. Additionally, she has served as an IB examiner for the past 16 years. Now at TASIS, Yücel notes the pattern of her long tenures and expresses hope to remain for a considerable time. Her teaching philosophy centers on mathematics as more than arriving at the correct answer; she wants students to understand why something works, connect different representations, ask questions, and explain their thinking. She strives to create a classroom where mistakes are comfortable because they are an important part of learning, with the goal that students leave not only knowing more math but also thinking more mathematically. She values the international and diverse community at TASIS, enjoys working with students from different cultural backgrounds and learning from them, and appreciates the supportive environment among colleagues. Coming from Istanbul, where she spent at least an hour commuting daily for 25 years, she considers the five-minute walk to school a luxury.
Looking ahead, Yücel hopes to help her students become more independent and reflective learners this year. She wants them to regularly assess their own understanding, identify mistakes in their reasoning, and know what they need to do to improve. Reflecting on her upbringing in Turkey, she brings a sense of community and hospitality into her classroom, aiming to create an environment where students feel they belong and know their contributions matter. Beyond the classroom, students might be surprised to learn that she loves rock music and enjoys turning it up loudly when home alone. In her free time, she likes spending time with her family, hosting friends for Turkish coffee, good food, and conversation, and traveling around Europe. Since moving to Lugano, she has enjoyed exploring and discovering the area. Her approach aligns with the values of TASIS, where she contributes to a diverse learning community.
