By decision of Minister of education, science and tehnological development, professional development program for employees in preschool education entitled: Years of Ascension “Joint Learning by Modeling – JLM” Horizontal learning of practitioners in PVO program basics – Training,  will recieve the status of public importance.

The Institute of Pedagogy and Andragogy of the University of Belgrade / Faculty of Philosophy has developed training for those responsible in changing practice in school institutions within the framework of component 2 of the project inclusive preschool education. The training for the horizontal learning of practitioners is based on theoretical positions aligned with the concept of PVO program basics – Annual Ascents. The training represents a significant form of professional development of practitioners and a contribution to their professional development as reflective practitioners.

The goal of the training is to empower practitioners for joint learning with colleagues  in PVO program basics. 

Specific training objectives:

1. 1. Empowerment of practitioners , who developed quality practice in the application of  PVO program basics – Years of Ascension, for continuous building of reflective practice through horizontal learning.
3. 2. Supporting practitioners, who developed quality practice based on the PVO program basics – Years of Ascension, to organize one-day professional visits with practitioners from other preschool institutions as a form of horizontal learning.
5. 3. Understanding the potential of horizontal learning in the professional development of practitioners.

The authors of the training are: prof. Dr. Dragana Pavlovic Breneselovic and prof. Dr. Zivka Krnjaja – University of Belgrade /Faculty of Philosophy.

Training for 90 practitioners (nurse educators, educators, professional assistants, directors) from preschool institutions “Radosno detinjstvo” from Novi Sad, “Dr. Sima Milosevic” from Zemun, “Moje detinjstvo” from Cacak, “Cika Jova Zmaj” from Pirot and “Bambi” from Loznica, which are cluster centers in the application of the “Joint learning by modeling – JLM” model, was realized during May 14 – 15 and May 28 – 29, 2022.

In order that the kindergarten centers of the cluster could establish and develop quality practice, but also strengthen their competences to realize one-day accredited professional meetings for colleagues from other preschool institutions, the Institute for Pedagogy andragogy continuously provides support to educators in developing quality practice. Also, through the project, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development additionally equipped the kindergarten centers of the cluster with low mobile furniture and ICT equipment. In the following period, equipping with didactic tools will be implemented.

According to the developed plan of visits with the aim of horizontal learning, from September 2022, trained practitioners – leaders from the cluster centers will realize one-day accreditation of expert meetings for colleagues from all public preschool institutions

Knowing that practitioners learn best through quality professional exchanges with fellow practitioners, we expect that visits to cluster centers in the coming period will further strengthen preschool institutions to develop quality practice in accordance with the program basics.

You can see other photos here.

As part of the project “Inclusive preschool education and care” implemented by the Ministry of education, science and technological development in partnership with the Novak Đoković Foundation from the loan of World Bank, another 5 workrooms were equipped in the territory of the city of Nis, in the settlement of Novo selo.

The settlement Novo selo is a suburban place in the area of the city of Nis, in the municipality of Palilula, in the vicinity of which there are newly opened factories, which employ a large number of young people who need full-day accommodation for children.

Given that the city of Nis is the third largest city in our country, the need to expand the capacity of preschool education is big. Therefore, there are about 120 children on the waiting list for kindergarten in the Novo selo settlement.

A large number of Roma families with two or more children under the age of 6 live in this part of the city, as well as families of socially disadvantaged categories, which was an additional incentive for us to open a kindergarten and include children from this territory in the preschool education system.

The city of Nis recognized the need to expand the capacity of the kindergarten and completed the reconstruction of the building, while our foundation, through the project “Inclusive preschool education and care with its partners” (MOESTD and WB), provided complete equipment.

The new equipped space will be able to accommodate 120 children in the following groups – 1 nursery, 2 mixed and 2 preschool.

In addition to the furniture that was selected and adapted to each age group, the rooms are also equipped with venetian blinds, new toys, carpets, lazy bags, easels for painting, books and necessary consumables.

In the new groups in the territory of the city of Nis, 120 new children aged 1,5 – 7 years were enrolled and the rooms are equipped in accordance with the needs of our youngest residents.

You can see other photos here.