During April, workshops for children and parents ” We are growing healthy”, on the topic of healthy eating, were implemented in the Municipality of Odzaci. The workshops were implemented in cooperation with the Sports Association of the municipality of Odzaci and the realiser was Jelena Ignjatic, a physical culture teacher. Workshops in Bogojevo, Lalic and Odzaci (facility “Park”) were attended by 88 children and 51 parents. At the end of the workshop, all the children were given a packet of fruit.

Also, during April, in co-operation with the Red Cross Odzaci, workshops for children “Misa and Masa – prevention of human trafficking” were implemented. Workshops in Karavukovo and Ratkovo and Srpsko Miletice were attended by 87 children. All the children were eventually given a package of art materials at the end of the workshop.

Other photos can be found here.

In April 2022, there will be 6 One-Day Professional Meetings within the implementation of horizontal exchange model – Community of Professional Learning (CPL).

The programe CPL is the part of the Capacity strengthening support programme for implementation of the Basics of the preschool education and care, implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD) in cooperation with Unicef.

The model of the Community of Professional Learning Practitioners (from reflection on action to reflection for action) is aimed at empowering professional collaborators, educators and nurses of educators to critically and reflexively question, change and develop their practice in cooperation with colleagues in kindergarten, as well as with colleagues from other preschools.

It is about the exchange and learning of practitioners from preschool who are at the same level of application of Basic program. The model predicts that professional meetings that encourage critical reflection become one of the forms of internal professional development in the institution, as well as the way of horizontally connecting with colleagues from other institutions, and developing through related and mutually conditioned phases (Photo 1).

Hosts of 6 one-day professional meetings, in which about 250 practitioners took part were preschools from: Belgrade („Cukarica” and „Rakovica”), Leskovac, Zajecar, Subotica and Sabac. In addition to them, participants were practitioners of PU from: Sombor, Kikinda, Vrsac, Bogatic, Uzice, Cajetina, Kosjeric, Mladenovac, Stari Grad, Pozarevac, Novi Pazar, Krusevac, Jagodina, Paracin, Vranje and Vlasotince.

All one-day professional meetings were realized under the same scenario. After the introductory activities, participants were divided into three groups (2 core changes each), depending on topics they previously dealt with in their kindergartens. Each core chose 1 of the topics offered: Game, Space, Planning and Documentation, while another topic – Inclusive approach – was mandatory for all.

At all one-day professional meetings, in addition to practitioners from preschool institutions, were attended by representatives: authors of Model, UNICEF, MoESTD and Project Management Unit. The meetings were professionally led by collaborators to support the development of reflexive practice in kindergartens – core changes within the models of CPL, Aleksandra Ruzicic, Violeta Vrcelj and Ana Kojic.

The exchange of experiences, insights, reflections took place in a stimulating and cooperative atmosphere. Participants showed a high degree of professionalism during the meeting and motivation to continue the initiated changes that they defined in their plans.

Other photos can be found here.

Equipped – 4 working rooms – number of children included – 100

As a part of The Project of inclusive preschool education, which is realized by the Ministry of education, science, and technological development in cooperation with foundation Novak Djokovic from the loan of World Bank, it has been adapted and equipped 3 working rooms on the territory of municipality of Sremska Mitrovica.

Sremska Mitrovica is the largest city in Srem and the need to include children in the preschool education system is high. Preschool „Pcelica” since its inception in 1966.  it is making efforts to equally include all registered children in both urban and suburban neighborhoods.

Due to limited capacities it is impossible to receive all children, but the right to enroll first have children with disabilities, Roma, children from families receiving welfare, victims of violence, children without parental care, third and fourth children in the family.

The number of children who are beneficiaries of financial and social assistance is 83, there are 50 Roma children, 276 are the third and fourth children by birth, 12 are children living in foster families, while 52 are with various disabilities included in developmental and regular groups.

Since there are about 200 children on the waiting list to meet parents who show great interest day after day, and in order to increase the coverage of children, The Jovan Popovic Elementary School has given part of its old facility to a preschool.

Preschool institution now has 4 new working rooms (3 of which are mixed and 1 preschool group), and in addition the facility has spacious hallways, toilets and supporting rooms and is equipped according to the needs of children, educators and in accordance with new educational basics.

In addition to the furniture that has been selected and adapted to each age group, the rooms are equipped with new toys, carpets, lacy escapes, painting easels, books and necessary disposable materials, as well as rolling curtains.

In the new groups on the territory of the city of Sremska Mitrovica, 100 new children aged 3-7 are enrolled and the premises are equipped according to the needs of our youngest residents.

Other photos can be found here.