THE FINAL PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLC) MODEL IN PRESCHOOL INSTITUTIONS THAT APPLY THE BASICS OF THE “GODINE UZLETA” PROGRAM FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

As part of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model, which is part of the Support Program for public preschool institutions in Serbia through the Ministry of Education project “Inclusive Preschool Education and Care”, teams from 68 kindergartens of the core of change from 45 preschool institutions are in the final phase of implementing this Model.

 At the end of November and beginning of December 2022, 11 one-day professional meetings (JPS) were held, hosted by preschool institutions from: Belgrade (Palilula, Zvezdara, Vozdovac), Kragujevac (“Djurdjevdan”), Nis, Pozega, Kraljevo, Kula and Zrenjanin.

About 450 practitioners participated in 11 JPS, who, within smaller groups, exchanged 136 different examples of practice, which they had previously dealt with in their kindergartens. Each core chose one of the offered topics: Game, Space, Planning, or Documenting, while the second topic – Inclusive access was mandatory for everyone.

After the JPS, they finished with the mentoring support of the associates who were engaged within the Project with the aim of providing support to practitioners during the implementation of the Model (realizing professional meetings in the kindergarten and leading discussions, creating narratives and using tools, criteria for selecting examples, preparing for JPS – making a presentation and exposure).

The real goal of applying the Professional Learning Community Model is not preparation and participation in JPS, but change in practice through action, or the so-called PUPA. The PUPA phase that is realized after JPS, the teams of 68 kindergartens of the core of change are now in that phase when based on the defined change depending on what kind of practice they want, or on the basis of defined specific activities that should lead to the desired change, implement and monitor the change process, analyze and critically present observations to the entire process until the defined change is achieved.

Practitioners emphasize the importance of defining the plan of change and the entire process, the path of change should be the subject of joint work and planning of all educators from the core, through the steps given within the PUPA.

Preschool institutions (83) that apply the Basics of the “Godine uzleta” program from September 1, 2022, are in the phase of exchange between practitioners at the core kindergarten level of changes regarding the criteria and selection of examples for the JPS that is coming to them during April 2023.

You can see other photos here.