2,743 PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATES AND TEACHER COORDINATORS FROM ALL PRIMARY SCHOOLS PASSED THE TRAINING “ON THE COMMON LEARNING PATH”

The Minister of Education, Science, and Technological Development decided that the professional development program for employees in preschool education entitled: On the common path of Learning will receive the status of a program of public interest.

Online training for professional associates and teachers from primary schools On a common learning path, developed by consultants hired by UNICEF with expertise in the field of preschool and primary school education – professors of the college for teacher education and the faculty of teachers, as well as the expert associate of the psychologist of the preschool institution in cooperation with the Ministry of Education (Group for preschool education and education and the unit for managing the project Inclusive preschool education and care), the Institute for the Improvement of education and care and the Office of UNICEF in Belgrade, and through a consultative process in which professional associates and teachers from primary schools participated.

The aim of the online training On a common path of Learning is to empower professional associates and teachers in primary schools to strengthen the partnership between the two levels of the education system (preschool and primary school) through understanding the changes in preschool education and care (introduction of the new Foundations of PVO program, Godine uzleta), stronger connection and recognition of common values ​​in building support for children and families during the transition from kindergarten to school.

Specific goals:

1. Empowerment of professional associates and teachers in primary schools to support children and families in the period of transition from preschool to primary school and develop a partnership relationship with the family.

2. Acquaintance of professional associates in primary schools with the concept, starting points, and key concepts of the basis of the PVO “Godine uzleta” program.

3. Motivating professional associates in primary schools to promote the school as a place of research and learning for children of preschool and school age.

After completing the training, participants are expected to:

• be familiar with the changes brought by the new Basics of the “Godine uzleta” PVO program and share the acquired knowledge with other actors in the school (teachers, principals, students, parents) to achieve continuity in educational work;

• have a more complete insight into the needs and dilemmas of children and families in the process of transition from kindergarten to school by the specifics of the environment/concrete conditions in which these institutions work;

• have insight into successful examples of activities from practice that support the transition of children and families from one level of the education system to another;

• can organize actions to establish, nurture and improve partnership relations to support children and families when transitioning from kindergarten to school;

• be able to, in cooperation with other actors in this process, create a Draft Action Plan for supporting children and families during the transition from kindergarten to primary school.

The training covers the following thematic units:

1. Basic points of departure The basis of the program – Godine uzleta

2. Competencies for lifelong learning

3. Key terms from the basics of the PVO “Godine uzleta” program

4. Project approach to learning and project teaching

5. Monitoring and documenting the learning and development of preschool and school-age children through a portfolio

6. Support for children and families during the transition from kindergarten to school

7. Support for implementation and transfer of training

a) Final task: Drafting an action plan for supporting children and families during the transition from kindergarten to primary school.

The project was planned to include 1,300 professional associates from elementary schools. So far, 2,743 professional associates and teacher council coordinators from all elementary schools have completed the training.

The new training cycle is being organized in cooperation with the Association of Teachers of the Republic of Serbia and will include an additional 1,100 teachers. The beginning of implementation of the training is planned for Monday, August 21. and the training is carried out for three weeks entirely in an online environment.