The teaching and support staff from secondary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina regularly face a variety of challenges in teaching, working with parents, dealing with the school administration and the educational system of our country. The complexity of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s administration and the scarce funding for scientific research significantly limit the ability of teaching and support staff to design their activities and support young people and children effectively.
During the second training module of the Learn, Think and Act! for Teachers and Support Staff of Secondary Schools the participants considered the ways and methods of improving their teaching and planning, and thought about how to strengthen the connections between experts in the education sector. The participants learned about adolescence, the stages of their own and their students’ experiential learning, learning styles, and Bloom’s taxonomy. A large section of the module was devoted to methods and strategies that teachers can use every day with students or colleagues.
The module also addressed different ways of asking students questions. The participants learned that using different types of questions allows both students and experts to reflect more deeply, broadly and creatively on the topic. They found these sessions extremely beneficial as they show how to develop a more authentic approach to teaching and supporting students and their development.
“Put simply, this module exceeds expectations. We really don’t have the opportunity to attend training sessions and seminars very often, and what I like the most is the combination of theory and practice. I will use what I learned from this module in my teaching. This would be very helpful for all educators in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I hope that the Institute will be able to include more teachers and education experts in this training so that more people can benefit”, says Lejla Zukan, a teacher at the Travnik High School.
During the three-day module, training participants had the opportunity to learn about the work of the Association of Secondary School Students in BiH. They also offered suggestions on improving connections among the Association’s local teams and ways to boost student motivation for participating in their activities. Participants talked to Lamija Lapo, the President of the Association, about how teachers can support activism in areas where ASuBiH teams operate.
“If you want to feed a man for a day, give him a fish, but if you want to feed him for a lifetime, teach him to fish,” says Eldin Šabanović from the Multidisciplinary High School Čelić. He said: “Thank you to the Institute for Youth Development KULT and their experts who taught us how to fish in the second module. They gave us tools that we can use to make the curriculum more fun, efficient, and productive. The student would be at the center of attention and are equal in interactions with the teacher. The goal is for school to become a place where students will go with a smile on their faces and a contagious enthusiasm, which will help them develop into healthy and successful individuals.”
The training program was developed in response to the need to support teaching and support staff in secondary schools, enhancing their competencies for successful planning and implementation of learning and teaching processes. It emphasizes principles of experiential learning and enhancing connections within the educational context. Currently, 24 motivated professionals who work directly or indirectly with children and youth in formal education are participating in this training program.
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