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What we learned at the Innovative Teachers’ Days 2019. Festival for educators in Kyiv
200 educators from 23 cities of Ukraine, 30 workshops on different lines of education, 25 professional speakers. All-Ukrainian educational festival Innovative Teachers’ Days 2019 was held in CISC, organized by Educational Centre Insight.
The specifics of this event
Numerous practical life-hacks, illustrative presentations, creativity, educational games and discussions awaited fot the participants. These two days embodied the best European and Ukrainian experience.
«The insightful thing for the teachers attending the Festival was that the Education passes from the position of «giving knowledge» to the notion of «enlightening for inventions». Since the knowledge is about the passive, and the search is about activity. Knowledge was already figured out by somebody, while perception and comprehension are the things obtained by the child him/herself. The knowledge means «having», and experience means «creating». It’s better to learn to comprehend rather than simply accumulate the knowledge.» – thoughts shared by speaker of the Festival, teacher of junior grades and public activist Lidia Fisunova.
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The topic of utmost importance was raised by psychologist, tutor, speaker of TEDxKyiv, Iuliia Lykholit. We spoke about mediation. Ms Iuliia is convinced that we have to teach the children the algorithms of work in conflict situations. There must be clear instructions to be carved deep within the subconsciousness. And it is highly advisable to place informational posters on the walls of the classrooms, and to have discussions of such topics from time to time.
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What games do historians play? That’s what CISC teacher Glib Kapustin told the guests about. Never has a «lesson» of history been that exciting! The Festival guests were convinced that this discipline may become the most favourite for the children. How? For instance, Mr.Glib suggests using theme pictures or posters during the lessons, and to accompany them with various questions or trivia quizzes. The more the better!
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Nataliia Modiagina (STEM teacher at CISC) and Viktoria Konofolska (teacher of information and computer science at the Lyceum of economy, politics, law and foreign languages) told and showed how to visualize math in a nice and creative manner.
For example, Desmos math calculator helps the students unite mathematical concepts with definite, real forms and pictures. You can even draw diagrams in the application, or do something creative. And you can also share your works with the whole world.
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What is the «Kaleidoscope of Science» course in junior classes of CISC – that’s what Iryna Lemeeva, top-category teacher at CISC, told us about. It turns out that a subject teacher of senior classes can easily find an approach and to junior students and attract their interest with chemical processes.
Since cognitive activity is inherent to all children, the teacher’s task is to attract their curiosity instead of overwhelming them with chemistry. For instance, within the «Kaleidoscope of Science» course in CISC the first-graders learned about an amazing phenomenon on an island, a volcanic eruption. We used sodium bicarbonate, washing detrergent, water, colorant and vinegar. That’s an exciting way of learning chemistry and integrating it with other disciplines.
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Teacher of logic and mathematics at CISC_Kyiv, author of educaitonal programs, Serhij Mykolaenko thinks that when we wish to develop logical thinking, we can not be limited by only one discipline, for example, math. Since most of the materials we will encounter have «mathematical-logical» line. Mr.Serhij provided the participants with practical instruments for integration of logic into the whole junior school educational course.
Logic and mathematics. We solve «money-related» problems – near every picture with a certain amount of banknotes we place a sticker with respective sum; we restore the chain of numbers by using prompts.
Logic and Ukrainian language. We solve the coded proverbs and sayings in picture puzzles.
Mr. Serhij is sure that a successful integration includes the correctly selected materials and a good structure. It is important to use interactive tasks (video with riddles, games) at the lessons; to change the type of activities and tasks constantly; to organize contests; to allow the children to take their works home to show their parents.
All the topics explored by the festival guests together with our speakers:
- Innovations in primary schools: wave immersions, TIPS, STEM-research, development of creative, logical and philosophical thinking.
- Integration of mathematics, history and art, physics and sports, information science and robotechnics, research and influence of STREAM education on choice of the future profession.
- How to find correct approach to the children, where the motivation comes from and where to start the choice of the future profession.
- Inclusive education – specifics of studies, communication problems, inclusive games.
- Teacher’s development: mediation, emotional- and media-literacy, facilitation, restoration of resources, learning from mistakes.
- Lessons with WOW effect, innovative and practical instruments for a modern teacher, QR-codes, BYOD and the student’s individual guidebook.
Via the Festival, Ukrainian educators learned about «teaching how to learn» in an interesting and productive manner. And that is the very principle to build the country’s proffesional future on. We thank all the guests and the speakers. See you next time!
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