Facilitated Learning Project: additional classes for children of the Home without parental care Bjelave
From January to July 2011, the Association held additional classes for the children from the Home without parental care Bjelave. Classes were held in subjects which the children had identified as difficult: BCS, English and German, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry. Two head teachers worked with some of the younger children. The finalisation of the project was marked by the closing ceremony at the beginning of July, in which the children had an opportunity to show all their newly gained knowledge. Both the teachers and the children were more than interested in continuing this project
The main and long-term objective of the Facilitated Learning project was to enhance the consciousness of children about the importance of learning and the opportunities in front of them. Our wish was to encourage the students and get them thinking about their future. The idea was to help students when it comes to the subject matter that they were doing in school and to encourage them to start looking at the knowledge acquisition process in a different way. We wanted to show them the importance of asking questions and looking for answers, and make them understand that help in studying is a part of their maturing and getting to know the world around them.
Our intention was to offer the children some kind of security and help with learning, which children usually receive at home from their parents and/or siblings.
As part of the project we purchased some basic equipment for the classroom, such as a large table with chairs, for a non-conventional and more relaxed approach to teaching. We have also equipped the classroom with a computer and projector and managed to make the students more interested in the subject matter.
The second important part of the project was to offer an opportunity for young teachers to gain some work experience. We chose thirteen teachers. Most of them did not have any previous experience, and at the end of the project working with the children proved to be a challenging and extraordinary start of a teaching career.
The following teachers worked with the children:
Alma Nedić, head teacher
Andrea Gotovac, Maths
Asja Hasančević, German
Azer Aljović, Maths
Belma Bosović, Maths
Danka Dražić, English
Dina Abazović, English and BCS
Kristina Ćendić, English
Lamija Begagić, BCS
Merhunisa Raonić, BCS
Mirela Šenderović, Chemistry
Nina Marković, Maths
Selma Paravlić, head teacher
and
Irma Grebović, who took part in the closing ceremony and created a short video about the classes.
Apart from the teachers, the project would not be possible without the support of the Home staff, primarily the pedagogue Hajrija Kozarić; and the understanding of the teachers from the schools the children go to.
Here you can download the narrative of the project and take a look at some photos.
The Project was financed by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
