“Creative Education – Pedagogical Practices inspired by the ideas of Sir Ken Robinson and Dr. Maria Montessori”
At 04 – 05 .10. 2018d. in Sofia our colleagues: Zhechka Ivanova, Zvezdelina Atanasova, Svetla Todorova and Svetla Lazarova took part in the international forum “Creative education – pedagogical practices inspired by the ideas of Sir Ken Robinson and Dr. Maria Montessori”, organized by the FNSP of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski “. During the event, experience with the Montessori method was shared by practitioners from Bulgaria, Poland, Great Britain, Austria, Norway.
This participation of our team was made possible by the national air carrier of Bulgaria “Bulgaria Air” and Hotel BudaPest. Thanks for this amazing opportunity!
From the first training of the team of Karin Dom on the Montessori method, with lecturer Fedora Stanchov in 2001, the equipment of the first cabinet with a specially organized environment under the Maria Montessori system, where children with special needs learn at preschool, elementary school, social and daily skills, the opening of Montessori House in 2011 and countless organized trainings to support children with special needs – Karin Dom’s team does not stop to improve and share their knowledge in the Montessori method.
The representative of Karin Dom Svetla Lazarova participated in a working group on the topic: Child care in the nursery in the context of the contemporary concepts for child development with host UNICEF, during which she presented a report on the partnership between Karin Dom and the nurseries in Varna.
In the first part were presented topics from the early child development to the school environment:
• “Creative schools – the revolution that transforms education” – a special video by Sir Ken Robinson on the occasion of the publication of the book in the Bulgarian language;
• Trends and perspectives for global education. Supporting creativity through the Montessori method. Barbara Isaacs, Academic Director, International Montessori Center, UK (MCI, UK) – Montessori’s largest training organization for Teachers of Sir Ken Robinson’s ideas on the publication of the book in the Bulgarian language “Trends and perspectives for global education”;
• Presentation of the book by Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica “Creative Schools – the revolution that transforms education” Assoc. Prof. Danail Danov, PhD, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski “;
• Introduction of innovation in Montessori schools in Poland through the empirical research field Beata Bednarchuk, University of Krakow, Deputy Chair of Montessori Europe, Dorota Zdibel, University of Warsaw;
• Support early childhood development in the nursery;
• Framework for Early Childhood Development. Vera Rangelova, UNICEF;
• Creative Education and Training in Creativity: Promoting a Creative Approach to the Training of Montessori Teachers Penny Jones, Director of Training at the International Montessori Center, UK (MCI, UK), Global Montessori Ambassador in London;
• Establishing a creative environment for the needs and Interests of the children – Practice from the UK. Tarik Nasser, Business Development Director at Rose House Montessori, United Kingdom;
• Support of Early Childhood Development in the nursery age – Practice from Austria Iliyana Djugmengjieva, Founder of Montessori Nurseries in Vienna – Montessori Kleinkinderhaus;
• Challenges and perspectives of the nurseries in Bulgaria – shared experience Directors of the municipal nurseries and unified childcare facilities in Sofia;
• Creating an environment for innovative education in the kindergarten;
• Innovation in Pre-school Education – Practice from Norway Eva Bekel, Director of Montessori Kindergarten “Bambini” in Norway, Member of the Board of Directors of Montessori, Europe;
• Creativity in creating a supportive environment (be conscious, be responsible, be sustainable) – practice from Germany Marvin Jose Reyes Morena, Montessori Kindergarten “Winkerola”, Germany;
• Implementation of Montessori Innovations in Municipal Kindergartens in Gabrovo and Sofia Sylvia Mitropanova, Director of “Mecho Pooh”, Gabrovo;
• Challenges and perspectives for the introduction of Montessori in the municipal kindergartens in Sofia – shared experience directors of municipal kindergartens in Sofia;
• Creating an environment for innovative school education;
• Why are creative teachers leaving school? Nelly Koleva, “Together in Time”;
• How creative should a teacher be to introduce early-stage innovations?;
• Experience from the first Montessori class at a municipal school in Bulgaria. Dilyana Ivanova, teacher, 191 Otec Paisi Primary School, Zheleznitsa;
• How do we promote creativity and entrepreneurship in secondary education? – practice from Germany Diana Dimitrov, a teacher at Montessori State School in Germany – Montessori-Zentrum;
• Creative teachers. Creative School. Creative students – practice from Germany Maya Dulgucheva, cybernetics teacher and Montessori school in Munich;
The second part of the forum provided an opportunity for guests and visitors to share their experience and knowledge by participating in working groups for work in a nursery, a kindergarten and a school.
The working group had the task to give ideas on how Montessori training should be submitted for approval by the Ministry of Education. In the working group for kindergarten, it was decided that the Montessori method could be introduced as an “Innovative Programming System”.
The participants had the opportunity to visit the private school “Puteki” in Sofia, where the discussion continued, also on the need to screen for the timely discovery of delays in the development and the communication with parents, as well as on the need for training the staff in the nurseries on children with special needs.
All this is a prerequisite for future successful partnerships in the name of a better future for the children.
Photos: www.dnevnik.bg
