Teacher
training has been and will continue to be one of the main activities
of the Foundation Step by Step. Seminars and workshops are of
the most significant components that contributed to the success
of the program.Besides
the seminars for the educational and teaching teams from the kindergartens
and primary schools that are directly involved in implementation
of the child-centered curriculum, Step by Step team conducted
seminars for methodologist, psychologist, principles from the
schools and kindergartens, as well as for the counselors from
the Bureau for Development of Education in Macedonia. Series seminars
and trainings have given early childhood professionals chance
for active involvement in high quality on-going training. The
seminars provide them access to new information that can be implemented
in work with the children. Our future plans are based
on Step by Step belief in life-long learning for all professionals,
including teachers and other professionals who work with children
as well as parents.
Criteria for selecting topics that
will be implemented is determined by the following directions:
Requirements of the educational
and teaching staff from (kindergartens and primary schools)
Obstacles in implementing
certain components of Step by Step program
Initiatives by individuals
who have need of ongoing training in certain educational field;
Suggestions and requirements
by institutions that are involved in educational work with children
and youth;
Requirements for expert
and contemporary training for work with children and youth in
the framework of Children’s Creative Centers;
Initiatives for experts
assistance in work with refugee children, children in stress,
abused children and work with their families;
Requirement of presenting
contemporary teaching child-centered methodologies to students
from Teachers Collages and Institute for Methodology from the
Faculty of Philosophy;
Implementation of on-going
training for work with children with special needs;
Advancing operation of model
sites (primary schools and kindergartens);
Training
for extending trainer’s network with aim continuation of training
activities for the educational and teaching staff.
Future
seminars will meet needs of 3 target groups:
New teachers (for preschool and primary school) who so far have not got
chance to participate in implementation of Step by Step child-centered
methodology.
Teachers who need additional training with aim advancing their knowledge
for the “Step by Step” philosophy and “Critical Thinking”.
Parents and other interested parties (foreign and domestic NGO’s and other
institutions which work with children).
According to
content and structure topics can be modified with aim-meeting
children’s needs, developmental levels and financial resources.
