Local and regional events for sharing successful practices were successfully held again this year, under the programme of the REYN Network. Four local and one regional event were organized in the cities of Plovdiv, Asenovgrad, Levski and Byala Cherkva, by Kindergarten “Happy Childhood”, National Community Center “Rodolyubie – 1873”, Kindergarten “Sun” and Kindergarten “Atanas Nedelchev”.
- The first local event was held in the “Atanas Nedelchev” Kindergarten in the town of Byala Cherkva – on 21.06.2023, on the theme “Crafts of local ethnic communities in the town of. The event “The history of the local ethnic groups in Byala Cherkva in the past and nowadays”.
Representatives of the local community were invited and presented interesting facts from their lives and demonstrated the way their parents and ancestors “earned their bread”.
They presented crafts that the community has practiced during their existence, to make products and household items from wood.
According to the educational institution, the promotion of the crafts of our past should not stop there, but look for options to apply them in the kindergarten, regardless of the educational field.
“Art workshops can be organized where they can draw what they see; in Construction and Technology – working on small projects, knowledge transfer, etc.; in Environment by learning about life on the farm, and in Music.”
- The second local event of the Network was held in Asenovgrad, on 23.05.2023 at the “P. Hilendarski. An innovative pedagogical practice “Morning meeting – philosophy, components, organization” was presented.
The event was attended by teachers and parents of pre-school children, as well as representatives of the Rhine Network and TSA. Official guest of the event was also the Deputy Mayor of Asenovgrad Municipality – Eng. Petar Petrov.
Important topics for the relationship between children and parents were discussed. In the practical part, sample games were held to show the impact of a strong relationship with moms and dads on the development of adolescents. The participants came to the conclusion that the Morning Meeting practice is innovative as it is based on the paradigm of education through social-emotional learning, building on previous experiences, identification and management of emotions, social awareness, empathy, education in self-esteem, mutual respect, recognition and acceptance of differences between children, and tolerance.
During the meeting, participants developed a deep reflection, sharing personal experiences regarding the educational practice in kindergartens at the moment. Attendees mastered approaches and techniques for organizing and conducting a Morning Meeting. Participants became aware of the possibilities that the practice offers for stimulating children’s communication skills, individualizing the educational process, actively including children from vulnerable groups, developing independent and team-based childcare practice, education in diversity, and involving families in the life of the kindergarten.
- In the kindergarten “Happy Childhood”, town of Plovdiv on 29.06.2023, the
third local event on pedagogical practice “Morning Tale” was held, and after the practical situations, an extensive discussion on what was seen took place, as well as the problems that this project solves and its long-term impact on children and parents from ethnic minorities.
- The fourth local event was held in the “Sun” kindergarten in the town. It was held on 30.06.2023, where successful practices introduced by the educational institution were presented to the general audience on the topic. A variety of didactic games were shared to illustrate the 11 author’s products through presentations, videos and an exhibition in which guests had the opportunity to observe a demonstration of how to use and apply them in working with children from vulnerable communities.
In the educational institution it is a tradition to apply author’s didactic products made by the teachers. The game tools are designed for work with preschool children /3-6 years/ in kindergarten and family. They have an educational, competitive and entertaining character, covering all the curriculum content according to the DOS.
At the end of the meeting the guests expressed high and positive appreciation of the event and the presented good practices for working with preschool children, as well as their effective application to children from vulnerable communities.
- A regional event was held in Asenovgrad on 25.06.2023 by National Community Center “Rodolyubie – 1873”. It was organized in the form of a half-day interactive teambuilding training for pedagogical, social and health professionals working in the field of Early Childhood – from 3 to 7 years. The theme of the event was “Why it is important for families to be involved in the lives of their children in kindergarten/school”. All participants agreed on the statements that it is extremely important for the child- his/her family to be involved in the life of the kindergarten, and that the family is the first and most important teacher of their child. All participants agreed on the importance of active and fruitful communication between educational institutions and families.
From the events held, we concluded the need and positive effect of sharing and developing successful practices in the educational system. For this, the RAYN Network in the spring of 2024 will re-open the program to all RAYN members who will be able to apply with a successful practice and ten of them will be supported to organize the event.