Teachers and Principals from the Region of Lovech Define the School of Their Dreams

Regional Management of Education – Lovech and Teach For Bulgaria teachers organized the first of its kind regional forum called “Hunting for Best Practices”

Over 120 teachers, principals, and experts from the region of Lovech, willing to learn from each other and exchange best practices, gathered at the first of its kind regional forum called “Hunting for Best Practices: The School of Our Dreams”. The event took place on Nov 25 (Monday) at Secondary School “St. Kliment and St. Methodius” in Lovech. It was organized by the Regional Management of Education in collaboration with Teach For Bulgaria, participants, and alumni of the program. 

The forum was officially opened by Elenko Nachev, Head of the Regional Management of Education in Lovech. 

The goal of the forum was to provide educators with a platform to share experience and exchange best practices. Ideally, it would serve as an inspiration and provide teachers and principals with the opportunity to look for potential solutions to some of the biggest challenges they were faced with in the classroom, but also equip them with the tools necessary to prepare their students for real life. These goals were tackled in 15 unique workshops prepared by the participants in the forum.

Below is a list of some of the topics:

• Developing 21st-century skills with film pedagogy;
• The Montessori method of education when working with students with learning difficulties; 
• How to develop students’ critical thinking skills;
• How to help students embrace and celebrate diversity; How to improve their social skills;
• Strategies for boosting student motivation;
• How to teach students with different learning abilities and how setting a clear and measurable goal helps students learn.

The participants in the forum also had the opportunity to learn more about the leadership academy for students and parents at the local school in the village of Dermantsi and the “Gramotko” initiative – an after-school program for students who need additional academic support to gain basic literacy. 

Teachers and principals from nine schools located in the region of Lovech shared their expertise at the forum – “Neofit Rilski” School in the village of Dermantsi, Primary School “Hristo Botev” in the village of Brestnitsa, Primary School “Ivan Hadzhiyski” in the town of Troyan, Primary School “Hristo Botev” in the village of Rumyantsevo, Primary School “Engineer Georgi Ivanov Valkov” in the town of Lukovit, Secondary School “Bacho Kiro” in the town of Letnitsa, Primary School “Hristo Botev” in the town of Troyan, National Vocational High School for Veterinary Medicine “Prof. Dr. D. Dimov” in the town of Lovech, Primary School “Hristo Nikiforov” in the town of Lovech. Teach For Bulgaria program participants, alumni, and team members of the “School Miracles” initiative also led some of the workshops.

The forum was a milestone because it was the first regional event in Lovech co-organized with the help of local principals and designed to meet the needs of the local communities. In order for that to happen, all principals – involved in the planning of the event – met at the end of October to share and discuss what would be most beneficial for the children their schools served. At this meeting they also talked about their strengths, staff, what prevented them from transforming their schools into the schools of their students’ dreams, and which best practices had the potential to be transformative and were worth sharing with every educator in the region. 

All of the participants who led workshops at the forum received Martin Haberman’s book, Star Teachers of Children in Poverty. The book provides insights and best practices for teachers who work with students from vulnerable communities and was published in Bulgarian and released in a limited-quantity print run by Teach For Bulgaria.  

TEACH FOR BULGARIA IN LOVECH

Teach For Bulgaria has worked with partner schools in the region of Lovech since 2013. Currently, three Teach For Bulgaria participants and alumni teach in the region. 

Teach For Bulgaria’s intensive Summer Institute has also taken place in the region for the past three years – in the town of Lukovit. Teach For Bulgaria alumni, who have taught in the region, have also started the “School Miracles” initiative which serves students in the municipalities of Yablanitsa and Lukovit. 

Teach For Bulgaria was initiated and financially supported by the America for Bulgaria Foundation. Our long-term partner in the region of Lovech is Titan Zlatna Panega Cement AD.

Take a look at some photos from the event: