{"id":45345,"date":"2022-02-04T13:59:57","date_gmt":"2022-02-04T10:59:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zaednovchas.bg\/?p=45345"},"modified":"2022-02-18T16:31:09","modified_gmt":"2022-02-18T13:31:09","slug":"model-schools-in-the-spotlight-secondary-school-panayot-volov-in-shumen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zaednovchas.bg\/en\/model-schools-in-the-spotlight-secondary-school-panayot-volov-in-shumen\/","title":{"rendered":"Model Schools in the Spotlight: Secondary School \u201cPanayot Volov\u201d in Shumen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Innovative practices at Secondary School \u201cPanayot Volov\u201d in Shumen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 2017 the America for Bulgaria Foundation launched an Education Leadership Academy. Its goal was to help teachers and school leaders develop new teaching strategies, understand how to use technology in their classrooms, and exchange best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By that point, Secondary School \u201cPanayot Volov\u201d in Shumen<\/a> had already been applying innovative teaching methods such as project-based learning and interdisciplinary teaching. Even up to this day the teachers share their best practices on the school\u2019s facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, everyone at the school was eager to participate in the first edition of the Education Leadership Academy. Some of the teachers had the opportunity to complete a course on progressive teaching practices. They were also able to network with teachers from other schools and form a professional learning community at their school with the goal to have better collaboration among colleagues who teach different subjects.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rosina Indzheva, principal of Secondary School \u201cPanayot Volov\u201d in Shumen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Teach For Bulgaria launched Model Schools<\/a> in 2020. The program is a successor of America for Bulgaria\u2019s Education Leadership Academy. The team at Secondary School \u201cPanayot Volov\u201d in Shumen saw this as a wonderful opportunity to keep learning and growing professionally. So after successfully completing the entire selection process, the school became part of the first class of participants in Teach For Bulgaria\u2019s new program. 25 other schools with over 230 teachers, principals, and school counselors from 15 regions of Bulgaria also joined the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cModel Schools is in complete alignment with our strategic goals,\u201d says Rosina Indzheva, the principal of the school, who is responsible for a team of over 60 teachers and nearly 800 students. \u201cThe previous principal and I have been trying to build upon our school\u2019s history – that\u2019s over 100 years of history.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Independent, yet able to collaborate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Model Schools has two main components: a course in Instructional Leadership and an elective course based on the specific needs of the participants. Examples of the elective courses are social and emotional learning or STEM. The leadership team of each school, at least three teachers selected by the school, receives mentorship. The program is free of charge, so the schools don\u2019t pay for any of the training or mentorship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Rosina Indzheva took up the leadership position in the summer of 2020, the school had already been accepted in the program. In the dawn of the pandemic, Rosina decided to let her leadership team participate in the training without her because of her numerous responsibilities as a new principal. However, she reassured them that she was always there, if they needed her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leadership team included five teachers with diverse backgrounds and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n