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Pedagogu profesionālā pilnveide PROSUM stratēģiskās attīstības ietvaros
Start date: Jun 1, 2015, End date: May 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Private Kindergarten PROSUM was founded in 2009 with the purpose and mission to help children grow into motivated life long learners, as well as independent people who are also physically healthy and socially responsible, and able to successfully adapt to a changing world. To achieve this goal Prosum teachers use Montessori methodology, they also to teach children English language from the age of three years and actively include physical activity in daily life. This mission can be achieved when teachers consistently continue learning and improve their professional knowledge and skills. The objectives of the project "Teachers' professional growth within the framework of PROSUM strategic development " was to improve teachers' professional skills and raise teachers' confidence through implementation of four mobilities – English methodology course in the UK, creative sports learning courses in Norway, job shadowing in the international Montessori preschool in Denmark. Participants were highly motivated teachers chosen by the criteria set out in the project application. During the English language teaching methodology courses, the teacher gained knowledge about new and effective methods on how to teach English to pre-school aged children. During the sports courses, the sports educator gained knowledge about what can be a creative approach to sports organization and management, and how to integrate more sports activities and healthy living principles in the children's learning processes that are not directly related to sports activities. The teachers in job shadowing gained an understanding of the acquired Montessori theory of practical use in everyday life in Denmark, including a deeper understanding of the innovative skills of Montessori methods. As a result all teachers improved their presentation skills, English language skills, gained confidence in their own abilities, developed international cooperation skills, developed social skills while interacting with other educators, as well as developed an understanding of other cultures. They also exchanged knowledge with both lecturers and participants and their foreign colleagues in the Danish pre-school. Networking is already being used in a variety of future cooperative activities. Project results impact can be judged on several levels: 1) the impact on the participants (teachers) who participated in the mobility taking the form of new knowledge, skills and practical experience, 2) effect on the entire PROSUM staff as a whole (including the teachers who did not take part in mobility) - motivation of teachers and implementation of new methods, 3) the impact on the school, contributing to the professional development, expanding the authority of international dimension and identifying / updating preconditions for further successful strategic development projects, 4) impact on the children's parents, involving them more in the formal learning process, and above all 5) the most important impact – for children. As a result of newly acquired methods and experiences, the children not only gained new knowledge, but the total motivation of children to become life long learners is enhanced, as well as the child's desire to become independent, lead a healthy lifestyle and be a socially responsible person has increased. As a result of gradually moving towards the implementation of the Montessori method in the pre-school on a daily basis, a new, very important early modern pedagogical challenge has emerged – children with special needs and / or learning disabilities. In each small group there is at least one such child and PROSUM wants to be an inclusive educational institution in anticipation of such an increase in the number of children among students. PROSUM has created new development initiatives by systematic children's observation and evaluation, as well as launched the next Erasmus + project with a goal to increase the efficiency of this approach through new knowledge and practical experience in other EU countries.
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