Children learn through Experience

After the completion of the “Experiential Learning Methodology” training session, 38 teachers from 14 schools in 9 municipalities began to apply the newly-learned methodology of teaching in their actual classes. Throughout this important process of moving from the training-to-the-class, we provided every teacher a mentor who would help them get better acquainted with the new teaching methods that they will use. 

As part of the activities of the methodology, teachers started the lesson with one of the many activities that are “energizing” – to activate all the students and prepare them for the next lesson. Then, they continued with the use of different tools – drawings, arts and crafts, experiments, and other methods – that, in the most demonstrative (visual) way, broke down the key parts of the lesson into easy-to-grasp units for the pupils. Teachers involved the pupils as much as possible during teaching, made them part of the process, created a learning-journey with them and were open to listen to all sorts of answers. They successfully managed to shift the focus from themselves and to the pupils in the class, where the pupils were the main actors in teaching the subject – which was welcomed by the pupils and the teachers themselves.

“Students are now much more active in class, more interested, more inquisitive about the teaching subjects. The activities from the “Experiential Learning Module” and having a mentor here with me, helped me a lot in this regard. This new method, which is new to me as well, has made me even more active in the classroom too. I hope that the pupils will learn more from this way of teaching, and yes, I will continue to use the activities from this methodology as much as possible – to the best of my abilities.” – said one of the teachers involved in this training program.

“It is encouraging to see kids smiling and laughing while in class, and teachers saying that they’re enjoying this as well. This phase of the project was crucial, because it required that teachers actually put the theory into practice, and I can safely say that they passed this challenge with high marks. I am thankful to all the teachers, pupils, and the Faculty of Education team – our partner for many years, for their willingness and support. Next year, we will continue with even more training sessions for even more teachers in the “Experiential Learning Methodology”. – said Rreze Hoxha, the manager of our Institutionalism Program.

Even after the end of the mentoring phase – which also marks the last phase of the project, the teachers have expressed their satisfaction with the positive changes that their students have shown in the classroom. The next stage is a ceremony to celebrate all the teachers involved for a job well done. 

The Institutionalization Program of the TOKA organization, during almost 3 years in partnership with the Faculty of Education, has developed numerous programs on this methodology, where over 100 teachers have been part of this program so far and the success of the developed modules has resulted in over 80% satisfaction from students and teachers who have practiced this methodology in their classes. This training is one of the next activities of this program. The “Experiential Learning Methodology” training program is certified by the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of the Republic of Kosovo. 

The training program is supported by the European Union Office in Kosovo.