Step by Step
 

Contact person: Hana Zylfiu-Haziri
 

■ Description of the Program

Step by Step Program is a child centered methodology created by Children's Resources International in cooperation with professors of Georgetown University in Washington and education experts from Eastern Europe. The Program was funded by Open Society Foundation - SOROS Foundation and has been implemented since 1994 in many countries in transition.

In Kosova, the Step by Step Program started in 1997. In March 2002 the Step by Step Program was transferred from the Kosovo Centre for Open Society (KFOS) to the Kosovo Education Centre (KEC).

Step by Step in Kosovo is part of the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) which has its headquarters in Budapest. ISSA is a non-governmental organization founded in the Netherlands in 1999, and it brings together individuals and organizations within a powerful network which supports democratic principles and promotes the inclusion of parents and of the community in early childhood education.

Step by Step provides for:

► Individualization in education, which stands for the respect of the development potential of every individual, taking into consideration their psycho-social, physical, and gender group, as well as their personality and learning style.
► Active learning, mainly by working in groups and in pairs. This enables the children to choose their preferred activity and to develop independence, responsibility for their actions and for their decisions, self-respect and self-esteem.
► Cooperative learning which stimulates the understanding of differences.
► Thematic planning of educational work.
► Stimulating environment for learning within activity centers where knowledge is received by acquiring directly the content, by using didactic material, and by interactive means in cooperation with peers and grown-ups.
► Cooperation with family members.
► Inclusion of children with special needs in educational work.


■ Objectives of the Program

► Strengthening the capacity and sustainability of the networks of trainers and mentors.
► Establishing a network between communities, teachers, pre-school institutions and schools of the Step by Step Program.
► Efficient support of MEST (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology) to develop education policies for early childhood.
► Strengthening the leading capacity of the Step by Step Program team.
► Advancing the work quality within the Step by Step classrooms.
► Participation of minorities in the Step by Step training programs.
► Expanding the network of Step by Step classrooms in pre-school level.
► Expanding the network of Step by Step classrooms in elementary schools.
► Cooperation with families and the communities during the education process.
► Continual training sessions and workshops.
► Monitoring of classrooms where the Step by Step methodology is applied.
► Establishment of the network of institutions implementing the Step by Step methodology.
► Cooperation with other institutions and organizations in the field of education.

 

■ Activities and achievements of the Program

► Currently the Step by Step Program is implemented in 34 pre-school institutions with 269 seminar rooms (including age-groups from 0-3 and from 3-6 ), 514 preschool classrooms within elementary schools and 13 elementary schools with 54 classrooms, with a total of 102 classes.

► 10 preschool classrooms belong to minorities (Roma, Bosnian, Turkish) and two to kindergartens of Serbian children in the north of Mitrovica.
► Three training centers have been established in Kosova: in Prishtinë, Pejë and Prizren.
► The Program has organized introductory and advanced training for teachers from all over Kosova.
► Until now over 3000 teachers and educators have been trained for the Step by Step methodology of different levels.

■ Step by Step trainings

* Training for educators working with children of the age-group from 0-3 * Training for educators working with children of the age-group from 3-6 * Training for educators working with children of the age-group from 5-6 * Training for the first grade * Training for the second grade * Training for the third grade * Training for the fourth grade * Training for trainers * Training for mentors.

 

■ Step by Step workshops

* The Step by Step philosophy of the program * The Step by Step methodology * Creating an inspiring learning environment * Activity centers; math’s centre, science centre, reading centre, blocks centre, art centre, family centre, sand and water centre * Learning through playing * Arranging classroom environment * Classroom materials * Morning meeting * Daily schedule * Teacher's role in Step by Step classrooms * Cooperation with family * Communication and cooperation between children and teacher * Thematic planning: on global, monthly, weekly and daily basis * Creating positive discipline in class * Team work * Individualization * Observation and registration (documentation) * Evaluation * Developing children's self-esteem and self-respect * Cooperation with families * Using recycling materials as didactic tools within the classroom * How do children learn by means of daily routine?