On April 24 Saratov University hosted the Olympiads as Development Means of Endowed Children regional workshop. The event was organised by Saratov University and the Saratov Region Institute of Education Development. Its members became principals, deputy principals, specialists of teaching methodology, and teachers. The Plenary Session was moderated by Head of Priority Projects and Programmes, Professor Elena G. Yelina and Head of the Office of Priority Projects and Programmes Maria V. Yerokhina.
At the beginning of the workshop the audience was welcomed by Elena G. Yelina.
Мы будем говорить о том, как распознать одарённого школьника, который завтра привезёт диплом олимпиады, поступит в вуз, станет достойным студентом, у которого хорошо сложится будущее. В этой беседе нам помогут эксперты – преподаватели и учёные нашего вуза».
‘This year we celebrate the 110th anniversary of the university, and we are always glad to see our colleagues, principals and school teachers, at our events. One of the SSU priorities is connected with pedagogical education. Recently, we have celebrated another important date – the 100th anniversary of higher education in the region. Today we would like to discuss not only olympiads but all the other aspects related with children endowment, because we must be very scrupulous, attentive and tactful. We will speak how to find endowed school children who will win olympiads, enter a university, became dignified university students, and have many advantages in life. And we will find the answers with the help of members of the academic staff and researchers of our university.’
Vice-Rector for Educational Work of the Saratov Region Institute of Education Development Tatiana O. Vdovina marked that SSU has become focused on pedagogical education recently.
‘Saratov University is interested in enrolees who were prepared at school. These two educational institutions must closely cooperate with each other. Last year together with the regional Minister of Education and Saratov University we worked out the plan on pedagogical development in the Saratov Region. We had finished it before the Education national project was announced, and it should be noted that we had foreseen many factors in our plan.’
Tatiana Vdovina gave letters of appreciation to SSU Rector, Professor Aleksei N. Chumachenko and Head of Priority Projects and Programmes, Professor Elena G. Yelina for their help in organisation of the event.
Associate Professor of the Department of Education Development Management Sergei A. Karasyev told the audience about participation of Saratov Region representatives in All-Russian olympiads for school children. Also he commented on educational goals in that sphere, namely to organise the environment for ability development of every child, to detect endowed children, to moderate regional special schools for them, and to participate in profile schools of other regions.
Associate Professor of the SSU Department of Optics and Biophotonics Ivan V. Fedosov delivered a speech on how important it is for pedagogues to be involved in education. In his opinion, it is the key factor to make school children interested.
According to Associate Professor of the SSU Department of Mathematic Analysis Elena V, Razumovskaya, mathematic knowledge of endowed children is based upon special courses and then individual lessons in special clubs. And the next step is to participate in regional and city events.
Advantages of olympiads was the report topic of Associate Professor of the SSU Department of Literary Studies and Journalism, Associate Professor of the SSU Corporate Department of Russian Philology and Media Education Alexandra V. Rayeva. She shared her experience how to prepare school children to take part in olympiads on literature. The associate professor marked due to that school children find like-minded people, develop their abilities and automatically enter universities.
Associate Professor of the SSU Department of National History and Historiography Anton V. Luchnikov talked about assistance provided for endowed children and pedagogues who prepare them to participate in olympiads.
Deputy Principal on Academic Affairs of Gymnasium №1, Saratov, Elena S. Yeskina focused on the importance of cooperation between schools and universities in terms of school students and olympiad participants preparation.
A teacher of history and social studies of Lyecum of Mathematics and Informatics, Saratov, Alexander V. Kokorev devoted his speech to innovative teaching technologies, namely usage of Internet and social networks.
A teacher of the Russian language and literature of Lyceum of Liberal Arts, Saratov, Natalia A. Chulanova pointed out that unsupervised activities and extracurricular classes play one of the key roles in education.
Principal of Physics and Technology Lyceum №1, Saratov, Lyudmila V. Pravdina commented on significant aspects of olympiad preparation of school children. From her point of view, they include teachers who are aimed to prepare school children to achieve high positions and team-work with school children.
At the end of the first part the seminar members asked each other questions and shared their opinion on different issues.
The second part of the event was titled Endowed Children in Summer Schools, and there the speakers became Methodology Specialist of the Support Centre for Endowed Children, Senior Camp Counsellor of the Constellation Children Camp Maria V. Bratashova; Assistant of the SSU Corporate Department of Mathematics and Informatics Foundation, Deputy principal on Academic Affairs of Lyceum of Mathematics and Informatics, Head of the Constellation Summer Camp shift Ella V. Zlobina; Head of the SSU Programmers Olympiad Centre, Associate Professor of the SSU Department of Informatics and Programming Antonina G. Fyodorova; Associate Professor of the SSU Department of National History and Historiography Vladimir V. Khasin. They spoke about the educational peculiarities of the Constellation Summer School for Endowed Children. The educational camp serves as the example of effective cooperation of SSU academic staff and students and talented school children.
The speakers of the School of the Young as a Means to Develop Endowment section were Director of SSU Young Chemist School Associate Professor of the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry Tatiana A. Akmayeva; Director of the SSU School of Journalism, Associate Professor of the Department of Literary Studies and Journalism Andrei N. Bolkunov; Associate Professor of the SSU Department of Computer Algebra and Number Theory Valerii V. Krivobok.
At the end of the workshop Director of the SSU Support Centre for Endowed Children, Chair of the SSU Department of Pedagogy Ekaterina I. Balakireva presented the centre. She spoke about the new structure and advantages for talented high school students, their parents and teachers who attend the centre.
