On September 28, Saratov State University hosted the opening ceremony of the third cohort of the educational project for high school students – the Pedagogical Classroom. This year, more than 600 people have applied for the training. The high school students of three educational institutions of the People's Republic of Luhansk have joined the Saratov schoolchildren online.
SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko congratulated the students on the beginning of the term. ‘Our Pedclassroom has been working for three years. And I would like to note that 90% of its students enroll in pedagogical courses at our university. At the olympiad in pedagogy, which was held for the first time last year, the students of our virtual classroom also showed good results. This year, we look forward to the successful continuation of the educational project. To do this, we have the experience, opportunities, and understanding of what we are doing. Surely, the Saratov schoolchildren and students from remote areas will continue the traditions of their mentors and experienced teachers after graduating from the Pedagogical Classroom,’ the rector said.
The curator of the project, Head of Priority Projects and Programmes Elena Yelina explained the students what they would do in the upcoming academic year.
According to her, the course would traditionally include lectures, seminars, case studies, talk shows, games with the participation of leading teaching staff members and scholars of Saratov State University. Homework plays a special role in studies, which is an indicator of the involvement and progress of students. The tasks must be done by each student themselves. Each stage of training is aimed at developing internal motivation and conscious choice of a future profession.
‘Our university is participating in the Priority 2030 prestigious federal programme of the leading universities of Russia, and the Pedagogical Classroom is one of the essential components of the programme and one of its key projects, Teachers in the Educational Paradigm. As the only university in the region that trains school teachers, we considered it important to focus on the development of pedagogical education at the university, pedagogical education, and work with young teachers of the region,’ Elena Yelina explained to schoolchildren.
The participants of the new cohort were welcomed by Olga Prozorova, a specialist in education-to-methodology of the Centre for the Support of Talented Children, the head teacher of the Pedagogical Classroom.
Chair of the Department of Pedagogy Ekaterina Balakireva told them whether pedagogy is a science or the art at the lesson. She tried to explain how pedagogical science had appeared and who were the first carriers of enlightenment in history.
She invited the young colleagues to reflect on the following questions – how they see the ideal teacher, and what qualities, in their opinion, teachers should not have. Should there be a “wall” between the students and the teacher, or are these walls an indicator of distrust and detachment? The listeners could share their reasoning in the project chat.
Then all the participants continued the lesson interactively. They were asked to answer the following questions – what they associate with the term “pedagogy”, what this science studies, what tools should teachers use working with children.
From Athens and Sparta of Ancient Greece, where pedagogy was born, the listeners were alternately transported to the times of John Amos Comenius, Konstantin Ushinsky, and Evgenii Jamburg. The lecturer commented on their works.
Ekaterina Balakireva gave advice to the students of the Pedclassroom. ‘Do not be afraid to be a black sheep, an extraordinary and original person. And it is always true, especially with teachers. Your individuality is the basis of your successful development as a specialist.’
This year, we have received 638 applications for training in the Pedagogical Classroom. The lessons will be held once every two weeks. At the end of the year, the students will receive certificates.
The SSU Pedagogical Classroom project is implemented as part of the Teachers in the Educational Paradigm university strategic project of the Priority 2030 development programme.
