On March 28, the final event of the Week of Pedagogical Training at Saratov State University was the counsellors training camp Holidays Pedagogy. Its participants are second-year students of all pedagogical courses. The peculiarities of leadership skills were shared with young colleagues by experienced mentors – managers and staff of children camps.

The meeting was opened by Dean of the Faculty of Psychological, Pedagogical, and Special Needs Education Tatyana Firsova. At the beginning of her greeting, she announced a minute of silence in memory of all those who died in the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall.

‘It is significant that our meeting is taking place today – on the birthday of the father of the Great Didactic – John Amos Komensky. This year, the research-to-education festival, the Week of Pedagogical Training, has been held for the 11th time. Over the years, it has become interesting for everyone who cares about the fate of national education and regional schools, and can rightfully be considered the hallmark of our university. Due to the sites of the forum, we can discuss topical issues and find answers to the challenges of our time, and it has brought together experienced teachers and young teachers, undergraduates and graduates, principals, and chairs of departments,’ Tatyana Firsova addressed the participants.

The electronic book The ABC of Camps helped young counsellors decide where to have their internships in the summer. In alphabetical order, the students travelled to children camps A – Artek – the territory of childhood, B – Birch – the perpetual motion machine, G – Galaxy – the planet of childhood, O – Oak-Wood – childhood dreams, and S – Sunrise – great opportunities. This is not the whole list of places where young teachers will be able to show themselves this summer.

Director of the Young Army Man children camp of the Eaglet All-Russian Children Centre Serge Kozlov was in touch with the participants of the gathering. ‘The main thing in our profession is to be able to interest counsellee, whether it is playing the guitar, dancing, drawing, or hiking. Whatever you do, try to reveal your talents and inspire the children to be as creative,’ he addressed the participants of the meeting.

Deputy Director for Academic affairs work of the camp Yana Sedova told the students about the activities and facilities of the Dubki children health-to-education centre, where the Constellation school for talented children is held annually. Head of the Together leadership accelerator Mikhail Ivanov addressed the young colleagues with parting words. His team prepared the performance aimed to show how a dream gives a sense of purpose.

As motivating was the speech Head of the local branch of the Movement of the First Tatyana Bogdanova. ‘Our main mission is to be with Russia, to be human, to be the first. There are many opportunities for you. The movement opens the way for you to education, science, diplomacy, tourism, art, volunteering, sports, media, and other areas.’

The awarding ceremony for the winners of the student online competition 2023 Counselling Summer became part of the meeting. In the videos, the students talked about their experience and shared their impressions of working with children.

The winners were awarded by Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Organisational Work Anton Golovchenko and Associate Professor of the Department of Educational Methodology, the chair of the jury, responsible for organising the summer counselling internships of SSU students Olga Kozlova.

‘Today, at the Assembly Hall, there have gathered the students of pedagogical fields who have chosen an interesting and at the same time difficult profession of a counsellor. It is you who set the personal guidelines for the children and to some extent build their future,’ Anton Golovchenko addressed the students.

The counsellors internships and the teaching teams of the RSB, SSU, have long been indivisible. For two years, there has been a joint federal project to train counsellors, which involves students of various fields, not only teachers-to-be. Sergei Kulik, Head of the Saratov regional branch of student brigades, told the audience about these initiatives.

In conclusion, the participants were able to share their thoughts about the counsellors as a cloud of words and learned the information resource on the VKontakte page entitled Counsellor's Box. The service contains useful methodological materials and recommendations.

To remind, the research-to-education festival entitled the Week of Pedagogical Training was held at the university from March 25 to March 28. This year, its topic is Russian School Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. The programme is based on traditional, well-established forms, such as blitz lectures from leading scholars and practitioners, discussion platforms, master classes, a professional skills competition Step into the Profession, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, and the olympiad in pedagogy for students.

At the same time, new traditions are born every year. Last year, a three-day intensive course was initiated for prospective teachers. This year, for the first time and very successfully, Physics Teachers’ Day was held at Saratov State University.

The festival is an integral part of the continuous teachers training system, which was developed as part of the unique project Teachers in the Educational Paradigm of the Priority 2030 federal programme and includes a series of events aimed at positive start, professional development, and consolidation in the profession. It proves that the pedagogical mission is a priority for Saratov State University.