Within the framework of our collaboration with Vytautas Magnus University, our team has started training teachers of upper secondary schools in Lithuania. These colleagues are going to teach life skills, a new subject in schools, but we have tried to train them to support the development of relevant competences and skills in a transversal way. The IPA team of 3 trainers will return in January and February. Between 6-10 December, we had the opportunity to meet and work with about 250 teachers.

In 4 days, we had the opportunity to train teachers from Vilnius and Kaunas as well as the regions around the two main cities where the university has campused, and we were training other groups in Panazevys, Plunge and Klaipeda.

Our 3-stage training covered the following topics:

Competence frameworks to curriculum with special focus on

• The EU competence frameworks
• Universal Design for Learning and inclusive methods
• Healthy interpersonal relationships

Lesson planning and assessment with special focus on

• Collaborative teaching
• Connected learning – linking life skills to other school subjects
• From planning to assessing

Social-Emotional Learning with special focus on

• Environmental education and using arts
• Trauma-informed approaches
• Lesson planning for these

Teachers need this training since it is still difficult for them to identify what competence development they are doing in their everyday practices, to set desired learning outcomes and assess them. Hopefully, the training, combined with online consultation opportunities will help them succeed.