Publication Date June 07 2021
The Project Week was a highlight of the school year 2021/22 for the staff and students of Gjon Buzuku Gymnasium. The activity, that took place during the second period, allowed students to break their regular learning routine. A whole-day exhibit in the Gymnasium premises, enthusiasm and a productive noise characterised the day of 29 April 2021. Therefore, through this short narration, the USAID financed “After School Support for Teens” – ASSET Program, introduces the dedication of students and teachers to this week.
The Project Week was manifested based on the knowledge gained by teachers from the Project based teaching training, a method that allows for a concretization of theoretical learning and interconnection between different domains/subjects and the real world. The activity proved that if teachers cooperate in planning the achievement of curriculum learning outcomes and if they involve students in building their knowledge, teaching and learning will be far more attractive and meaningful.
Therefore, the ASSET Program encouraged partner schools to start implementing the ‘project based teaching’ method, through which students and teachers would get involved in an independent process of research and exploration, choosing a topic that is meaningful to them and to the community. Consequently, for a 2-months period, students of this institution had prepared 8 projects, covering interesting topics such as: Postcards, Determining Blood Types, Integrated Practical Teaching, School Parking Management System based on Licence Plate Recognition, Bullying as a Social Phenomenon, The Panorama of Prizren and Covid 19, Drama and Poetry, Language Learning through ICT. They displayed and presented the output of these school projects during the Project Week, which was visited and appreciated by many visitors.
To honour the event, the school had prepared the presentation of other school projects as well, which were carried out during the school year while they were attending the Project based teaching training. This way, the hall and classrooms of the Gymnasium were full of 26 interesting and very creative projects, which were presented in front of the representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Municipal Education Directory, media and different local organisations.
Hands-on education
Leonit Totaj and Shkodran Rexhbeqaj where so happy that their work was being exposed and appreciated by everyone. They had prepared the Gymnasium model in a scale of 1 to 50. These students had used the Makerspace, the creative space equipped by the Program. Both of them told us that it was the first time they had been engaged in such a project. “Creating a model was an idea from the Career Club and we were glad to get involved. Maths and Arts have been combined to create the project” – they said. (The second photo on the upper corner shows the Gymnasium model project)
At the rear part of the hall, students, their mentors, and teachers were gathered trying to determine blood type and the level of blood sugar. Our colleague, Hana Hasimja volunteered for the blood sugar test performed by students.
Whereas, at the school entrance, the Panorama of the city of Prizren was exposed, prepared by the Turkish community students. The project included models of symbolic historical and cultural buildings of Prizren, and a QR Code was created as well, a platform from which visitors could see all the information and the inside parts of these buildings with a single phone scanning. This was a wonderful experience for Fetnan Dervis - teacher, who said “It was a long process, but an attractive one and students enjoyed it”.
Some of the projects presented as part of the Project Week
For the school management, this was a very successful event. Jeronim Susuri, School principal, who had organised this great event with the other colleagues, said that they will go on with the projects started for the benefit of students and that they will plan and include this activity in their annual school plan for the next school year.
