OSCE Mission to Skopje hosts international conference on preparing teachers for work in multicultural environments
SKOPJE, 27 November 2014 – Advancing the theory and practice of preparing future education professionals to work in multicultural environments is the aim of an OSCE-supported international conference starting in Skopje today.
The three-day event will bring together experts from the Western Balkans, Europe and the US, to promote close co-operation between academia and practitioners involved in the training of future teachers and pedagogues.
“A work placement, or a practicum is, in many cases, a future teacher’s first substantial experience on sharing knowledge with students. A well-structured work placement is almost a guarantee for a well-trained student and a successful future professional,” said Ioana Cosma, Acting Head of the Human Dimension Department of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.
Goran Ajdinski, Dean of Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje added: “It is of utmost importance for students to acquire ‘knowledge for actions’ during their work placements, not just from a professional point of view, as future education professionals, but also as future citizens of this society. In that respect, the classroom is a natural place for multiculturalism.”
As part of this project, a set of Guidelines was recently published by the Mission and the five faculties and teacher training institutions from Skopje, Tetovo, Stip and Bitola, with the aim of providing for the first time a uniform approach to the practical training of students countrywide.
The Guidelines encourage students to develop their skills as teachers in any environment – urban, rural, multi-ethnic, and beyond.