Ira Tuba, who teaches Informatics and Computer Science and ICT Starters, conducted a project called “The Economic and Social Benefits of Recycling”, thereby making Primary School Savremena an official participant in the prestigious European competition “STE(A)M IT competitions 2021”.

The educational project STE(A)M IT is popular across the European educational system; it has practically become synonymous with modern education. It is supported by European Union’s Erasmus+ programme and coordinated by the EUN (European Schoolnet).

Some of the prominent aspects of this interesting project and competition refer to the modes of integrating STEM education with other disciplines. This means that science, maths and technology can be interdisciplinarily studied through linking them to subjects such as geography, art or languages.

At Primary School Savremena, the experimental STEM scenario of the “Economic and Social Benefits of Recycling” project by Ira Tuba has been implemented in the 5th grade classroom, yielding fantastic results. A detailed account of the activities and the methods used for conducting the lesson has been published on the European Schoolnet website. The results are scheduled to be announced soon, and we are certain they will be noteworthy!

PROJECT ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING

When it comes to environmental protection, the students of Primary School Savremena are on familiar grounds. They are enrolled in an institution that rightfully boasts the title of a “green” school, as it continually raises environmental awareness and the awareness of the importance of protecting nature through a wide range of activities.

The project conducted by Ira Tuba followed the guidelines and used the tools required for the proper preparation of European projects, previously shared in a lecture delivered by her colleague Danica Nikolić.

Ira Tuba’s lesson (encompassing a demonstration of the STEM scenario) is in compliance with the latest methods of assessment and education regarding environmental protection in general. It consisted of several interesting parts.

Perhaps the most interesting part was the one in which the students were asked to create an interactive whiteboard presenting fun facts on recycling. The students were exceptionally productive and highly engaged during this task, enjoying the teamwork.

Primary School Savremena’s students, who are already used to STEM lessons, have been presented with the various ways in which the knowledge of these subjects can be used in order to overcome the problems related to recycling and waste disposal. In a more general sense, the key idea of the project was to encourage children to engage in the practice of recycling and to obtain hands-on knowledge of the use of various modern technologies in order to contribute to positive changes for the environment.

PROJECT IS AIMED TOWARDS PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING AND TEACHERS’ MUTUAL COOPERATION

Having acquired this knowledge, the students immediately get the opportunity to encourage and educate their peers, and everyone else, regarding the importance of recycling and environmental protection. Likewise, the entire project encourages teachers to cooperate with each other in order to create and test the materials that promote integrated STEM education. This is why some lessons at Savremena have featured guest teachers like Dajana Jokić, who teaches maths, and Nevena Matejić, who teaches geography.

Fifteen students, aged 10 and 11, participated in the lecture demonstration. Art teacher Suzana Vulović recorded all lessons in the course of the implementation of this project, and edited the materials in order to flawlessly prepare everything for the competition programme.

“STE(A)M IT competitions 2021” is coordinated by European Schoolnet (EUN), a network of 32 European ministries of education. We have no doubt that the innovative project envisioned and designed by the creative teachers from Primary School Savremena will be noticed and acknowledged. Moreover – we are certain that it will become an epitome of good practice and an inspiration to many when it comes to the implementation of educational practices of this kind into their own systems.

But the most important thing of all is the fact that caring about nature will become an actual priority in the education of the future!