TWI for the Children
Training Workshops

November 3 - 10, 2007  
SERBIA 

The purpose of this page is to provide information concerning the TWI Training Workshops  to be held in Serbia  in November 2007.  Lectures will provide background on theory and practice; role play presented practical strategies; question and discussion involved all participants. The seminars will involve breaking into small groups as participants in the past have liked work groups. Participants will be provided practical strategies to use when they get back to their organizations. Topics for the seminars will include: Classroom Management, Bullying, and Drug Prevention. Each presentation will be customized among the topics. 

Dates

Activity

Remarks/Blogs

November 3 , 2007

(Saturday)

• Arrive Belgrade
• Dr. Dupont
• Mrs. Houser

Overnight Belgrade

November 4, 2007 (Sunday)

• Day Free - Belgrade

Overnight Belgrade

Day was cold and wet again so we stayed near the hotel.
 

November 5, 2007 (Monday)

• Workshop in Belgrade for the Ministry of Education and Social Services

Overnight Jagodina

Report by Philippe Dupont, Ed.D
TWI Trainer

  Monday, November 5, 2007
 Belgrade

Topics: Learning Disabilities and ADHD as well as strategies and interventions

The group was  smaller than expected but it was our most diverse group. We had foster mothers, pedagogues, program administrators, and psychologists. The participants appeared interested in the topics presented. Their foster training program is impressive and based on an American program called “PRIDE”. It is three months long as opposed to the usual three week-ends in Maryland. This group was much more dynamic since the group was so small – interactions flow and people tend to be more comfortable in smaller groups. 

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Jagodina

  Topics: Aggression, ADHD, Motivation, Inclusion and the Effects on Inclusion on Children

When we arrived Monday evening, we were informed that the two separate workshops were now combined into one. I was able to adapt the program to the one I had originally designed for the day. This training was held in the same large multipurpose room we used last year. This group consisted of mostly teachers with some social workers, pedagogues and school administrators. Inclusion was the hottest topic since school have been informed by the Ministry of Education wants to incorporate Inclusion as part of their approach to teaching children.  

Some of the topics that need to be discussed are: preparation of students with disabilities and students without disabilities, attitudes toward people with disabilities, availability of a continuum of services for students with disabilities (Inclusion is not appropriate for all students with disabilities – some disabilities are too severe and require a special placement in a separate special education facility), parent involvement, resources and personnel available, teacher training, special education involvement, identification procedures and annual achievement review of student progress just to name a few of the concepts that need to be in place for successful Inclusion.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Paracin

  Topics: ADHD, Motivation and Behavior Management

This was our best training. 123 participants were in attendance. The interaction was dynamic and the day raced by.  The group was not interested in the topic of lesson planning so the agenda was adapted to meet their needs. A good cross section of mostly teachers and social workers were present. Administrators and three people from the Ministry were also present. It was great to have these administrators witness the interaction and the commitment of these professionals. 

Thursday, November 8,2007
School for Special Needs in Paracin

November 6, 2007 (Tuesday)

• Workshop in Jagodina  
  

Overnight: Paracin

November 7, 2007 (Wednesday)  

• Workshop in Paracin

Overnight: Paracin

November 8, 2007

(Thursday)

Day Free

November 9, 2007

(Friday)

• Workshop for University Students in Jagodina
   

   

   

  
  

Overnight Belgrade

 Friday, November 9, 2007
University of Jogodina

  Topics: Promoting Successful Learning, Behavior Management and Motivation

  We began with over 100 University students in a large lecture hall.  Students at the university are obviously use to the lecture approach and enjoyed the interaction. After the first topic, a large section of the group had to leave because of other obligations or classes they had to attend. An attentive group of about thirty stayed for the rest of the day. Since these were pre-service teachers or teachers in training, many of them were unaware of the realities of the classroom.  An English professor asked that the presentation be conducted in English without an interpreter. I believe this was not a good idea – some concepts were lost as demonstrated in some of the puzzled faces.

October, 2007

(Saturday)

• Depart for USA