TWI for the Children, Inc.
Training Workshops 
 Bosnia and Herzegovina

April 22 – 26, 2007  

The purpose of this page is to provide information on the TWI for the Children Training Workshop Series  held in: Gradacac, Brcko and Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina during the period 22 - 26 April 2007. 

Dates

Activity

Remarks

April 22, 2007

(Sunday)

• Bonnie Miller Arrives from UK

WORKSHOP TOPICS

The seminar focused on Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder and was presented by Bonnie Miller, organized by Azra Saje and interpreted by Vjeko Saje under the auspices of Training Workshops International.  Topics included characteristics of learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder and their impact not only on academic performance but also on the child’s social and family life.  Uniqueness and temperament of children as well as their special talents were discussed.  Numerous strategies for helping these children in the classroom and for cooperating with their parents were offered in the seminar.  In addition, the following materials created by Bonnie Miller were distributed to each participant:

 “Connecting with Children in the Classroom: Manual for Teachers”

“Communicating with Children:  Manual for Parents”

“I Can Learn” guidebook about Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder

 “I Can Learn” video or DVD (one per school)

Handouts on Active Learning and other related subjects

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CLICK HERE to see additional pictures of our workshops in  Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as pictures taken at earlier workshops in 2007 and during  2006. Look for the Album titled TWI Training Workshops.

April 23, 2007

(Monday)

• Travel day

April 24, 2007

(Tuesday)

• Workshop in Gradacac 
  

 Gradacac:

April 25, 2007

(Wednesday)

• Workshop in Brcko 
  

 Brcko Seminar

April 26, 2007

(Thursday)

• Workshop in Bijeljina, BiH

Bijeljina Seminar 

Really big seminar of over 140 today.  Great audience with excellent attention and participation.  

SUMMARY

The TWI team  traveled to three northeastern towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina for seminars in April 2007.  Three hundred Bosniak, Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Serb teachers, school principals and pedagogues participated animatedly in three full-day interactive workshops in Gradačac, Brčko and Bijeljina.  The topics of Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder were of great interest to them to help their students with these difficulties. 

Also, as Bosnia-Herzegovina modernizes, educators are well aware that teaching methods for all children need to change. The old methodology of rote memorization and parroting back extraneous facts no longer works in a modern, globalized world.  A system that encourages critical thinking and problem-solving as well as computer literacy, English proficiency and other relevant subjects needs to be installed in Bosnian schools.  Education that relates to students' present lives as well as future careers is the direction that was discussed in the seminars.  Techniques for teaching not only facts but also concepts and open discussion of values through active and interactive learning were demonstrated in all the seminars, and the educators responded enthusiastically.

These seminars are part of the semi-annual series by TWI that brings  manuals on education, parenting, and Learning Disabilities and methodology to educators throughout Bosnia.