TWI for the Children
Success Stories
2006

 

The purpose of this page is to provide information on TWI projects accomplished during 2006. These  projects included: five Training Workshops, two Education programs for orphanages, support for the Learning Center for Special Needs Children in Sarajevo, a camp for special needs children and their families, scholarships for four Balkans young adults and, four Camp2Kids teams working with more than 3,500 children.  

TRAINING WORKSHOPS 2006

During 2006, TWI hosted four Training Workshops in Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, two workshops in Kosovo, and two workshop in Serbia. These Training Workshops consisted of one-day workshops at 9 different towns.  The Workshops provided instruction and materials to more than 1,000 teachers, directors and Ministers. Training the Trainers provides a significant multiplier impact on the educational systems in these countries.     

          March 2006 Training Workshop- Kosovo: 

TWI presented training workshops in Gjakiva, Peja and Pristina Kosovo during the period 4 - 6 March 2006.  These workshops provided instruction to teachers, students and educational supervisors in Kosovo.

     March 2006, Training Workshop - Montenegro and Bosnia: 

 From March 25 - 31, 2006, Mrs. Bonnie Miller, presented training workshops for more than 300 educators in Padjorica, Montenegro, Capljina and Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina.  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.   The importance of parent-teacher communication and teamwork was emphasized and resource materials were provided.

   Se 2006, Training Workshop- Kosovo:  

     TWI Training Seminars were held in Prizren, Kosovo from September 23 - 25, 2006 to help young people be adaptable lifetime learners as the world situation and the demands of the marketplace change. In the two-day workshop,  various teaching methods were used to introduce educators to new teaching skills.  Instruction emphasized the importance of helping children learn through various modalities:  visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, including active learning methods. The instruction stressed taking into account the individual differences and needs of students. Participants discussed ways to make schools into stimulating and caring centers of learning by transforming classroom and school climates and encouraging teachers to develop nurturing relationships with their students.  The seminars stressed that schools can be also primary sources of teaching emotional intelligence by building competencies in communication, stress management, conflict resolution, and problem-solving, skills that students will need in their adult lives. Seminar activities also concentrated on children with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder. The program  discussed how to identify these problems in children and techniques to help them become successful learners and confident students.  Sessions focused on parent-teacher cooperation and how the family-school bond can be strengthened for the benefit of the student. 

    November 2006 - Training Workshop in Bosnia-Herzegovina

  November 2006, Training Workshop- Bosnia and Herzegovina: 
During the period November 6 - 11, 2006 TWI presented Training Workshops in the towns of Livno, Kozarac and Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The purpose of the Training seminars was to train instructors to help young people be adaptable lifetime learners as the world situation and the demands of the marketplace change. In the one-day workshops,  various teaching methods were used to introduce educators to new teaching skills.  Instruction  emphasized the importance of helping children learn through various modalities:  visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, including active learning methods.

  Training Workshops Serbia and Bosnia – November 2006: 

During the period October 10 – 14, 2005, Dr Philippe Dupont and Mrs. Betsy Riley presented a series of training workshops in the Serbian cities of Paracin and Jagodina and in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lectures provided background on theory and practice; role play presented practical strategies; question and discussion involved all participants. The seminars did not involve breaking into small groups since space did not accommodate such work sessions – participants in the past have liked work groups but the groups wanted to be fed the information so they could come away with new strategies. Participants wanted practical strategies to use when they get back to work. Topics for the seminars included: Classroom Management, Bullying, Drug Prevention and Hope.

• Click Here: to read an interesting interview with Mrs. Miller, the "TWI for  Children", trainer on Attention Deficit Disorder.

Click Here to learn about our past Training Workshops in 2005.

Return to Success Stories

CAMPS TO KIDS 

The 2006 Camp to kids Project:

TWI for the Children together with our partners from the New Jersey Lutheran Synod hosted "Camps2Kids at schools and  orphanages throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia  and in Montenegro during the summer of 2006. These teams collectively went to 18 schools ; four orphanages; and conducted camps  for persons with special needs. These teams provided camps to more than 3,000 children during the summer of 2006.

          During the summer of 2006, we expanded this project to three Camp2Kids teams by organizing a split-camp team within the New Jersey Synod group in addition to the TWI Team. These teams took camps to more than 3,000 children during June and July 2006. The New Jersey Teams concentrated on taking the one-day camp to schools in Bosnian villages while the TWI Team worked with orphanages, children with special needs and with selected schools in Serbia, Bosnia and in Montenegro.  The New Jersey team, consisting of 23 volunteers formed in two-teams, conducted camps at schools in Banja Luka, Kozarac, Sipovo, Visoko, Foca, Gorazde, Potoci, a village near Sipovo, Gradacac, Donja Mahala, Brcko, Jajce, Gorazde, Foca, Potoci,  Visoko and a school in Sarajevo (Vojkovici). The New Jersey Team also held a two-day retreat at the “House of Peace” in Rama.  The TWI team hosted camps at the Ilidza school in Sarajevo , schools in the towns of Paracin and Jagodina, Serbia; a school at the Rama village and in the Republic of Srpska town of Trebijne ; a camp for children with special needs in Srebrencia; a two-day retreat camp for children with special needs and their families at Rama; camps at orphanages in Zenica and Sarajevo and extended-stay (two-day) camps at orphanages in Mostar and Montenegro .

During each camp day, our TWI  teams provided a fun-filled day of games, stories, crafts, and dance. Lunch was provided to each child along with caps, name tags,  toys and gifts.  Sports equipment was left with each of the schools visited. 

Review the TWI "Camps to Kids" experience in 2005.

CLICK HERE to return to Camps to Kids page.

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Educational Support to Orphanages

 

Educational Support for Orphanages:  This project, which partners an American university student with a Bosnian University student, sent volunteers from the United States to the Balkans to work with children in orphanages in Bosnia and in Montenegro.  Volunteers provided elementary instruction in the English language and helped the children with their school studies. Instruction is provided and integrated with crafts  and games.  Classroom instruction is not part of the project. In 2006, TWI sent three volunteers to work with orphanages.  Volunteers were from University in  Virginia a graduate student from Michigan and a volunteer from New Jersey . These volunteers were partnered with two Bosnian University students.  These volunteers and their Bosnian partners worked from May 15 – July 25, 2006 at orphanages in Mostar , Bosnia and Bijela, Montenegro.  Additionally, a one-week English class was taught in the Bosnian town of Gradacac. The success of this project can best be assessed by the improvement in grades achieved by the children at the orphanages.

 

Click Here for information on the "Education for Orphanages" Project in 2005

SCHOLARSHIPS ABROAD

Scholarships Abroad:

TWI for the Children  provided funds to Bosnian students for their continued University education in Greece and one student to complete his education in Sarajevo. All of the students are from Bosnia and Herzegovina. These students must maintain above average grades as well as demonstrate continued leadership ability.  The aim of the project is to return future leaders of quality to their countries.  

Click Here to learn about our Scholarship Students 

HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT

Learning Center for Children with Special Needs

  Learning Center :  
  In 2006, the “ Learning Center for Disabled Children ” now registered in Sarajevo as the Association of mothers with children with special needs “Joy of Life” made Training Workshops International (TWI) for the Children, Inc. a member of their Advisory Board, serving as educational advisors for their children, teachers and parents. In this capacity, TWI for the Children, Inc. helps organize projects for teachers, caretakers and parents that teach such topics as how to work with children with disabilities, learning disorders, attention deficit disorders, trauma, drug and alcohol prevention and ways parents can work with their children in the home.  The Learning Center sought financial assistance to increase the size of their facility and to improve their program by developing a musical activity for the children with special needs. TWI for the Children, Inc. provided  financial support to allow the Center to operate its physical plant and instructor base. 

    Children with special needs learn about boundaries by performing and becoming aware of their freedom. They build awareness of their purpose in society by studying with typical kids and learn to love to study and think independently. They realize various ways of expressing themselves, and how to love and receive affection.

 

 

Click here to learn more about the "Learning Center for Special Needs Children in Sarajevo".

 

Camp for Children with Special Needs

 

Camp for Children with Special Needs:  From 2001 - 2006, TWI for the Children, Inc. hosted severely disabled children and their families to a weekend retreat and camp-time at a monastery at Rama in the mountains of central Bosnia.  TWI has been fortunate to be able to have provided this wonderful retreat for these families. At this camp/retreat, families and their children with special needs swim, play games and participate in a day of camp activities. Meals and transportation were provided as well as excellent accommodations. The families always looked look forward to this activity each year.

Click here for information on the TWI Camp for Children with Special Needs.

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