Piloting the ESSR: Piloting International Lesson Plans in Bosnia and Herzegovina (part 1)

Prior to international piloting, the Haggadah Association team worried about how professors and students would deal with the new, international lesson plans. The topics were mostly related to the national histories of the partner countries: Bulgaria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Professors needed much more preparation to work with students than was the case with domestic piloting. Therefore, the challenge was greater.

But even after just the first hour, that worry disappeared. Thanks to our partners’ well-prepared materials, students answered the questions as well as they did during domestic piloting.

The lesson plans were prepared clearly and the professors did not have to deviate from the text, besides where it was necessary to provide the historical background of the topic described in the lesson plan. The timeframe of the classes was great, as were the pedagogical goals approached. Student discussions during the classes were the best indicator of real interest in the topics, however. The photos in the lesson plans were of particularly high quality. The old adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words” has, in this case, proven to be true. Teachers used an interactive mode in all of the classes, and this enhanced student work. Working in groups proved to be great!