LITOMYŠL / The aim of the conference is to provide school principals, teachers, parents and students with inspiration and the opportunity to better orient themselves in the current educational trends and ways of school management in the third millennium. The lectures and workshops will be presented by leading Czech experts. For example, participants can look forward to Pavel Kysilka, Rostya Gordon Smith or Jitka Kmentová. The international dimension of the conference is added by a rare guest from Israel, Opher Brayer, who will come to Litomyšl to present his unique method for developing mathematical thinking and creativity. The festival is held under the auspices of the Mayor of Litomyšl, Radomil Kašpar, who will open the conference, and under the auspices of the Governor of the Pardubice Region, Martin Netolický, who will take part in a panel discussion on the topic of education on Monday at 18:00.
"If I were a visitor to the festival, I wouldn't miss several topics," says Věra Krejčová, the conference's expert guarantor, with a smile. "For example, the teaching focused on creativity as developed by Opher Brayer, our guest from Israel, is amazing. Brayer's method is full of movement and teaches, among other things, mathematics. Participants can experience it first-hand during the workshop," adds Věra Krejčová.
Czech Republic, digital age, education. This is the theme of Pavel Kysilka, an economist who was responsible for the preparation and implementation of the division of the Czechoslovak currency and the introduction of the Czech crown. According to Kysilka, education must change fundamentally if the Czech Republic wants to compete in the digital age.
"Another topic of the lectures is, for example, the responsibility of children or how to ask the right questions," says Věra Krejčová and continues, "We have a workshop with a provocative title: 'The Lazy Teacher. Also worth mentioning is the Post Bellum workshop.
After last year's success, the organisers have decided to extend the second edition of the festival. It starts a day earlier with a series of inspiring lectures and a new panel discussion on education. 140 participants are expected to come from all over the Czech Republic. They will be mainly principals and teachers of primary schools, for whom the conference is primarily aimed. There will be 27 speakers and lecturers at lectures and workshops. The programme will also be enriched by exhibitors. There will certainly be great interest in virtual reality or kits on which pupils can learn to program robots.
Why in Litomyšl? "Litomyšl is not only a city of culture, but also of education. For example, one of the first printing houses in the Czech territory was located on the Castle Hill, a monastery and even a bishopric operated here for several years. The Piarist Order, which founded a school for poor boys here, used very advanced teaching methods for its time. Today, there is even a faculty of restoration on the Castle Hill," explains David Zandler, director of the Castle Hill contributory organisation, which organises the conference. "We think that we should continue this tradition and the Kick Up Your School festival is one of the possible ways. Moreover, we believe that the importance and charm of this place can make a positive impression on everyone and be the inspiration needed to kick-start it," concludes David Zandler.
