One of International School’s most popular clubs is Mindfulness, where students use different mental techniques to enhance their attention span, motivation and focus, and alleviate stress, which helps them achieve better results at tests, and prepares them for various stressful situations that await them in further education and career.

Since students have taken a lot of interest in the Mindfulness club, Ms Tatjana Koluvija, the club leader, decided to present and promote the project “Mindfulness in teaching” on the eTwinning platform in order to raise the international profile of this approach in teaching.

Developing social-emotional competencies through Mindfulness project

Tatjana is sure that, especially in times of pandemic, mindfulness can help students develop their social-emotional competencies, which are just as important as academic achievements. International School partnered up with schools from Belgium, Lithuania and Turkey. Over the last few months, the teachers cooperated and scheduled the Summit where all students would meet for 9 December.

At the online summit “Mindfulness in teaching”, hosted by Ms Tatjana, students participated in discussion and shared their experiences. The session was attended by about 40 participants, who enjoyed the discussion, openly talking about their experiences and their reasons to apply for the project. This was a magnificent experience in which students and teachers shared positive energy, experience and project goals.

Intercultural dialogue for intercultural awareness

Throughout the one-hour session, International School students Mateo McCoy, Tijana Šimšić, Maja Vučković, Ana Kovač, Mia Aleksić and Jelena Parmak shared their experiences in mindfulness with other students. The students and their teacher alike are eagerly anticipating the next summit, to review their work and the implementation of this approach in teaching.

International School students habitually strive towards advancement and development, which helps them become extraordinary people who are sure to keep becoming even better with time. They have shown intercultural awareness, as well as great tolerance and considereteness in communication. Intercultural exchange has, in fact, helped them realise that we are all the same, i.e. that we all face the same temptations and challenges in the modern world.