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Representatives from the universities of Opava, Trnava, and Toruń had the opportunity to observe the practical application of the Method of Instrumental Awareness in classroom instruction, student engagement, and teaching methods during their visit in May to T. G. Masaryk Elementary School in Bohumín-Pudlov and Ostrava-Mariánské Hory Elementary School. Both elementary schools have been collaborating with our ATC for a long time and systematically incorporate the MIA into their educational programs.

The visit was attended by representatives from Silesian University in Opava, Faculty of Public Policy — Head of the Department of Pedagogical and Psychological Sciences PhDr. Vladimíra Kocourková, Ph.D., MBA, and her deputy Mgr. Petr Slováček, Ph.D. —along with international guests from the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. At the University of Opava, students are currently undergoing intensive training based on a collaboration agreement with our ATC; for representatives of foreign universities, this was their first encounter with the method.  

At elementary schools where MIA is integrated as a natural part of instruction, it was possible to observe the teachers’ work, the children’s reactions, and the atmosphere within the classroom groups. What was particularly striking was the calm working atmosphere, the students’ cooperation, and the way the children engaged in collaborative work. The lessons were characterized by concentration and mutual respect, without shouting, arguments, or disruptive tension. A big thank you for their hospitality and support goes to the principals of the Ostrava-Mariánské Hory Elementary School, Mgr. Petra Zelenková, and the T. G. Masaryk Elementary School in Bohumín-Pudlov, Mgr. Ivana Heiduková. 

The visit also served as an opportunity for schools, the Silesian University in Opava, foreign universities, and the Accredited Training Center for Education and Development to share experiences. The foreign guests showed great interest in observing MIA lessons. It also opened the door to further collaboration: the first introductory MIA seminars will likely take place at the University of Trnava as early as the winter semester of the next academic year.