International Jesuit Education Leadership Program
for Central and Eastern Europe

2005

The first session of a new edition of IJELP will take place in Warsaw in July 9-29, 2005

The IJELP update session took place in Warsaw-Falenica in July 2004.

2003

2002

From July 10 through August 3, 2002, the International Jesuit Education Leadership Program for Central and Eastern Europe took place in Warsaw-Falenica (European Center for Communication and Culture). It is the fifth year of the Program aimed at preparation of laypeople for leadership positions in Jesuit schools. Teachers from Lithuania, Slovenia, Byelorussia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Albania introduced themselves with presentations of their counties, schools, and other educational institutions run by Jesuits.

Fr. Vincent J. Duminuco, S.J., and Fr. Fernando De La Puente, S.J., introduced participants in the tradition of Jesuit schools and the “mentoring” experience of Spanish schools. Everybody was really eager to learn more in order to achieve a better understanding of Jesuit education.

The Eastern European team, led by Fr. Wojciech Żmudziński, S.J., offered all of the participants the practical experience of the methodology of the Ignatian pedagogical paradigm (IPP).

“I have got here the whole picture of the IPP, what does it mean to realize it”, Alina Gutauskienė from Lithuania said. “Now, I understand my mission as a Jesuit educator more clearly then ever before. The other thing I am taking with me is clinical supervision. I would like to establish teacher development groups, which, by using this instrument, would change teaching patterns, and would help us to evolve as teachers. Reflection as a characteristic part of the IPP was not present enough in my teaching. Knowing so many methods of reflection, I can really use it as a tool in my classes. Again, as a teacher, I was enriched so much by the variety of teaching methodologies, which I can easily implement for my students. I believe they will profit from the IJELP so much.”

“Now, I can say that I have whole picture of the IPP, which includes renewed vision of my teaching”, Gjyzepina Lulgjuraj from Albania added. “A lot of teaching methods will help me in my classroom, and make my teaching more interesting for students.”

Above all, for the first time we had a great opportunity to share experiences with Albanian and Hungarian teachers. Yet, immediately at the very beginning, we could notice the first fruits of the session. The Byelorussians, also participating in IJELP for the first time, announced that they would like to derive from the experience of Jesuit education. Moreover, the chairman of the Association of Byelorussian Language (Minsk), a former member of Byelorussian Parliament, declared his willingness to start cooperation with Polish and Lithuanian teachers from Jesuit schools.

Young Jesuits from Slovenia, also involved in the Program, have been dreaming of a Jesuit school in their country.

“Here, every lesson, every class and part of the program has its purpose, its mission”, said Fr. Tone Svetelj, S.J., from Slovenia. “I always know where I am, and what I am doing. I like this clarity, and this teaches me most about myself as a Jesuit and an educator. IJELP has opened me a lot of “windows” for the future, inspired me, and showed many new possibilities. After organizing my educational knowledge and having better tools for teaching, I know what I should be looking for in the next year: what kind of books, workshops, activities are important for my teaching. IJELP inspired me a lot, gave me very good beginning, so now I know that the rest is in my hands. Also, IJELP clarified my idea of Ignatian pedagogical paradigm, giving me greater awareness of what I am doing, and what the Jesuit heritage is”.

Again, due to the generosity of benefactors, many devoted teachers could share their precious experiences, cultures, and learn from each other in order to become more involved in the Jesuit apostolate of education.

“I have not wasted even a minute here”, a Polish scholastic, Fabian Blaszkiewicz, S.J., said. “The most important for me is knowledge about building mission statement, because we are about to open our first high school in Nowy Sącz, and the vision of the school is so important, especially now, before opening. Also, school climate development tools are important for me now, how to create curriculum to build school community working together. I have many good inspirations from IJELP about this subject. The last but not least are the teaching techniques: how to manage well time in the classroom in order to make it effective and interesting at the same time. All these made me improve so much during these days”.

Every session leaves great hope in the hearts of the participants. This hope will certainly bring some serious development in building our schools’ communities, as well as relations, between schools; and hopefully encourage others to cooperate and build up possibilities for the future expansion of the Jesuit Apostolate of Education in the countries of former Soviet Union-dominated areas.

2000-2001

The International Jesuit Education Leadership Program for Central and Eastern Europe started this year for the third time. Twenty-four participants from seven countries met together in Warsaw in the newly opened European Center for Communication and Culture.

From July 3 to July 28 teachers and school administrators from Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, Moldova, Malta, Egypt and Poland were working on educational context in various countries. They were practicing teaching skills and studying Jesuit documents on education. Fr. Fernando de la Peuente SJ from Spain introduced participants into practical approach of mentoring and he presented Spanish project "School for Parents". Fr. Wojciech Żmudziński SJ was leading workshops on Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm and Clinical Supervision. Fr. Artur Kołodziejczyk SJ presented how to establish an effective Public Relations office in the school and Bozena Pratnicka shared her mentoring experience in the Jesuit High School in Gdynia. Marco Zupanc SJ from Slovenia introduced participants into several themes using very well prepared multimedia presentations. Fund-raising, Youth Culture, School Vision and Mission, School Climate, Staff Development were also studied during the July session.

In September all participants will launch their internship in Jesuit schools in their own countries implementing what they learned. Fr. Thomas Roach from the Meryland Province will visit them as supervisor and coach. They will also receive a support through e-mail and the Resourse Center on Webside administered by The Pedro Arrupe Formation Center for Educational Leaders in Gdynia (Poland).

After finishing one-year internship all participants will come back to Warsaw (July 3-28,2001) to continue the program. The July 2001 session will focus on leadership skills, administration, change process, long range planning, Jesuit-lay cooperation and spiritual staff development.

IJELP’s aim: Preparation of leaders able to inspire and lead educational changes in their own countries, educational leaders who will be motivated to continuous professional, social and spiritual growth. IJELP course is rooted in very rich and long tradition of Jesuit education and integrates the newest methods of teaching and administering schools with existential, social and spiritual dimension of education.

IJELP official language: English

IJELP trainers: Vincent Duminuco SJ (USA), Thomas Roach SJ (USA), Fernando de la Puente SJ (Spain), Marco Zupanc (Slovenia), Bożena Prątnicka (Poland), Artur Kołodziejczyk SJ (Poland), Wojciech Żmudziński SJ (Poland).

IJELP participants: School directors, leaders of school departments, teachers supervisors, mentors, teachers from Lithuania, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, Moldova, Egypt, Malta (twenty-four students).

Previous experience: In 1998-1999 the project was held in Rome (Italy) at the Gregorian University and moved to Poland (2000) in its inculturated version.

First session (July 3-28, 2000) took place in Warsaw (ECCC). It aimed to prepare participants for one-year internship in their own countries. The July session focused on educational context in various countries, context of a learner, teaching and learning styles, educational platform, school vision and mission statement, new teaching methods, teachers evaluation and supervision, professional staff development, media education, fundraising, public relations.

Internship: during one-year internship all participants will receive professional support through on place supervision by Thomas Roach SJ – experienced president of Georgetown College Prep (September 2000 – May 2001). At the same time all participants will have an access to resource center on webside administered by Arrupe Center (Poland). Trough Internet they will continue to share their experience and they will receive needed materials and instructions.

Second session: (July 3-28, 2001) will take place in Warsaw (ECCC) and will focus on sharing internship experience and practical study. We will propose to the participants following themes: educational leadership, leadership skills, school administration, change process in educational setting, Jesuit-lay cooperation, long-range planning, etc. By the end of the second session (July 20-28, 2001) the trainers’ team will be selected to run workshops for teachers and school administrators in different countries: Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, Malta, Moldova, Egypt, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia.

Responsible for the IJELP for Central and Eastern Europe:

Wojciech Żmudziński SJ