Implementation of integrated assistance to the school: community experiences

ENThe phenomenon of integrated assistance to the school as such in Lithuania has been investigated fragmentarily, just its different aspects are being analysed. That is why questions arise - what aspects of integrated assistance are acceptable for school communities? How do school communities assess the organisation of integrated assistance? The study deals with the results of the integrated assistance implemented to schools in 2018-2020. With the help of the group discussion method, it was aimed to disclose the experiences of school communities in relation to implementation of integrated assistance to schools. Discussion groups with school communities were organized. The data of the research revealed that implementation of integrated assistance was assessed by school communities as an opportunity for improvement of personal competences, self-improvement and to improve pedagogic activity by changing own attitudes and the attitude towards the process of education. The assistance implemented in response to the needs of the school community is assessed as targeted and encouraging the school community to get engaged in solution of the identified problems. The applied model of integrated assistance is assessed as a trigger and a motivator which encourages the school communities to not just make use of the good practices of the colleagues, to self-check and to reinforce oneself, but also to develop and implement innovations in pedagogic activity. The data of the research show that when purposefully responding to the assistance needs of schools, communities change the culture of the organisation: solidarity, engagement into solution of problems increase and at the same time the attitude towards the process of education, pedagogic activity and continuous self-assessment of the activity does change. [From the publication]