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Základní a Mateřská škola Praha 7, Tusarova 21
Elementary and Nursery School Prague 7, Tusarova 21, is a place with a tradition of more than 125 years, where approximately 550 children meet daily. Our school is not only a place where children receive an education, but above all a space where we support them on their journey from their first steps in nursery school, through the preparatory class, to the end of elementary school. Thanks to the school day care center, we have the opportunity to take care of children even after school, so that they feel safe with us and know that we are there for them outside of class as well. We believe that school should not only be about knowledge, but mainly about how children learn to think, cooperate, solve problems, and build healthy relationships with others. That is why we have our educational program Key to Knowledge, which leads children to learn with joy and not be afraid of new challenges. We want our school to be a place where everyone feels respected and can reach their full potential. In teaching, we love to explore, discover, and learn together. Children learn not only from us, but also from each other; we teach them self-assessment and accepting feedback. The Instrumental Enrichment Method (FIE) helps us with this, developing their thinking and problem-solving skills. In the nursery school and preparatory class, we use the Good Start program, which helps children develop not only their mind, but also their heart – that is, their social and emotional skills. This year, we also started working with the Skills Builder system, which helps us unify all our approaches and teach children important skills clearly and playfully. The nursery school and preparatory class are very important to us because they help children smoothly transition from the home environment to school. In the nursery school, a program awaits the children first that teaches them how to be friends and manage their emotions. In the preparatory class, we use Montessori principles, which support children in independence, cooperation, and practical skills, and we begin with the Skills Builder methodology. This whole system of developing soft skills then continues in the lower and upper secondary levels of elementary school, so children have a continuous and smooth path full of support. Our entire approach stems from our vision, which we call "Tusarka – a well-tuned school." We believe that with trust, respect, and an open heart, truly everyone can experience a sense of success and joy from school.
During the first year of implementation, the Skills Builder methodology became a natural part of the participating teachers' work. The school management supports its use through regular methodological meetings, experience sharing, and ongoing help from skills leaders. Gradually, teachers from both the 1st and 2nd stages (lower and upper secondary), the preparatory class, and all after-school care educators joined in. Today, skills appear not only in teaching, but also during project days and other school activities. A great benefit is also the connection of the Skills Builder methodology with the Instrumental Enrichment Method (FIE), as both approaches lead students to reflect on their own procedure, develop critical thinking, cooperation, and responsibility for their work. During classroom observations, we noticed that teachers naturally integrate soft skills development into individual subjects. Skills such as listening, problem solving, aiming high, positivity, or teamwork are not only developed, but also consciously named. Thanks to this, children understand well what they are learning and why.
At the beginning of the school year, educators familiarized themselves with the Skills Builder methodology and gained access to supporting materials and the web portal. A space with methodological aids was created in the staffroom, where more or less formal meetings take place to share experiences. On the school drive, we jointly create and share inspiring activities for each skill, which are available at any time. Printed materials are always available in the staffroom so teachers can easily prepare. Skills leaders provide support to colleagues, show concrete examples, and help with planning. In all classrooms you will find logos of individual skills, and in some, their specific steps. Visuals help children better understand what they are currently developing and track their progress. Visual support is evident right upon entering the school and significantly facilitates a common language across the school.
Work on soft skills begins as early as the preparatory class and gradually continues into higher grades. Every month, the entire school focuses on one skill that teachers systematically develop in teaching, homeroom hours, and extracurricular activities. Thanks to a unified topic, the same skill appears across the entire school and children perceive it in different contexts. For tracking work, teachers record in a shared spreadsheet which skills and steps they are currently working on. The table helps keep an overview, supports experience sharing and inspiration among educators.
When developing skills, we use formative feedback, verbal assessment, and regular student self-reflection. Children learn to name which skills they use, what they are good at, and what they still want to work on. Self-reflection also takes place in triads, where students, together with the teacher and parents, share progress and plan further goals. Teachers provide feedback not only on results, but also on the learning process and skill development. We record the development of these skills in class logbooks so we have an overview of regular inclusion in teaching. We also use simple peer assessment techniques that lead children to provide constructive feedback. We appreciate successes in the form of descriptive evaluation that emphasizes effort and progress. In the preparatory class, children use a balance circle that helps them naturally reflect on their development.
We plan teaching so that children always focus on one specific skill, which is the school topic of the month. Teachers connect it with teaching, projects, and school activities, selecting activities corresponding to the current steps of the skill. Thanks to this, children experience the skill in various situations, and teachers can share proven practices with each other. Most classes not only visualize the skills, but also regularly name them. Students thus know exactly what they are learning and what they should master. Part of this is also working with success criteria so children know how to evaluate their progress.
We develop soft skills not only in class, but also during projects or interest activities. Students have space to cooperate, plan, evaluate their work, and learn from one another. Practicing skills is a natural part of school life and the work of the school day care center, where educators incorporate monthly skills into their plans. Teachers lead by example, actively engage, share their experiences, and openly comment on their procedures and feelings. This authentic approach supports trust and motivates children toward open self-reflection. Methodological meetings of teachers take place regularly, where we share experiences, look for inspiration, and plan further methodology development.
Opportunities for skill development also arise during school projects, competitions, charity events, trips, and other joint activities. Thanks to them, students better realize the importance of cooperation, responsibility, and respect outside the classroom as well. When planning activities, teachers consciously think about which skills children are developing, and evaluate everything together afterwards. In the future, we plan to further support skill visualization during school projects, for example using photo documentation supplemented with logos of the skills students used most during the event.
During the first year, we managed to pilot the methodology in the classrooms of skills leaders and gradually pass experience on to other colleagues. Sharing good practice, mutual support, and joint planning are a firm foundation for the further development of Skills Builder at our school. In the next school year, we want to continue with the already established system of spreading the Skills Builder methodology among other teachers. We plan to professionally train three new teachers so that more classes can join the program and soft skills development becomes a regular part of teaching throughout the school. We are also preparing an internal workshop where participating teachers will present their experiences and specific activities from practice. We will continue with regular meetings, sharing experiences, and connecting Skills Builder with FIE, project-based learning, and other school activities. Furthermore, we want to develop formative assessment and self-reflection so that the shared language of skills becomes a natural part of the whole school community's life.
