The classroom can also be a cave, a river, and a local hill

At the branch school of Krka, part of the Zagradec Elementary School in Slovenia's Ivančna Gorica municipality, teacher Nika Bracovič Blatnik has transformed the learning experience by embracing the outdoors. She frequently takes her students to an external classroom near the school playground, believing that ample movement during lessons significantly improves knowledge retention. The students actively engage in creative projects, particularly those connected to their local area, with their classroom situated in the community hall.

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Respect is not a given when a teacher walks through the door. You need to establish a connection with the students so you can simultaneously educate and nurture them.

Bracovič Blatnik stresses that while she maintains a friendly and approachable demeanor, it does not equate to leniency. She identifies respect as the paramount achievement for any teacher. Building a strong bond with students is crucial for effective teaching and upbringing. "Respect is not a given when a teacher walks through the door," she explains. "You need to establish a connection with the students so you can simultaneously educate and nurture them."

She emphasizes consistency in enforcing classroom rules, such as not interrupting others. Even with fifth-graders, she reinforces the importance of respectful conversation. When a student interrupts, she pauses the lesson, makes eye contact, and waits for silence before discussing the breach of etiquette. Students are prompted to identify which rule they violated, a practice that helps instill politeness and understanding.

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Consistency is key. You stop the lesson, look the child in the eye, they usually avoid eye contact. You wait. When there is silence, most students quiet down. Then we talk, connect it to Slovene language and the principles of polite conversation. They have to say which principle they violated. We do this every year at the beginning of the school year, then it calms down.

Fairness is another cornerstone of Bracovič Blatnik's teaching philosophy. She cautions against immediately assigning blame, noting that understanding the student often reveals a different perspective. Advocating for a student who is frequently singled out, especially when they are not at fault, earns the teacher respect. The era of inherent teacher authority has passed; today, authority must be earned through consistent effort and fairness. The students' research tasks, often handwritten despite using online resources, and their creative endeavors, including a play inspired by local exploration, demonstrate the success of this engaging educational approach.

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People quickly look for the main culprit, who is then blamed for everything that is wrong in the classroom. But that's not true at all. I always talk to them and sometimes you just need to understand these students. When you defend a student who is usually always blamed for everything, you stand up for them because you know they haven't done anything wrong, you also gain respect.