Six Senses International Preschool Group heralds new paradigm for education in the Baltics

During the recent TEDxKids@Vilnius conference, Austeja Landsbergienė, wife of Lithuanian MEP Gabrielijus Landsbergis, shared her passion of being and working with teachers.

A mother of four, Landsbergienė is the founder, owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Six Senses International Preschool group - a chain of international schools based in Lithuania, which is made up of 13 kindergartens, and one elementary school. A high school is set to follow.

The preschools use a different educational philosophy and approach towards learning, which has been operating successfully in Lithuania for the past five years.

Its staff believe education in the 21st century should foster emotional intelligence, and encourage scientific experiments in order to secure life-long learning.

Recently, the Six Senses International Preschool brought its teaching principles to Latvia, and established its first school in the Mežaparks neighborhood of Riga.

The main teaching language is English, but children can still communicate in their native tongue when necessary.

The philosophy behind the teaching method is pupils’ intellectual and emotional growth is facilitated through games and being exposed to foreign languages.

Speaking to the Baltic Times about the preschool’s teaching method, Landsbergienė said: “During their free time, the children at our school develop social skills and emotional intellect.

“They also learn to express and justify their views, and find out how to discuss things with others.”

“In our learning environment,” continued Landsbergienė, “children develop the ability of knowing how to talk about their emotions.

“Instead of punching someone in a fit of anger, they learn how to resolve problems in a peaceful manner.”

Parents whose children attend Six Senses kindergartens also believe the social and emotional development of their children has markedly improved since joining.

The Director of the British Council in Latvia,  Zane Matesovica, has one child at the Six Senses International Preschool in Mežaparks.

Prior to deciding on the Six Senses preschool, she wished to send her child to a kindergarten with a cozy atmosphere, reliable teachers and a child centred teaching approach; a school where children can move at their own pace, and where teachers are facilitators and partners.

“Another deciding factor to send our child to Six Senses, was the attention paid to the child's intellectual and emotional development, and the opportunity for children not only learn, but communicate on a daily basis in English,” said Matesovica.

“It’s also a place where I always feel welcome as a parent.”

Landsbergiene believes passion is one of the most important things in making a great teacher.

The Six Sense founder also feels it's time to change perceptions about schools, teachers, and the teaching profession in general.

“There’s a difference between children who play alone and those who the teacher plays with,” explained Landsbergiene. “In some schools, the teacher does not get involved, and simply makes sure the children are safe.

“It is harder for children to develop under under a model like this.

“However, if the teacher and child work together in building a tower from blocks and try to come up with new ways of ensuring it is high as possible, then talk about various places in the world where a tower like this can be built, then children develop.”

“The children at our kindergartens do not come home singing songs or reciting poems that they have learned by rote,” she outlined. “Instead, six months after starting their education, they visit a castle together with their families.

“They have already learned about it at the kindergarten and can tell their parents a great deal about it.

“Some parents may wonder why we don’t teach their children poems, since they are investing money in their kids’ education.

“However, we don’t operate that way. We prefer teaching things that will be of long-term use, and we help them to develop critical thinking.

“The development of these skills demands a certain amount of time.”

“Children and teachers must be equal partners who respect one another,” concluded Landsbergienė. “I believe this attitude is one of the most essential principles for education in the 21st century.”

Austeja Landsbergienė provides educational consulting services to the Lithuanian State, and its various educational organisations.

She regularly holds seminars and speaks at educational conferences and workshops.

Besides a broad range of educational activities in Lithuania, Landsbergienė is also an accreditation team member for the Council of International Schools.

She is an education professional with expertise in educational management, leadership, teacher training, curriculum writing and monitoring, parenting, and child psychology.