At Erudito Licėjus, we place a significant emphasis on Project Based Learning (PBL), which is the distinctive feature of our school. Every six weeks, the entire Erudito Licėjus community gathers for the presentation event of IB PYP (International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme) projects. During this event, primary school students showcase their project activities, communication skills, critical thinking, and other abilities. This past Friday marked the finale of the third IB PYP project titled “How We Express Ourselves”, where primary school students revealed their talents and abilities.

A Community Tradition and Part of the Licėjus’ Identity
One of the most gratifying aspects is the increasing participation of parents and even grandparents in the project presentation event. “We also want to be involved in school life”, they say. Interviewed parents expressed joy in the fact that project mornings are becoming a celebration for the entire community. Assoc. Prof. Nerijus Pačėsa, the founder and director of Erudito Licėjus, emphasizes the importance of project-based education in nurturing students’ creativity and entrepreneurship. He sees it as integral to holistic education, as the knowledge gained in projects enables students to integrate and apply it in various situations, formulate solutions, and develop insights. Project-based learning helps shape a solid core of knowledge and skills necessary in the professional world. The school director highlights the benefits of project-based education, stating. “Students experience and learn how ideas are transformed into valuable results.”

Project Activities Teach Teamwork, Decision-Making, and Leadership. “It’s an extraordinarily impactful learning method that requires significant engagement from both students and teachers”, affirms Assoc. Prof. N. Pačėsa, the Head of Erudito Licėjus. “What’s wonderful is that it becomes a culture of learning and an inseparable part of the identity of Erudito Licėjus!”

More Independence and Individuality
Cultivating independence and initiative is one of the fundamental values of Erudito Licėjus, while personal expression and individuality are among the great virtues acquired by students. Teachers note that, in preparing these projects, primary school students demonstrated more independence and showcased a greater number of individual traits.

The theme of the project was conducive to self-expression and revealing talents. During the project presentation, we witnessed talent shows (for pre-school and grades 1–4 students) and individual presentations. Students worked more independently, moved beyond the classroom, and utilized school spaces.

“It was enjoyable to observe students’ independence and differences in the project preparation process”, says Dalia Valaikienė, a second-grade teacher and IB PYP coordinator. “This was the first project that was entirely individual; it is a completely independent effort by the students.”

Collaborating with their computer science teacher, second-graders created digital books, revealing their hobbies and ways of self-expression, such as air gymnastics, expressing emotions through drawings (‘The Strangest Drawings in Europe’), hip-hop culture, and more.

As we celebrated the birthday of Vilnius on January 25, many student projects were related to the city: students praised their city, drew maps of the most memorable places in Vilnius, and even created models of buildings. Jonas, a third-grade student, with the help of his family, created an impressive building for the MO Museum. On various tables, one could see models of Gediminas Castle – Motiejus, a first-grade student, even made it from cookies, candies, and gummy bears!

Moments from the project presentation are captured in a photo album.