{"id":34339,"date":"2025-10-09T11:17:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T09:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/?p=34339"},"modified":"2026-07-24T00:20:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T22:20:02","slug":"training-with-assistant-professor-dr-sc-milom-bulic-when-the-abstract-becomes-clear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/news\/training-with-assistant-professor-dr-sc-milom-bulic-when-the-abstract-becomes-clear\/","title":{"rendered":"Training with assistant professor dr. sc. Milom Buli\u0107: when the abstract becomes clear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mondays usually arrive with coffee and heavy eyelids, but this one, on 22 September, was different. We learned with genuine interest, and Assistant Professor Mila Buli\u0107, PhD<\/strong>, once again showed why her lectures are always worth attending. Another in her series of training sessions and mentoring activities, organised as part of the Let’s Sail Through STEM Waters \u2013 A Ticket to 2030<\/a><\/em> project, was a great success! If you think this training was just a pile of theory, PowerPoint slides, and quiet nodding, think again. It was anything but that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training: How Do you explain something that cannot be seen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The topic of the training was: “Understanding the abstract through the concrete.”<\/strong> In other words, how do you help students understand ideas they cannot see, touch, or measure<\/strong>? Ideas such as freedom, justice, or balance in nature. But how can this be done? Assistant Professor Mila Buli\u0107, PhD, presented practical methods that make a real difference in teaching. Instead of abstract definitions, she used models, real-world examples, role-playing, and visual and tactile learning materials.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Students should not only listen. They should see.<\/strong> They should hold in their hands what they are learning about<\/strong>. If we are talking about balance, let them try to create it themselves using branches, stones, or ecosystem models. Because the abstract only becomes clear when students can experience it<\/strong>. Mila reminded us of the most important principle: children learn best when they are active, engaged, and when knowledge literally passes through their hands<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should a teacher be like? (Spoiler: Not a robot!)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The second part of the training focused on something we all know but rarely say out loud: a teacher is not Google.<\/strong> A teacher does not have to know everything. But they do need to know how to share knowledge. They need to know how to motivate, how to listen and empathise, and how to be flexible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mila reminded us that a good teacher is part psychologist, part actor, part researcher, and very much a magician. The goal is not simply to “teach,” but to create the conditions in which students learn independently and want to learn.<\/strong> It may sound like a clich\u00e9, but not when Mila says it. With her, every sentence has meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does beach nourishment have to do with teaching?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After the training came the mentoring session. The topic? Beach nourishment<\/strong>. Immediately, eyebrows were raised: “Are we really going to talk about sand now?” But Mila managed to make beach nourishment sound like the plot of an environmental thriller. She started with a simple question: “Have you ever noticed that some beaches look… too perfect?” And just like that, we were drawn into the story.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Beaches are “beautified<\/strong>.” Sand is brought in. The shoreline is extended. On Instagram, it looks perfect. But what does nature have to say? That is where the most important part begins. Mila explained how beach nourishment affects Posidonia<\/strong>, the seagrass that cleans the sea and produces oxygen. Its meadows disappear beneath excavators. And Posidonia is not the only species at risk. There are also the organisms living in the intertidal zone<\/strong>. Crabs, shellfish, and tiny animals we rarely notice but without which the entire marine ecosystem loses its balance. Beach nourishment is not simply about “adding a little more sand.” It changes the entire ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teaching can be anything but boring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mila showed us how to turn this topic into an unforgettable lesson<\/strong>. Here are some of the ideas presented during the mentoring session: first, photographs taken before and after beach nourishment<\/strong>, allowing children to see the difference immediately. Second, field lessons. There is no better way to learn than by walking along the beach and observing nature. Third, role-playing.<\/strong> What would a sea urchin say if its home were buried? Or algae left without sunlight? Fourth, debate. <\/strong>Children enjoy discussing ideas, so let them decide: more tourism or more nature? All of these activities lead to the main goal which is raising awareness among students<\/strong>. Because if they do not know, they do not care. If they understand, they do.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Meeting Mila Buli\u0107 was like taking a breath of fresh sea air. She showed that a teacher is not simply someone who transfers knowledge, but someone who creates experiences<\/strong>. That even the most abstract topics can become clear. That environmental education does not have to be dull. And that, with a little effort and imagination, the classroom can become a place of exploration, laughter, and important questions. And in the end, how to keep that air fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are already looking forward to the next training session. If it is even half as good as this one, every minute will be worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s sail through STEM waters \u2013 A ticket to 2030<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Let’s Sail Through STEM Waters \u2013 A Ticket to 2030<\/em> project does not only aim to popularise science\u2014it aims to make STEM accessible to everyone: from teachers to volunteers, from pupils to activists. Because science does not exist only in laboratories, but also in every glass of water, every piece of waste, and every decision we make. We invite all parents, teachers, and educators to register primary school children and secondary school students for our free STEM workshops. The expression of interest form for participation can be found HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The project is led by the Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development Sunce, Split. The project partners are: the “Krka” Ecological Association Knin, the Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Association of Chemical Engineers and Technologists Split, and two primary schools, Domovinske zahvalnosti Primary School and DOBRI Primary School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), under the Effective Human Resources 2021\u20132027<\/em> programme, and is co-financed by the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disclaimer:<\/strong> The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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