Edijs Freimanis entered the education sector after deliberately changing the professional path he had initially chosen in the field of medical engineering and physics. A decisive turning point came when he joined the programme Mission Possible (“Iespējamā misija”) about ten years ago, which marked the beginning of his career as a teacher. Today, he continues to work in a school while also contributing to methodological work, supporting municipal education specialists and other teachers.
“At a certain point in my career, I realised that the job I had originally chosen did not give me the sense of fulfilment I had hoped for. That is why I accepted the challenge of becoming a teacher and joined the Mission Possible programme. I am still engaged in this exciting role today,” he says.
This decision laid the foundation for long-term work in education — both in schools and in the field of professional development for teachers. Edijs’ career reflects a broad perspective on education: over the years he has worked as a physics and engineering teacher, led professional development courses for educators, mentored new teachers, and contributed to the development of textbooks and workbooks. This diverse experience now allows him to view educational processes in a wider context.
Currently, Edijs works at the State Education Development Agency as a national methodology expert in physics and engineering while continuing to teach at the private school Patnis. “It is important for me to stay connected to everyday school life so that what I offer to teachers is based on real experience and practical examples from working with students,” he emphasises.
Physics — A Way of Thinking and Understanding the World
For many students, physics appears to be a difficult subject, and Edijs acknowledges that this stereotype has some basis. It requires abstract thinking, the ability to connect natural phenomena with mathematics, and strong analytical skills.
“For me personally, physics has always felt close — ever since my own school years. I also have my physics teacher from that time to thank for that. Now I feel a desire to pass this on to my own students,” he says.
Contrary to common stereotypes, Edijs sees physics not as a “difficult subject”, but as a way of thinking and understanding reality that helps students connect theory with everyday phenomena.
“It means connecting real life with mathematics. And that is usually what creates the biggest challenges,” he explains.
Additional challenges in physics classes often arise from the very different levels of student preparedness, a lack of self-regulated learning skills, and learning gaps accumulated during the pandemic.
Edijs emphasises that a teacher’s task is to find a balance between engaging experiments and the need to develop the ability to work through complex problems.
“It is important to find a balance between what students enjoy and what simply needs to be done in order to achieve results. Physics requires self-regulation and the motivation to tackle challenging problems and complete them. After all, even as adults we sometimes need to push ourselves to do certain things in order to achieve our goals,” he says, highlighting the broader role physics can play in personal development.
A National Methodology Expert — A Bridge Between Policy and the Classroom
Describing his work as a methodology expert, Edijs compares it to a connecting link between education policy, curriculum development, and everyday classroom practice.
The role of a national methodology expert is to build a nationwide professional support network for teachers, strengthen the work of municipal methodology specialists, organise seminars and conferences, and oversee the development of methodological materials in cooperation with universities. An important part of the work also involves identifying teachers’ needs through surveys and direct communication.
Edijs emphasises that methodological support must always reflect current developments in education — from new assessment approaches to the use of artificial intelligence in the learning process.
“Our task is to help teachers understand changes and use them in a way that benefits students,” he explains.
Technology as a Learning Tool
Improved infrastructure and European Union-supported projects also play an important role in modern education and in teaching physics. In physics education, such support significantly expands the possibilities for learning.
“Digital simulations and online tools allow students to explore phenomena that are difficult or even impossible to demonstrate fully in a traditional laboratory setting. At the same time, technology and computer equipment help develop digital literacy — a skill that is essential today in both education and science. Students learn to analyse data, create graphs, and work with digital tools in the same way modern researchers do,” says Edijs.
Motivation — Seeing Growth
Both in his work with teachers and students, Edijs says he is most motivated by the feeling that the support he provides is meaningful.
“It is important to me that teachers do not feel alone in their classrooms and know that there is someone they can turn to if questions or challenges arise,” he emphasises.
In his work with students, the greatest satisfaction comes from seeing visible progress — the moment when students begin to analyse their own learning and recognise their development.
“When students notice their own progress and feel proud of it — that is the greatest reward.”
Support for teachers through methodology specialists is provided within the ESF+ project “Development of a Professional Support System for Teachers”, which aims to create and develop a unified and strategically coordinated professional support system at the national, municipal, and school levels to improve the quality of teaching and learning in general and vocational education, promote student excellence, and provide methodological support materials for educators.
The learning process is also supported by the EU-funded project “Provision of Educational Institutions for the Implementation of the Improved General Education Curriculum in Basic and Secondary Education”, through which schools across Latvia were equipped with computer technology to promote a modern, high-quality, and competitive education system.
This story has been produced with the support of the European Union Funds.
