Strong Foundations Build a Strong “House of Knowledge”
If the foundations are strong, so is the entire “house of knowledge”. It was at Ropaži Secondary School, where she worked as a primary school teacher, that Elīna Petračuka finally found the long-sought feeling that confirmed she was on the right professional path. At school, she felt that her work was meaningful and was able to fully put her knowledge, skills and personality to use when working with children. Today, Elīna works as a Deputy Head of the Education Department of Aizkraukle Municipality and once a week returns to Ropaži Secondary School to teach students. Alongside her work, Elīna continues to develop her knowledge – studying for a master’s degree and participating in the Induction Year support programme. This multifaceted daily life allows her to remain close to children’s everyday lives and needs while also looking at school from a broader perspective – as an environment where, step by step, the foundations for a child’s future growth are built.
Elīna’s path to teaching and working at a school was neither straightforward nor clear from the outset; rather, it was intuitive. “Before that, I worked in other jobs, and my professional life was initially not connected with schools. However, in 2016, while I was on parental leave and raising young children myself, I became interested in education. At first, it was something very personal – I wanted to better understand child psychology, parenting and how to work with children properly.”
To broaden her perspective and develop her skills in this field, Elīna decided to take her interest more seriously and began studying to become a pre-school teacher. During her practical training, Elīna joined Zaķumuiža Primary School, where she worked as a teacher’s assistant. This was her first step into the education environment, although even then she did not yet feel that she had found her final destination. At the same time, her interest and enthusiasm continued to grow. The decisive moment came in 2020, when Elīna acknowledged to herself that teaching really did appeal to her. She enrolled at the University of Latvia in the primary education programme and, at the same time, began working as a teacher’s assistant at Ropaži Secondary School.
While still working on her bachelor’s thesis, Elīna was invited to apply for the Induction Year support programme for early-career teachers, funded by the European Union. The programme is designed to support young professionals who have recently started working as teachers. Although Elīna initially thought that she did not want to take on additional studies, her mind changed after reading about the programme and its benefits – participation in professional development groups, individual support from a mentor during lesson observations, opportunities to develop her knowledge under the guidance of experienced lecturers, and a targeted monthly stipend of up to EUR 200.
In 2025, Elīna obtained her bachelor’s degree in primary education, applied for the Induction Year support programme, began studying for a master’s degree in educational sciences at Daugavpils University and continued working at Ropaži Secondary School. Elīna then took the next step in her career and started working as Deputy Head of the Education Department of Aizkraukle Municipality. However, she was not ready to give up the school completely. Once a week, she continues to teach English to students at Ropaži Secondary School. Combining all of this with an equally fulfilling private life is not easy, she admits, but with careful planning, everything is possible.
Despite the knowledge and skills she had accumulated over almost a decade, the first months in her role as a teacher were challenging for Elīna as well.
She explains that during her studies she had focused particularly on skills for working with children – how to teach, how to adapt to different needs and how to work with inclusive education. However, teachers also need to apply other essential skills in their everyday work: “The biggest challenge when I started working as a teacher was cooperation with parents. It is extremely important, but it can also be challenging because both children and adults are so different. It was not something negative – rather, it was a challenge that encouraged me to look for solutions, ask for advice and learn.”
The Induction Year support programme helped Elīna successfully address these and other everyday challenges, while also making an invaluable contribution to her professional growth.
“The most valuable resource of the Induction Year was my mentor. I really appreciated the idea of having someone outside my school – someone with their own experience and perspective, who could look at a situation from the outside. It was important to me that I could discuss specific situations on a professional level – whether related to classroom work, students working in groups, cooperation with parents or my own doubts,” says Elīna.
Elīna credits her mentor, Sanda Matveja, with helping her change both her mindset and her approach to working with children: “One of the most important benefits is the way I now look at a child’s behaviour. My mentor encouraged me to stop and look deeper – rather than immediately thinking that a child is breaking the rules or simply ‘doesn’t want to’, to try to understand what lies behind it. Now I more often ask myself: why is he not doing it today? Perhaps there is an internal reason, an emotion or a situation that I need to take into account.”
For young teachers, the knowledge and skills gained through the Induction Year programme are not an investment only in their own professional growth, confidence and self-esteem – above all, they are an investment in children and the environment in which they learn, develop and grow. A teacher who has support and the opportunity to learn through practice can more quickly understand how to build relationships with a class, recognise children’s different needs and respond in a way that prevents situations from escalating into conflict. This means more purposeful classroom management – clearer rules, more meaningful work during lessons, more structured communication with parents and more time for the teacher to be fully present with the children. All of this helps create an environment where children feel heard, safe and confident, and where they can develop and grow without being afraid of making mistakes.
Speaking about the importance of a teacher’s work, Elīna says: “Working with children is not only about passing on knowledge – it is about laying foundations. At school, we help children not only learn to read, write or calculate, but also develop attitudes, confidence, the ability to cooperate and belief in themselves. If these foundations are solid, the ‘house of knowledge’ that follows will also be strong.”
What gives Elīna the greatest sense of fulfilment are the moments when she sees a student’s progress – both academically and emotionally. The moments when a child who initially struggled with something suddenly becomes happy and proud of their own achievement. The moments when a child approaches her after a lesson and says, “Thank you, teacher, that was fun!”
To young people who are facing decisions about what career to choose and which professional path to follow, Elīna says: “If you have ever thought about teaching, it is worth considering seriously. During your studies, you will have practical training and real interaction with children, and that is when you can gain confidence that this is the right place for you. The teaching profession offers a very wide range of opportunities – it is not only about working in a classroom. There is extracurricular education, projects, educational leadership and various opportunities for professional development. It is a field where you can realise yourself in many different ways and continue to grow throughout your career. If you feel that you want to work with people, contribute to their development and see how someone becomes more confident and self-assured thanks to you, teaching can be a deeply fulfilling and meaningful career path.”
The Induction Year support programme for new teachers is intended for graduates of teacher education programmes during their first year after obtaining a teaching qualification, as they begin working at a school. The aim of the programme is to help new teachers successfully integrate into the school environment, strengthen their professional skills and encourage them to remain in the teaching profession. During the Induction Year, participants receive a targeted stipend, individual professional support through development groups, lesson observations with feedback, and the opportunity to participate in a professional competence development programme. The project is implemented by the University of Latvia in cooperation with regional partners – Daugavpils University, Liepāja University, Rēzekne Academy of Technologies, Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and the Latvian Academy of Sport Education, ensuring that the programme is available throughout Latvia.
Apply now – esiskolotajs.lu.lv
This story was created with the support of EU Funds.
