Mistakes are natural. We don't penalize them, we look for the cause, says CPIS founder Lana Gergisak
- Patrik Caklos
- Jan 8
- 4 min read
An American woman who runs a school in Czechia, teaching according to British educational standards. It sounds like a mix that is bound to have its spicy moments. And this impression is not misleading. "When the first classes from our preschool were about to leave and start elementary school, I heard from parents that it would be best if I started an elementary school. So we opened an elementary school. And now we believe we will also open a middle school and a high school," says Lana Gergisak in the Global Minds podcast, which features inspiring leaders with an international reach.
You can also listen to the full interview at THIS link.
Lana Gergisak settled in Czechia because she found her life partner here. "We originally planned to live elsewhere, but in the end we stayed here. And I'm not complaining, I've been living here for 22 years and I like it here," says Gergisak.
The idea to start her own school came from the parents of children at the kindergarten where she used to work. "The facility had quite a few problems, but the parents liked how I taught the children, so they encouraged me to open my own school. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but it did. Five children left with me, and by the end of the year we had twenty," she says, describing the beginnings of Central Point International School (CPIS).
Together with its sister institution, Panda Learning Center, it offers a preschool program for children aged two and up and a program corresponding to the first grade, i.e., for children up to 11 years of age. The preschool facility was the first to be established. "When the first graduates of our preschool were about to leave and start elementary school, I heard from parents that it would be best if I started an elementary school. So we opened an elementary school. And now we believe that we will also open a middle school and a high school," she says, presenting her plans for the future.
The well-being of children
The school focuses on a holistic approach to children, which Gergisak calls the cornerstone. "We emphasize the holistic development of children. We want them to be prepared for the future emotionally, academically, and socially. It has to be done step by step. You can give them the best curriculum, but if they are not emotionally and socially competent, they will not be successful. It is important to involve them in the educational processes, but also in discussions so that they understand the decisions of the teachers," she explains the school's approach.
This means no punishments or orders. Instead, in the event of a moral lapse, teachers discuss the issue with the students, who then look for an appropriate way to remedy the situation themselves. "They themselves then come up with the idea that they should apologize or behave differently. It's not easy, and it doesn't happen right away. Some kids figure it out on the third or fourth try, but if you are consistent, it leads to children knowing how to behave in society," she adds.
The well-being of children is at the heart of her educational approach. As a trained clinical psychologist, she has considered this to be essential throughout her teaching career. "I have encountered cases of abused children, so I am sensitive to this issue. It is absolutely fundamental. If a child does not feel safe, everything is more difficult for them. By safety, I mean an environment where it is possible to trust adults and be allowed to make mistakes. However, this does not mean that they are allowed to do anything. Children need to know boundaries, so they must exist," Gergisak believes.
Why the British system
The Czech education system is based on demonstrating knowledge and evaluating results. Gergisak claims that the system she practices is not fundamentally opposed to this. "We also monitor results. But we do not lower grades after one wrong answer. We think mistakes are natural because they allow children to improve. Even scientists and inventors don't succeed on their first try. So we don't penalize mistakes, but we look for their causes," she says, adding that the success of graduates in their further studies proves the correctness of this approach.
As mentioned above, CPIS operates on the basis of the British education system. According to Gergisak, it is legitimate for parents who were educated in the Czech system to want their children to go through the same system. At the same time, however, she emphasizes the importance of flexibility for future generations. "The world is changing rapidly, and parents should carefully consider what they want to expose their children to. If they think they will live in Czechia, the Czech system is OK. But if they expect their children to travel abroad, it is good to give them an international mindset and an excellent knowledge of English. Children from our schools speak in such a way that you cannot tell they are not native speakers. I would definitely recommend this to parents who can afford it, even if their children are then to return to the Czech education system. Of course, we have such cases too," says the school's founder.
How difficult is it to integrate Czech teachers into the system used by CPIS? Is the school successful in persuading parents to apply similar educational principles at home? And why is Lana Gergisak striving to open middle and high school? These topics were also discussed in the Global Minds podcast.
