The aim of education is not only to echo wants of modern society, but also „to be a vanguard of democratizing society“. Hence education is closely related to the social cultural environment. The researcher of Lithuanian education and educational scientific development, Doctor of literature, actively participating in society life, an initiator and organizer of education reform documents, Dr. Meilė Lukšienė (1913–2009) announced pursuance: “it would be great if new school turned back at culture would become its home, where a young or old student could just exist. This existence itself would constantly enrich the person, would reach his or her soul, and would exhibit all person’s virtues”. One of the most important persons in educational institution is a pedagogue. Obviously, today‘s society raises higher and higher requirements. National strategy project of education 2013–2022 says that pedagogues must be reflecting, constantly perfecting themselves and working successfully. Such pedagogues will succeed in turning Lithuanian education into stable foundation for an independent and ambitious person who creates his future, the future of his country’s and the world’s future responsibly and solidarily. Therefore, high quality modern studies are necessary to provide a future pedagogue with deep theoretical knowledge, to create conditions for training practical pedagogue‘s skills of the highest level and to develop cultural awareness of a future pedagogue. M. Lukšienė (2000) stated that teacher training forms cannot be separated from contents. Seeking high quality studies, integrating theoretical knowledge into practice, an important role goes to mentoring. Regulation of teacher training (2012  May 15, ord, Nr. V-827) describes mentor as an experienced and successfully working pedagogue, trained according to the orders confirmed by Education and Science Ministry, who is a help to a student on teaching practice in one or several institutions or any other institutions (companies, organizations) related to pedagogical work in any way. Thus, a mentor must be able to create appropriate conditions for teaching practice, help a student realize practice programme and reflect upon gained experience. This makes the essence of mentor’s practice organization and reflection competence. The article draws great attention to the integration of theory and practice in the process of training teachers, which enables to recognize theoretical knowledge and to apply it in concrete practical situations, create the opportunity for future pedagogues to perfect their professional skills. The article also discusses models of organizing teaching practice, mentor’s role in instructing practice, the meaning and importance of mentor‘s professional practice organization and reflection competence from the point of view of experienced students. The main aim of the article research–to reveal pre-school and pre-primary mentor’s competence of professional practice organization and reflection, the importance and expression of its components while mentoring students’ practice.

This article focuses on the analysis of the issue of children and play-based learning. The theoretical position that play and learning are frequently integrated processes for a child and that there are methods of teacher-child interaction which make play-based learning more efficient, is followed. The pedagogical strategies that enable a child to learn through play without disrupting the authenticity of the play itself are theoretically substantiated: the strategy for promotion of children’s learning “en passant”, the strategy for initiation and promotion of joint attention, the strategy for promotion of children’s learning from peers, the strategy for promotion of communicative teacher-children encounters in play and the strategy for promotion of children’s reflection on play-based learning. On the basis of the qualitative research, the specific methods of practical implementation of each strategy have been described.

STEAM education inspires children to engage in creative activities, research, enriches their play experience, and should be integrated already at the preschool level, as this level provides the best return on an individual’s motivation and ensures his further development. The article discusses the LEGO education methodology and its benefits in promoting the learning of STEAM subjects. The research aim is to reveal teachers’ views about the development of STEAM skills of preschool children using innovative LEGO education methodology and tools. 12 pedagogues from preschool education institutions in Vilnius, Panevėžys and Telšiai participated in the study, during which pedagogues organized 10 educational activities with STEAM Park and Maker tools according to prepared plans. After each activity, pedagogues reflected on the benefits of the activity for the 4–6 years old children, their achievements, organizational successes, and difficulties. Discussing pedagogues’ reflections on the LEGO education methodology and the results of testing its’ tools allowed to reveal the unique benefits for the growth of children’s achievements such as teamwork, conflict management, leadership, problem solving, learning to learn. Pedagogues noted that the development of STEAM capabilities, active participation of children, learning through personal experience, and experimentation are emphasized. It is also remarkable that children willingly choose LEGO blocks during their free play, which shows the effectiveness and practical usefulness of this innovative methodology.

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Children's perspective-taking skills and multi-perspective attitudes comprise the basis for their social competence. From the educational point of view, it is particularly important to demonstrate the methods that promote children's understanding of their own and others' perspectives, since these enable them to develop a multi-perspective attitude. The article discusses perspective-taking skills (perceptive, cognitive, affective) and shows the stages of the development of perspective-taking skills in early childhood through discussion of research on social perspective-taking and visuospatial perspective-taking. The article also attempts to synthesise the conclusions of research with respect to the development of perspective-taking and the multi-perspective attitude. Qualitative research is presented through which the methods utilised by teachers to develop the perspective-taking capacities of groups of 5-6 year olds are demonstrated.