On 29 October 2026, Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy hosted the creative workshop A Mosaic of Interests, bringing together school pupils, their teachers, parents, students enrolled in the Special Education and Speech and Language Therapy study programme, and academic staff. Participants introduced their hobbies, shared personal experiences and revealed the strengths that emerge through activities they enjoy.
The event was opened by Prof. Dr Renata Bilbokaitė, Director of Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy. Her live performance on the Latvian kokle, a traditional plucked string instrument, added a musical dimension to the gathering.
Hobbies as an Opportunity to Discover Personal Strengths
What can a person's hobbies reveal about them? According to Assoc. Prof. Dr Margarita Jurevičienė, one of the event's organisers, engaging in activities that people enjoy can reveal abilities that may not always find opportunities for expression in everyday life.
“Deep interest in a chosen field helps bring out attentiveness, perseverance, creativity and the ability to organise information. Activities we enjoy bring joy, strengthen self-confidence, encourage us to deepen our knowledge and inspire us to explore new ways of self-expression,” says Assoc. Prof. Dr M. Jurevičienė.
Understanding Pupils' Interests Is Also Important in Education
Assoc. Prof. Dr Irena Kaffemanienė notes that topics close to a pupil's heart can help spark interest, encourage engagement and connect new knowledge with personal experience.
“Understanding pupils' interests helps connect learning with experiences that are meaningful to them and encourages more active participation. The opportunity to share what interests them allows pupils to find like-minded people and build relationships,” says Assoc. Prof. Dr I. Kaffemanienė.
She emphasises that this requires a supportive environment in which everyone can choose how to present their interests and how much they wish to share.
A Diversity of Interests Inspires Discovery and Exploration
The workshop featured a wide range of topics and unexpected discoveries. Participants' presentations demonstrated how much knowledge, creativity and sustained curiosity can be found in activities people are passionate about.
“The workshop revealed a rich mosaic of interests, ranging from dolls, colours, dinosaurs, numbers, music, human evolution, and ornaments to sports,” says Assoc. Prof. Dr Simas Garbenis, reflecting on the event.
Participants also spoke about handicrafts, opera, books, information gathering and self-discovery. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr Laima Tomėnienė, this diversity revealed not only a broad range of interests but also numerous ways of creating and expressing oneself.
“The presentations showed just how much knowledge, creative thinking and discovery can emerge from activities people enjoy,” the academic notes.
An Opportunity to Learn from One Another
First-year student Gustė Rimkutė, who presented her graphic art, welcomed the opportunity to share her creative work and get to know the university community better. For her, drawing is a way to relax and express herself. She also gave the workshop participants colouring templates of her own design.
“It was great fun and very interesting to hear presentations by other students, academic staff and guests, get to know our community better, and spend time together in a welcoming environment,” the student said.
Senior Teacher of Natural Sciences Kristina Juodeikienė highlighted the value of mutual learning and a sense of community: “Everyone has a unique world of interests and abilities, and sharing it strengthens a sense of belonging, promotes inclusion and inspires us to learn from one another.”
Teacher-Methodologist Laima Kulšytė was pleased that pupils had the opportunity to present activities that bring them joy, demonstrate their abilities and experience the pleasure of being together.
“Moments like these remind us how much talent, creativity and sincerity each person possesses,” she noted.
Teacher-Methodologist Vaida Linkuvienė emphasised that it was particularly important for pupils to feel heard and appreciated.
“Thank you for creating a space where everyone could be themselves and where every interest mattered,” the teacher said.
Teacher-Methodologist Lijana Pigulevičienė highlighted the opportunity not only to present one's own interests but also to discover those of other participants.
“We are delighted that our pupils had the opportunity at A Mosaic of Interests not only to present their unique hobbies and share what they find interesting, but also to discover the diverse interests of other participants,” she said.
She expressed hope that the collaboration would continue and that pupils would have further opportunities to express themselves and feel valued as members of the community.
“Thank you for the warm welcome, this meaningful initiative and the opportunity you created for us to come together,” the educator added.
Teacher Lina Navikienė emphasised that the workshop revealed just how diverse and inspiring people's interests can be. She noted that each presentation offered insight into the participants' individuality, creativity and personal strengths.
“We left the workshop feeling uplifted. It was wonderful to see so many people with unique interests who were eager to share them. Encounters like these inspire us to keep exploring, remain curious and perhaps discover new interests of our own,” the teacher reflected.
A Family Perspective: Recognising Abilities and Creating Space for Them to Flourish
Toma Čalutkaitė-Tao, a mother and special education teacher-methodologist, shared that her 19-year-old son Konradas has been interested in biology since early childhood, with human evolution holding a particularly important place among his interests. The workshop gave him an opportunity to present this topic, which is meaningful to him, and share his accumulated knowledge with other participants.
The mother of Armandas, who presented his interest in LEGO construction, described watching the children's presentations as both moving and joyful.
“It was deeply moving and, at the same time, wonderful to see how much children can learn and how confidently their abilities and interests come to light,” she said, expressing gratitude for an experience filled with a sense of community and discovery.
Edgaras's mother was particularly touched by the moment when her son became a teacher himself: he showed workshop participants how to draw his favourite character, Skrybėlė, and assessed their work.
“When raising an autistic child, you very much want society to see not only their challenges but also their abilities, talents, interests and everything they can contribute to others,” she said.
In her view, the experience was valuable for everyone involved.
“That day, it was not only my son who benefited at the university. All the students benefited, too, because they had the opportunity to see the world through his eyes, even if only for a moment.”
A Mosaic of Interests provided an opportunity to listen, connect and get to know people through the activities they enjoy. Pupils, their families, teachers, university students and academic staff learned from one another, while encouragement and support helped participants share what was personally meaningful to them. Shared interests and a sense of community laid the foundations for further communication and collaboration.
Workshop Organisers
The workshop was organised by academic staff and students from the Special Education and Speech and Language Therapy study programme at Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy. The organising team comprised Assoc. Prof. Dr Margarita Jurevičienė, Assoc. Prof. Dr Irena Kaffemanienė, Assoc. Prof. Dr Simas Garbenis, Assoc. Prof. Dr Laima Tomėnienė, Rita Kantanavičiūtė-Petružė and Assoc. Prof. Dr Ieva Bilbokaitė-Skliauterienė.
Event Partners
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Ringuvos School, Šiauliai
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Santaka Education Centre, Šiauliai
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Medelynas Progymnasium, Šiauliai
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Dainai Progymnasium, Šiauliai
