Hundreds are visible in the results tables, but what really determines them usually remains behind the classroom door. The highest scores mature not in the last months before the exam – their foundations are built over many years. Teachers at Klaipėda Lyceum talk about what this path looks like and why a student’s true success does not always fit into 100 points.
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Four chemistry hundreds: success cultivated over many years
The results of the students of Klaipėda Lyceum chemistry teacher expert Sandra Stimburienė are exceptional this year: out of eight students in the national program who took the state chemistry graduation exam, four received 100 points each, and their overall average score was 97.63 points.
According to the teacher, such achievements are neither the result of a lucky coincidence nor the result of the last months of exam preparation. Solid chemistry foundations are formed over many years, so the highest scores are determined by constant work, student responsibility, and the ability to learn independently.
S. Stimburienė emphasizes that high results in chemistry cannot be achieved by starting to study purposefully only in the last year. The teacher’s role in this process is not only to convey subject knowledge but also to help the student understand what is expected of them, show how to learn, and create an environment where they are not afraid to ask questions, make mistakes, and seek answers.
Working under the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, S. Stimburienė notes that it pays particular attention to student independence and responsibility. The student plans their own learning, is curious, reads, and takes responsibility for the result, while the teacher becomes a guide in their learning process.
The teacher applies this experience also when working under the national program. The IB teaching materials, tasks, and methods help students not only learn difficult subjects but also better understand and apply them practically.
Two out of eleven: strong foundations cultivate success in biology
Out of eleven biology hundreds in Lithuania, two are at Klaipėda Lyceum, with the average result of students in the state biology graduation exam reaching 91.6 points this year. This achievement stands out nationally: only eleven students in all of Lithuania received the highest score, and about 15% of those who took the exam failed it.
According to biology teacher expert Ingrida Rimkienė, the exam is difficult due to the broad scope of the course, so material read at the last moment is not enough for a good result. Time is needed not only to acquire knowledge but also to consolidate and apply it practically.
“I think that the exam results this year were also influenced by the attitude that the biology exam is easy – I will read before the exam and pass. Unfortunately, this is not the case. To achieve a good result, you need to prepare consistently,” says I. Rimkienė.
According to the teacher, the student’s relationship with biology and motivation are formed much earlier than in the final classes. Foundations of the subject are created in grades 5–8, and from grade 9 students can choose the biomedical direction and study biology and chemistry in depth. This allows them to try out the chosen field earlier, assess whether it suits them, and purposefully prepare for exams in higher grades.
The preparation of students is also supported by I. Rimkienė’s long experience – she worked as a state biology graduation exam evaluator for 19 years, so she knows well the exam requirements and what is expected from the student. However, the teacher emphasizes that accumulated experience alone is not enough: the teacher must also constantly learn and follow changes in programs and assessment.
The IB experience is also useful in national program lessons. The biology course in this program is broader and deeper, with more attention paid to independent work, research, and practical application of knowledge. I. Rimkienė applies IB teaching materials, tasks, and methods also to national program students.
“IB exams are calmer – what you learn is what they ask you. The student knows what is expected of them, and the assessment instructions are clear and stable,” describes I. Rimkienė the difference between the programs.
More than 80 points: in mathematics, it is important not to be afraid to make mistakes
Although Klaipėda Lyceum does not select students based on their academic achievements, the average results of graduates in the state mathematics graduation exam have exceeded 80 points for many years. This year, the national program students were prepared for the mathematics exam by teacher experts Rasa Karapetian and Jūratė Gedminienė. The overall average score of their prepared students was 81.83 points.
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According to R. Karapetian, who has worked at the Lyceum for 14 years, not only the overall result is important but also the progress of each student.
“We are most pleased when we manage to motivate a student who finds mathematics difficult and help them achieve more than they expected from themselves. This shows that the result depends not only on talent but also on perseverance and responsible work,” says the teacher.
The Lyceum takes into account the different needs of students: consultations are organized for some, and additional opportunities are created for those who want to study more deeply. An important factor is also the trust-based relationship between teacher and student, which helps to view failure not as a reason to give up but as an opportunity to understand mistakes and try again.
R. Karapetian emphasizes that the teacher must also constantly learn – analyze changing exam tasks, look for new teaching methods, and use the IB program experience and technologies. However, the final result also depends on the student’s efforts, responsibility, and courage to make mistakes.
International Baccalaureate experience – a strength also for the national program
The average exam results of Klaipėda Lyceum IB graduates have exceeded the global average of this program for five consecutive years. The Lyceum is the first and only school in Lithuania where both the national and IB programs are implemented from grades 1 to 12. This allows the experience accumulated in one education system to be applied in the other.
J. Gedminienė, who has long experience working in the national education system, views the IB program as an opportunity for professional growth. Working under both programs, she sees not their competition but the possibility to combine the strongest elements of different education systems.
“The IB experience provides more opportunities to diversify teaching in the national program – you can use different types of tasks, their ideas, and methods,” says the teacher.
The IB program pays much attention to independence: students learn to analyze material, connect knowledge, argue, and take responsibility for their learning. J. Gedminienė applies these principles also when preparing national program students. According to the teacher, the overall high mathematics exam result was contributed to by different types of tasks, consistent linking of topics, and encouragement of independent learning.
Hundreds do not start in the twelfth grade
At Klaipėda Lyceum, exam results are evaluated as part of a broader educational process. The school’s strategy goal is to help each student achieve personal progress, taking into account their abilities, needs, and individual starting point.
“Each child’s success is not a declaration for us. It is a consistent path: the student first learns according to their abilities, discovering strengths and getting to know themselves better, and later consciously chooses the direction that best matches their abilities, interests, and future plans,” says Dr. Regina Kontautienė, Chair of the Board and Head of Education at Klaipėda Lyceum.
This path at Klaipėda Lyceum starts from preschool education and continues consistently until graduation from high school. Teachers of different levels collaborate so that the knowledge and skills acquired each year become the foundation for further learning.
From grade 9, students can choose one of the additional science direction programs – biomedical, engineering, social sciences, arts, or another. Subjects important for the chosen field are studied in depth, so the student can better understand their strengths and purposefully prepare for future exams in advance.
According to R. Kontautienė, it is precisely such a consistent educational path that makes high scores not a random achievement but the result of long-term and coherent education.
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