It’s assumed that I must write about my activities during last week. Although I’m going to let you know about this topic, I can’t avoid to start by going off the script: Do you remember my report from a month ago where I shared my worries about developing activities which would encourage children to participate? I had found my first stone in the way and I was crying for help.
First, I would like to thank to Horyzonty staff for good advices I received. I’m not going to list them here, but I want to stand out one: “Ask to the students”. It’s curious how sometimes, we are unable to see that the easiest way is the best way. When I did put it into practice, I realised that students know I’m not a professional teacher and, for this reason, they are willing to help me. The results obtained are really positive as far as we spend now lessons with fun and the time goes quickly.
We also begin to have a fantastic personal relation, both in homeschooling lessons and in middle school lessons. In conclusion, I think I hadn’t still been able to understand one of the most important issues about non-formal education: to break archaic formalisms between student and teacher. I had ridden several publications about one of the main reasons of school failure sources from impersonal treatment that each student receives. Nowadays, education system in developed countries doesn’t encourage to develop potential skills of children (everybody knows the history about Albert Einstein and Maths subject in the school). Why? We don’t probably trust them.
That’s why my lessons didn’t work and I’m glad to have figure out it now. After this “little” personal reflection, I want to tell you that project is on. In addition to my Spanish lessons in Gimnazjum nr51, English lessons has started last week. It’s a new challenge for my colleagues. I hope that we will share impressions and gathered experiences to improve our performance. What is more, I want to highlight Latvian’s gastronomic workshop and theatre group activity in Amarant Center. First one because it was a great success (congratulations Druvis!).
Second one because it was really funny (even we understood nothing because it was carried in Polish). But the idea about my future personal project came to my mind during this experience and I hope it would be awesome. It’s too early to tell you details, so let me work on it and then share with you full plan. This productive week ended with two events we were able to participate in. On Saturday Ventzi and I went to Saint Andrew’s event in Halkownia. It was a nice day during which we carried out quite different activities with children such as playing different games, sports or dancing. We worked with volunteers from different countries and that was a real pleasure. According to the young age of the children, communication with them wasn’t easy, so I’m wondering about validity of my last conclusions. How far a continuous feedback would work with children who are too young? We will figure out on next chapter I hope. What is more, on Sunday I took part in Art Graffiti Event with Druvis and Kelly.
I had real fun but I learnt that art isn’t my strong point. I’m going to add pictures so you might see with your own eyes. I would like to finish this week report with congratulations to EVS program authors due to On Arrival training idea. It is of course linked to another event from last week, but I would like to share my great satisfaction from participating in it. It was a very nice intercultural exchange where we could have shared experiences with people whose life’s perspectives are similar to ours (the role of being volunteers). I think that this kind of initiatives encourage all of us to be more open-minded and to overcome prejudices.
After all, racism is nothing else than a fear of which is unknown.
