Sometimes screen time is actually positive. Still behind computer screens, through a collaboration with Młodzieżowy Dom Kultury nr 2 w Poznaniu, a local partner, we began January meeting kids of diverse ages to both practice English and to bring them a piece of the outside world.
Through the English Club workshops, each of our 6 volunteers met with a few small groups of kids to have a chat about each of our countries, to share a bit of our culture and to discover a bit about the differences between Polish culture and ours. In a non-formal way, we showed them a bit of music, food, places and traditions form each of our countries. Through that, the kids got the chance to practice their English skills while we got the chance to learn more about them. Of course, one of the challenges nowadays is keeping kids engaged, especially through remote workshops and classes. English Club reduces this problem by having small groups, in order to offer kids more space to participate and get support.
In between the English Club workshops, some of our volunteers provided a few arts and crafts workshops, which offered the kids the chance to actually do something together in this online vibe.
In all of it, we did get to witness the work and dedication that are put into developing these workshops. We were reminded of how much teachers will always play an essential role in kids’ lives. It might not show results right away, but it surely will in the future.