Our visit to Poland

Written by Mrs Goode teacher from England:

To have had the opportunity of being involved with this international link has been an extremely enlightening experience!

Travelling to Poland, to an environment of tall tenement buildings, bendy buses and crowded trams within a landscape of pine and birch forest, was metaphorically like stepping through the wardrobe in ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.

The hospitality, generosity and warmth of the Polish teachers and staff, was instantly very welcoming, removing straight away any potential barriers. 

The atmosphere in Czeladz’ Special School was happy and friendly and all the children were smiley and communicative.  Standards and expectations are obviously high, and we saw some outstanding performances by the children -and teachers! (aim high whatever the difficulties and disabilities)

We were shown around the kindergarten, nearby, where each class of little ones also performed, in their circle, a repertoire of action songs.

The following day we travelled to Bedzin to a Secondary School – famously attended by the greatest Polish multifaceted artist – Stanislaw Wyspianski (1869 – 1907) – playwright, painter and poet. His legacy lives on, and together with the connection to the local theatre, the pupils are highly creative and motivated.  They showed us their promotional “Lipdub” video. Go to You Tube and punch in LIPDUB II LO “WYSPIANSKI” BEDZIN    It’s a must! (Also punch in Double E ,afterwards.) It just illustrates how the young in Europe, and probably the world round, are on the same wave length!

The next steps for activities in the Comenius project were discussed, and involves the children in Poland, Spain, Italy and England, presenting posters, DVDs and a recipe book on our chosen topics – Local food! Local festivals, old working tools and a video of traditional song and dance so there is a lot to keep teaching and learning- very European!