Week seventeen: (04/06/12 – 15/06/12) Personal (FINAL BLOG)

This final week has been filled with crazy Irish fans for Euro 2012, goodbyes and collecting all the final documents to finish our Erasmus experience. Now that the Euro 2012 has begun in Poznań, the city is buzzing with fans from the four countries playing in the main stadium – Ireland, Italy, Spain and Croatia. I want this final blog to be a reflection of what I have learnt and experienced over the last four months within the three categories; professional, cultural and personal. I also want to end with some suggestions and helpful tips for those students who might want to come to Poznań on Erasmus in the future!

PROFESSIONAL

The main benefit from working in the International school of Poznańhas been learning how to include children with English as an Additional Language and multiple cultures within the classroom setting (GTCNI Competencies 8 and 21, 2006). Although I have found it can be a slow and difficult process for many pupils and teachers, the rewards outweigh the worries and frustrations along the way. It has made me appreciate the Northern Ireland Curriculum (2007) and the lifelong learning skills it tries to equip children with. It has been a benefit to step outside what I am used to and reflect on how I teach and how to make it more beneficial for children. I hope that next year I can put my learning into practise.

CULTURAL

After being immersed in a new culture it has made me appreciate my own even though it has its complications. Poland is a beautiful country which has a strong sense of tradition. I like how their customs involve the community and bring people together. I think it is a shame that so many of Northern Irelands traditions are separated due to politics and religion, however, it doesn’t make it any less of my own. I have enjoyed travelling to observe the different cultures of the countries I have travelled too with DarÓma and think it has been the biggest reward of my time spent on Erasmus, as well as meeting my new friends.

PERSONAL

Spending time away from my family and friends I have learnt to be more independent and sure of myself. I wanted to learn to be more decisive and how to budget and although I like to spend money I have learnt to save for the things I need too. I enjoyed having time out of my comfort zone and having experiences I would not have got at home, like learning a new language and travelling to many different countries. I would recommend Erasmus to anyone, and although it can be difficult at times, the positives far outweigh any negatives or difficulties you have along the way. I have also gained two great friends from my university course who I didn’t know as well before but can now rely on and have fun with.

SUGGESTIONS AND TIPS

1. Before coming over to Poland email all the professors of the classes you want attend to register for them. You will have two weeks to decide whether you want to stay in the classes or change however, attendance does count.

2. Travel – travelling by train is half price if you are under twenty six and you can get to a wide range of locations from Poland e.g. Krakow, Warsaw, Vienna, Prague etc. I would encourage you to save a little extra for this.

3. If you are good at languages it is good to go for the six or ten hour course of Polish however, if you are not go for the four hours. We did six and were terrible, this made it very hard to enjoy learning the language and we lost motivation.

4. When you are choosing your university dorms chose either Jagienka or Zbyszko. Jowita has a better location but the rooms are in bad condition and you will share a bathroom with three other people which can be locked all day.

5. When you arrive in the dorms there is no oven, kettle, toaster etc, there is only four hobs and a sink, (with a fridge in your room) so be prepared to pay for utensils and essentials or bring your own.

6. Visit:

• The Concentration Camp, Fort VII
• Malta Lake (in the winter go skiing because it will then have real snow)
• Stary Rynek:- At 12 noon see the goat chimes at city hall (it will be an anti climax however, if you live in Poznan it is a must)

Look to previous blogs for more ideas!

If you are thinking of going to Poznań on Erasmus please get in touch with DarÓma, Michael or I as we will be happy to answer any questions or help with more suggestions!

Week sixteen: (28/05/12 – 03/06/12) Euro 2012, Cultural

Having spent time in Poland, it has erased many of the stereotypes I held previously of Polish people, culture and their way of life. I have found that the people here are resilient and work hard to maintain a good standard of living. Emerging from the devastation of World War Two and communism, it is seeking to become a relevant part of Europe. Euro 2012 is a picture of this emergence which will bring its positives and negatives to the city of Poznań.

The main advantage of hosting Euro 2012 is that it puts Poland on the map. Currently Poznań would not be the most popular tourist destination however, the country has invested a great deal of money ‘redecorating’ the cities: Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Krakow and Poznań to look more aesthetically pleasing by improving the infrastructure and helping the economy.

“The total cost of Poland’s key and important infrastructure projects for EURO 2012 is PLN 80bn. As for financing structure, around 60-70% of investments funds come from the state budget. The remaining 30% of funds are allocated by the local authorities. In total terms, 40% of all funds allocated for EURO 2012 come from the European Union.” Poland Consulting Services (2012)

During Euro 2012 Poznan will host four countries: Ireland, Italy, Spain and Croatia. I have already started to see the start of the expected thirty thousand Irish fans travelling to Poznań and I have enjoyed hearing accents I am more familiar with!

(Figure taken from http://www.sundayworld.com/columnists/index.php)

Euro 2012 will provide an opportunity for healthy competition. There have been many conflicts in Europe including wars. Hopefully this sporting opportunity will also promote Poland’s self confidence, being one of the top football teams in Europe, giving them a sense of pride and self worth.

"Organising this event gives us a chance to speed up development and modernisation of the country... It is also a chance to improve our brand - the image of the country." Wilson, B. (2012)

On the other hand, although Euro 2012 is seen to be facilitating progress, there are worldwide questions to whether these countries are ready to host such a prestigious event after recent acts of racism, prejudice, and bigotry in the Ukraine and parts of Poland. Reflecting on previous blogs on visiting concentration camps, Poland’s history; World War Two and then Communism and now these recent crimes have left the question, are they ready to move forward? Like Northern Ireland, it seems Poland is ready for change however; it is a minority who try to take matters into their own hands and cause problems. For Poland to become more significant in the world, change has to start somewhere, and hopefully Euro 2012 is a stepping stone towards it.

Even though there have been criticisms and drawbacks I wish Poland good luck! I have never been interested in football however, living in Poland and having it hosted within the city I have been living created a real excitement for me. I even got a Polish football shirt to cheer for them!

References:

·         Poland Consulting Services (2012)

http://www.polandconsulting.com/about-poland/trade-shows/

·         Sunday World: A Real Irish Sunday – Fan We Do It? Yes We Can. (2012)

http://www.sundayworld.com/columnists/index.php

·         Wilson, B. (2012) Poland eyes Euro 2012 football cash boost, BBC News, Manchester

BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12908348

Week fifteen: (21/05/12 - 27/05/12) Cultural

Milan

With two weeks left of our Erasmus adventure DarÓma and I set off for our last cultural experience outside of Poznań and headed to Milan. When we arrived we found the Giro d’Italia race was being held in the centre of the city, so there were huge crowds of people and sales promotions everywhere. The Giro d’Italia is a World Ranking, long distance cycling competition and the final stage was being held on the 27^th May in Milan. Although, we had not planned to see this race it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the crowds of people waiting for their country to cross the finish line.

                                       

Before travelling to Italy I was aware that Milan was famous for its fashion, so I knew not to expect the typical mountains and scenery I had seen from pictures. I was very impressed by the city centre with its grand buildings and high street fashion shops, such as Ambercrombie and Fitch, Prada and Versace (even though I could not afford to buy anything, I enjoyed looking!) The building that stands out is the Cathedral, Duomo di Milano, located in the centre of the main square - it is hard not to miss! Later I found out that it was the fourth largest cathedral in the world, taking nearly six hundred years to complete. Even though there were a large number of tourists within the cathedral, I liked that there were still areas where people could have privacy to practice their faith without being distracted by the visitors. I have visited many churches when I have travelled and do find it unusual that there are more tourists in them than religious people. Although the buildings are very grand and made for that purpose, they are now ‘places to see’ on tourism websites.

My teacher in school, Kasia, who had lived in Milan for a period of time, suggested we make time on our visit to travel to Lake Como, (the home of George Clooney, so how could we resist!) It was difficult to work out the train stations however; when we got there it was worth all the hassle. I can honestly say it was one of the most beautiful places I have travelled too. Poznań is very central and therefore not close to any seas or oceans. It made me realise that I missed the ease of travelling to a beach within ten minutes over the past four months, as it is something that is so quick to do at home. However, I have really appreciated the opportunities I have had to travel whilst in Poland! DarÓma and I have  traveled to Wroclaw, Warsaw, Berlin, Krakow, Vienna, Prague and Milan in less than four months, an opportunity we would not have been able to achieve otherwise.

                                       

Bubble day

Something I like about Poznań (and Poland) is that it maintains traditions that bring people together, for example; Long Night of Museums, where all museums stay open until 1a.m. and let everyone enter for free and Juwenalia, where students are given the keys to the city and celebrate for a week with parades and parties. However, a cultural event which cannot be called ‘traditional’ is bubble day! In the main square, Stary Rynek, hundreds of people gathered to try and break a world record by blowing thousands of bubbles into the air. I think this was a great way to bring different areas of the community together and it was evident people came together to enjoy themselves. A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon :o)

Week fourteen: (14/05/12-20/05/12) Professional

The Northern Ireland curriculum (2007: 3) states that teachers should, “plan work which builds on interests and cultural diversity.” My placement on Erasmus has given me the opportunity to experience strategies to help integrate diversity into the classroom as well as build on GTCNI Competency 8 (2006:8); “Teachers will have developed a knowledge and understanding of the need to take account of the significant features of pupils’ cultures, languages and faiths and to address the implications for learning arising from these.’ In my opinion, this is a vital competency as it helps develop children’s identity, self-worth and provides them with an opportunity to feel part of the class, giving them a sense of belonging. This is delicately balanced alongside showing their uniqueness, distinctiveness and separateness from others within the class in a positive and appreciative manner, celebrating diversity.

“Knowledge of the culture and community or communities in which a language is spoken is very important in the language learning context. The learner should develop an understanding of the similarities and differences between his/her culture and other cultures. All language and intercultural competence should be acknowledged equally.”

European Language Portfolio (ELP) guidance (SELB 2003:7) sighted in the, Toolkit for Diversity: in the Primary School, (2007:37)

 In my Kindergarten class our current theme is; ‘Common songs and rhymes from around the world’. The teachers had included me in the planning of the scheme and we decided to use the different cultures of the children in the classroom. The scheme was designed around equipping the children with different attitudes, concepts, skills and behaviours (which are set out in their curriculum). The topic allows for children to form a respect for others' cultures, as well as an appreciation of their own.

In the Primary Toolkit for Diversity (2007) it suggests to introduce a world map which indicates the different locations the children are from. Taking this idea we began this new topic with introducing the world map with the different flags representing the children within the class, (e.g. Bulgaria, Sudan, Poland, Spain and Ireland). After identifying each representative country, the children stuck their flag to the map. They were also all given a sticker to put on their uniform for the day (which is shown in the picture.) As one of the boys comes from Ireland the teacher asked if I could represent the British flag being from Northern Ireland were we can have dual nationality. This caused the Irish boy to ask questions when he went home as he was confused about why I would say I have a different flag to him. The next morning his mother came to me explaining that she had a ‘political debate’ with her son to explain that I came from a special part of Ireland. This experience reinforces that celebrating diversity is not always simple, as it shows the complexity of highlighting differences in cultures that are not always celebrated, but rather have been the basis for division, war and murder. Diversity can be sensitive and challenging and is not all sweetness and light!

In order for a teacher to model the skills, behaviours and attitudes, (like respect for other cultures and understanding different faiths from their own), pupils and teachers need opportunities to be exposed to them themselves and to work through their own thoughts, feelings and prejudices. This is one of the benefits of being involved in Erasmus. It has been an eye opening experience regarding my perspective on education and culture. Although I cannot say I agree with all the methods and traditions I have been exposed to, it has given me a different perspective and appreciation for cultures, languages and faiths within the classroom. I have a better understanding of how to try and grasp a balance between exposing separateness and uniqueness alongside creating self-worth and togetherness. Due to Northern Ireland having a growing population of Polish immigrants I feel that this experience has highlighted the importance of GTCNI Competency 8 (2006), through having a greater understanding and knowledge of the Polish culture and language.

Reference

·  CCEA, (2007) The Northern Ireland Curriculum Primary, Belfast, A CCEA Publication.

· General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (2006) Teaching: The Reflective Profession: Belfast.

·  IILT and SELB, (2007) Toolkit for Diversity: In the Primary School, Dublin and Armagh, an IILT and SELB Publication.

Week thirteen: (07/05/12-13/05/12) Cultural - Fort VII

As this blog might be read by someone who is planning to go to Poznan on Erasmus, something I would like to highlight is to visit the concentration camp: Fort VII. Whilst my boyfriend, Liam and two friends, Jonny and Stevie were visiting they asked to visit the camp and I was in complete shock that there was one in Poznan! Not one person had mentioned there was a concentration camp here and my Erasmus friends seemed just as surprised. I would definitely recommend that people visit the camp as it was one of the best ways to show visually (through models, exhibitions and pictures) some key events during the Holocaust. However, the camp is not set up for ‘promoting tourism’, it is for remembrance, therefore does not have English descriptions to explain the exhibits (so it is important to research the camp beforehand.)

Fort VII was created to exterminate people with Special Needs and disabilities. When you first enter the camp it has memorials inside each of the three gas chambers, with the names and ages of the people who were murdered. When you go further into the camp there are prisons with stone models (shown in the pictures) skulls and barbed wire. The museum section shows pictures and an exhibition of the medical experiments. It was hard for me to walk through this section as I couldn’t imagine what the children, twins, and disabled people would have went through on those medical beds. The last section of the museum has pictures of eight different concentration camps in Europe, each with their name and photos surrounding it. It is disturbing to see all the photos with people smiling whilst doing these terrible things to human beings.

At Auschwitz I had been told that during a Polish child’s education they must visit a concentration camp, as the Holocaust had such a dramatic effect on Poland’s history. If I was to compare the importance of remembering history to our situation at home, it surrounds the question should the children in our schools be taught about ‘The Troubles,’ by visiting museums and places of significance at least once in their school career? Although many people may currently feel that the conflict is a ‘thing of the past,’ Northern Ireland is hugely divided through religion, due to its history – even within the university I attend.

It is important for people to remember the past as it can still have an impact on the future. I am aware that by teaching about the Troubles in schools it can create other problems e.g. religions having different perspectives, (bias towards one side), as well as knowing what age is appropriate for the children to begin learning about certain events. However, I personally feel I wasn’t educated enough on Northern Ireland in school and felt I could have benefitted from this. The Ulster Museum has now dedicated a whole section to the history of the Troubles, which is a good example of how teachers can introduce the topic. It is strange that my Erasmus friends were taught about the history of Northern Ireland in school and I was not!  

Week twelve: (30/05/12-06/05/12) Cultural - Vienna and Prague

The Erasmus Policy statement highlights one of the aims of the Erasmus Programme is: “to enable them (students) to extend their knowledge of the cultures of other European countries and to approach their studies from a point of view of a different culture.” From being on Erasmus for less than three months it has allowed me to experience a vast variety of cultures within a short space of time. It has made me aware of how small Northern Ireland and Ireland are in comparison to the rest of Europe, yet I haven’t travelled around them! This is something I plan to do more this summer when I am home.

This week Poland has celebrated a number of National holidays which has resulted in the three of us having some time off our studies, so DarÓma and I decided to make use of our time and travel. After our visit to Krakow we set off to our next two destinations, Vienna and Prague! In nine days we travelled a total of thirty three hours by train, this might seem like a long time however it flies by when you have first class beds! At this stage of our trip we can happily say we have crammed as much culture into a week as possible, as well as fitting in some fun activities too.

Vienna

Vienna is the capital city of Austria, having a total population of 1.7 million people, who speak the German language. I sometimes found it difficult to adjust to the different languages being spoken after getting more familiar with Polish. It made me feel guilty for my lack of knowledge on languages as it is typical for people in Europe to be able to speak two or three languages! We started our adventure in Vienna with a little more fun than culture visiting a Theme Park and Madame Tussauds (Wien). Although we had fun taking pictures next to all the famous stars, it also highlighted to us famous people who were from Vienna, I had previously had been unaware of, such as the artist, Klimt and the composer, Mozart.

After recovering from the sickening rides at the theme park we thought it was time to explore Vienna on a more cultural level visiting the National Museum, attending an Opera and walking around the Schönbrunn Palace. The Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most important cultural monuments in the country as it was once home to the Habsburg monarchs. DarÓma and I were in awe at the grand scale of the gardens – the Palace, fountains, a maze, and a zoo! Vienna has been one of my favourite places to visit as there is so much to see and do. I am always surprised by the kindness of local people who are willing to help you when you are lost or suggest things you can do, even without asking.

Prague

Our next stop was to one of the seven most visited cities in Europe, Prague, having a population of 1.3 million people. I felt there were fewer things to do in Prague in comparison to Krakow and Vienna however, there were plenty of attractive areas to see, especially the main Square. In the main Square there is the Clock Tower, which is the oldest astronomical clock in the world that is still working. I would advise anyone to go and see the Clock at night as the whole Square looks more beautiful. We had both fooled ourselves into believing that Prague would be cheap, however after being used to polish currency, it was close to the prices at home! Looking back on all we experienced this week it is hard to believe that more university students don’t take the opportunity to do Erasmus!

Reference

The Erasmus Policy Statement:          http://www.up.krakow.pl/erasmus/

Week eleven: (26/04/12-01/05/12) Cultural (Auschwitz)

When it had been confirmed that DarÓma, Michael and I would be going to Poland on Erasmus I knew it would be important to visit Auschwitz during the four months we would be living there. In the past I have visited a concentration camp in Berlin – Sachsenhausen - but was told this was nothing in comparison to what I would experience in Auschwitz. I also think it has had a significant impact on Polish culture and history as I had mentioned in a previous blog that the Holocaust wiped out ten per cent of Poland’s total population over sixty years ago. Although I had tried to get myself mentally prepared for the trip I still felt anxious about how it would impact me.

If I’m honest I was disappointed with how commercial Auschwitz had become. On one hand I would not have had the opportunity to experience the death camp if it had not been open to the public on such a huge scale (nearly seven thousand visitors a day) however; the shops and queues of people distracted me from being fully absorbed by my surroundings. On the other hand our tour guide challenged our group through asking difficult questions and kept us focused on the cruelty people suffered. The first question she asked which stuck with me was why we had chosen to visit Auschwitz, rather than the seven other camps in Poland, where just as many or more had died. She said that Auschwitz’s popularity was due to its survivors. In Auschwitz there had been over forty thousand survivors, whereas Belzec had only two and others ranged from between a hundred to ten. This meant more people could tell their stories, making Auschwitz the best known of the camps. This information made me look at old people from Poland in a whole new light as someone over ninety could have lived through the First World War, Second World War and the Cold War!

Over the day we visited Auschwitz 1 and 2 (Birkenau). Birkenau kept around one hundred thousand workers, both men and women, with a separate block for children. The beds seen in the pictures held eight people or more and prisoners were given less than eight hundred calories a day. They woke at 5am and worked until late, with two toilet trips during the day. We were told their life span in the camp was around two or three months. The guide also told us no survivors ever mentioned seeing any children in the camp, even though some were kept for a short period of time. I found entering the children’s block to be one of the most difficult parts of my visit to Auschwitz because it was hard to even believe. Something I didn’t know was that many Polish children with blue eyes and blonde hair were sent to Germany to be “Germanised.” The guide told us that after the war less than ten per cent of these children returned to Poland because they were too young to remember.

They also kept some families together in separate areas (living there for six months), so they could manipulate them into writing letters to family and friends at home, convincing them to come to such concentration camps where they would have a ‘better’ life. Throughout the Second World War it was evident that Hitler planned to wipe out other races and within Auschwitz alone a single S.S. Doctor could sterilise up to a thousand Jewish girls a day.

It is important that people do experience these death camps, or even watch movies about the Holocaust as it is apparent how evil humanity can be when ‘mislead.’ The camp showed me how easily people can be manipulated to believe something, as well how much they are willing to ignore. One quotation by George Santayana really stood out to me from the visit (shown in the picture.) This experience surrounded an aspect of Polish history that I will always remember.

Blog ten: (16/04/12 - 22/04/12) Personal

Having visitors this week has allowed me to experience different aspects of Polish cultural through a new perspective. Now that DarÓma, Michael and I have been here for over two months, we have adapted to the prices, climate and pace of life in Poznań. At home when I have visitors and take them on a tour of Belfast or Northern Ireland, I find that I am seeing the sights for the first time myself, and it has been same for my friends this week. The first thing they made me aware of was how cheap everything is. The prices of food, eating out, transport etc had become familiar to me and while my friends found these ridiculously cheap, I thought were rather expensive! I think I will find it hard to adjust back to pounds when I get home in June as I spend so little on the essentials here in Poznań.

I had been looking forward to visiting the Nowe Zoo since I arrived in Poland, but as DarÓma believes they are morally wrong and Michael has better activities to fill his time with,  I took the opportunity to go and explore the various animals with my friends. Even though we got lost in the process of trying to find the zoo, I had a chance to practice a little Polish as we asked people for directions.

On Saturday my two friends, DarÓma and I went on a day trip to Warsaw. Michael was also in Warsaw competing in the final of the Erasmus Olympics (which he came second in.) In one of our classes we had been taught about the Palace of Culture and Science, which had been a gift from Stalin to the Polish people, fifty years ago. We paid to go up to the viewing tour to see all of Warsaw. I found that Warsaw was very modern and seemed more suited to tourists than Poznań. From visiting different areas of Poland I can’t understand why it is not a more popular destination for tourists, not only is it beautiful but it is very cheap too!

Warsaw: the Old Town

In Poznań, there is a ‘dark restaurant’, where you get to experience what it would be like to be blind. They give you the choice of four different surprise menus (I chose mood food which is meant to make you feel happier as you eat it) and then the waiter leads you into a completely dark room. The waiters wear night vision goggles to serve the food and explain where everything is on the table. As you cannot see the food, you therefore use your hands to eat. It is a surreal experience and one I would recommend to anyone who comes to Poznań!

The weather has finally taken a turn for the better and will be up to 26 degrees Celsius this week. It is just a pity that the day that is meant to be warmest, is Saturday when we are in class for six hours! I am sure we will enjoy it nonetheless. On Monday, DarÓma and I went to Szczecin and although this city was not highly recommended as it had been heavily bombed in World War Two, most of it has been restored and looked very impressive to us.

Week nine - (09-04/12 - 15/04/12) Professional - Languages in the classroom

During my first and second year placements, I taught in composite classes, and experienced only one or two pupils whose mother tongue was not English. As you would expect in an International school, my Kindergarten class are very multicultural, consisting of children from Ireland, Spain, Bulgaria, France and Poland. For this blog I would like to focus on how my current school copes with the variety of languages within the class and how it is helping me develop the GTCNI Professional Competence 21, p. 37 ‘Teachers will employ strategies that motivate and meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special and additional educational needs and for those not learning in their first language.’ Schools in Northern Ireland are becoming increasingly more multicultural (with a large percentage coming from a Polish background) One of the main reasons I chose to come to Poland was to learn some of the Polish language to help me involve and communicate with these children in my class.

Both of my teachers are fluent in Polish and English, with one who can also speak Spanish (which has been helpful for the Spanish boy who joined the class with no English or Polish). In Kindergarten, it is easier to have new pupils in the class who don’t speak English or Polish, as the children are all learning English from the same level. However, a girl from Bulgaria, who only came a month ago (who can only speak Bulgarian) has been a challenge for the teachers as she finds it hard to understand the directions. It is unrealistic for me to be fluent in every language that comes into my classroom but I have noticed other methods they use with her such as gestures, asking her brother to translate to her at lunch times, as well as meeting regularly with the parents (who speak English) about how they feel she is progressing. However, you can see that it is difficult for both her and for the teachers, as at times it can be difficult to see her get upset due to not being able to understand. As I only teach once a day I try and work with her on a regular basis and have found an improvement in her English through the signs and gestures we have created. Although I have found this experience with her to be beneficial, I worry it would be difficult to find time for this one-to-one teaching in a bigger class with only me as a teacher. My teachers also include the children’s home languages during the lessons e.g. what is an elephant called in Spanish? This helps promote the use of different languages and multiculturalism.

During the last hour of school some of my pupils attend the class, Polish for beginners. When I asked the Polish teacher, Kasia, how she finds teaching the children Polish she explained that only 8% of communication is through speaking and the rest is through your actions, the situation or signs. In her lessons she uses flashcards with pictures, as well as asking them to draw different images and she then translates their drawings into the polish words. This class has been helpful to observe as it has given me some tips on how to help children whose first language isn’t English. I think it will be important for me to set aside some one-to-one time for these pupils in my class so they don’t feel left begin.

Our new topic in school is, ‘Common rhymes and songs from around the world.’ Topics like this are an easy way to promote different languages within the classroom in a fun and motivating way for children. I have added a video of my class singing, ‘There were ten in bed’, which is one of the English songs they are learning. In conclusion, I feel that this experience is helping further develop my understanding of GTCNI Competency 21, by learning how to motivate EAL children through a variety of strategies.

Reference

General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (2006) Teaching: The Reflective Profession: Belfast.

 This week DarÓma and I also booked a few trips! On Monday we are spending the day in Szczecin, two hours North West of Poznan. This weekend we are going to Warsaw with two of my friends from home, (whilst Michael is there to compete in the Erasmus Olympics final!) In May we have also booked to go to Krakow, Vienna, Prague and Milan – who ever said Erasmus was a holiday? I am very excited!

Week eight: (02/04/12 – 08/04/12) Personal - My thoughts so far

The past two weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster. Although being on Erasmus for the past two months has flown in, often the days feel like forty eight hours, rather than twenty-four. When we first arrived in Poznań, we had more free time than anything else, which made me feel purposeless; however, once placement was added to our schedule it changed everything. We now have regular homework’s, polish tests (every week!!), lessons to plan and social activities, as well as travelling, (although I would like to do more of this). The transition from free time to feeling a little stressed had started to have an impact on me so I was very thankful for the few days we had off for Easter this week, even though it was only four days – I would have been happy with one!

DarÓma, Carrie (DarÓma’s friend from home) and I took a trip to Berlin at the start of the week, even though I have been there before I was excited to get away for a while. During my previous visit to Berlin, I did not have the opportunity to visit the Information Centre for the ‘Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.’ This held a whole new relevance now that I live in Poland. Over two thirds of the Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust were Polish (3.3 million), wiping out 10% of Poland’s population. It seemed mind blowing that this happened in the place where I am living. At the start of May we will be going to Auschwitz, and although I know it will be a worthwhile experience, I am also very anxious about it.

This shows where Jews had been murdered during WW2

During my Easter holidays I have had time to reflect on my experience so far and put it into perspective. I have settled happily in my new home, and enjoying getting around the city. The Polish people are very kind and keen to talk to me at any opportunity and I love working in my placement school. I have learnt how to look after myself and budget, as well as meet people I never would have otherwise. I think I need to remember to focus on the positive aspects, as sometimes tiredness pollutes my thoughts, more so when I start thinking about Polish class.
My dad has always told me that I will never learn anything from the easy things in life, it is the difficult things that shape who you are and what you become. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” (Mandela, 1994) I think I need to remember that everyday won’t be a walk in the park, and I will miss aspects of home and struggle with things, but I will only have this experience once and I need to make the most of it. “Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely,” (Rodin, A. sighted in Chang, 2006: 285)

References:

(Ed.) Chang, L.  (2006) Wisdom for the Soul: Five Millennia of Prescriptions for Spiritual Healing, Washington, Gnosophia.

Mandela, N. (1994) Long walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, South Africa, Back Bay Books.