Saturday's lessons at our school were intense and full of emotion, reflection and creative energy.
Thanks and nouns
The day began with a gesture of gratitude: pupils offered their good wishes and thanks to the Headteacher, teachers and assistants for the upcoming National Education Day (Teachers' Day). The day falls on 14 October, the anniversary of the establishment in 1773 of the Komisja Edukacji Narodowej (Commission of National Education), regarded as the first central education authority in Europe. The photos also show small gifts with tags reading ‘Jest Pani FANTastyczna’ (You are FANTastic).
Then it was time to learn. The class recalled what a noun is – the part of speech that names people, animals, plants, objects and phenomena. Each pupil made up their own sentence with a noun and wrote it neatly in their exercise book.
A conversation about empathy
As World Mental Health Day is marked on 10 October, part of the lesson was devoted to empathy, mutual respect and preventing peer violence. Pupils watched a short film about a girl who was being bullied at her new school. This led to a long and honest conversation about similar situations – at school and beyond – which ended with an important conclusion: we must never remain indifferent; we need to respond, support and help. The class also recorded its own film showing that kindness, courage and support can really make a difference.
An inkblot art lesson
After completing their worksheets, pupils listened to one of their classmates talk about the time he had spent with Cezary, the cuddly toy stork, and then entered the world of ‘Akademia pana Kleksa’ (Mr Blot's Academy). In Jan Brzechwa's novel, kleksografia (inkblot art) is one of the subjects taught at an extraordinary school – random inkblots turn into pictures in which ever new shapes can be seen. And so it was this time: every blot turned out to be different and unique, just like its creator. Pupils described their colourful blots and said what they reminded them of.
To finish, the class read another chapter of their set book and said goodbye, richer in new knowledge, important reflections and a touch of inkblot magic.
