Teacher Exchange in Biecz - Poland
Introduction
As part of the Comenius Project, Transnational Learning Network, the Romanian group made up of three students: Andreea Nicolae, Ana Maria Tulbure, Raluca Enache and one teacher, Vasilica Pana, spent one week in Biecz, Poland. This European Week, 29 March - 5 April 2003, included a variety of interesting activities such as: visiting the Wawel Castle and the Old Town, integrative games, sports, school presentations, Easter customs, silly games, scouting, visiting Polish families and the final European show.
Biecz - Historical Outline
Situated in the Carpathian Highlands, on the Ropa River, Biecz has 4,300 inhabitants. It used to be a royal property,and kings, during their visit to the town, held political meetings there and signed documents of vital importance for their region and for Poland.
Development followed the flourishing of industry and trade. The first school was set up in Biecz in the late 14 th century. 150 students from Biecz attended Cracow Academy from the middle of the 15 th to the end of the 16 th century.
In the late 17 th century the town started losing its importance due to changes in the country's economic life, as well as fires and plague.
The 19 th century brought a certain change for the better, since the oil industry started developing nearby.
The town suffered heavy losses in population during World War II. In 1942, in only one day, the Nazis murdered 2oo local Jews.
In the post war years a secondary and vocational school was established in Biecz as well as several industrial enterprises.
Conservation activities have been undertaken in the town. Amoung the reconstructed architectural monuments there is the Tower of the Town Hall, town fortifications and a Renaissance house built in 1915, and one of the major monuments of Biecz, a Renaissance house of 1523 with a medieval tower.
The Highschool - Liceum Ogolnorsztalcacych
The schol is recognized as a good state school in the area in terms of examination success. In comparison with 'Mihai Viteazul' National College, The Polish Highschool is small with only 400 students and 34 teachers.
It has undergone several changes lately : a new Compuyter Room was opened two years ago offering studenta new teaching facilities.
Boarding
Being a state funded school, education remains free. Parents pay only for the boarding element which represents good value for money. Boarding can be full time or weekly to suit the needs of the moedern family. It gives students the opportunity to become invlved in a whole range of extra curricular activities nurturing independence and self-relience, teaching students to live with one another in a friendly and stable environment. The increasing responsabilities given to pupils in terminal years provide a wealth of experience and prepares them well for life at university. Supervised homework time and tutorial support along with access to the school's resources give pupils added opportunities for examination success.
Curriculum
The educational system is much alike the one in 'Mihai Viteazul' National College, only at a smaller scale.
At the age of 14 -15 students enter the first year of their four highschool years. All students follow a general programme which includes Polish, Maths, English, German, Latin, History, Geography,Music, Technology, Physical Education, Chemistry, Biology, Religion.
As far as studying English is concerned, bilingual and intensive classes have from three to seven classes of English per week.
Probably the geographic position of the country helped in choosing to study German on a large scale and not French, like in our school.
Besides modern languages such as English and German, philology classes also study Latin.
Classes are taught using a topic approach which ensures that the appropriate programme of study and the attainment of targets of the National Curriculum subjects are covered. These courses are assessed in terms of National Curriculum during all four years and at the end of the fourth year.
Extra Curricular Activities
What I was impressed by was the fact that students are involved in several drama activities which capture their interest and energy. The play performed at the end of the European Week in Poland by students from Poland, Romania, England, Germany,France and Finland was put on stage by one of the Polish students. No teacher got involved in giving directions. It was written, directed and acted by the students themselves. As it was an international cast, every student brought something special, a special flavour to the play - 'Cinderella'. The Prince was a French student chosen for his charm and Cinderella was a German girl, probably chosen for her angelic beauty. The cold and Finnish girls were the evil sisters and the Romanian girls were the story tellers as their English was very good. The Fairy was meant to be funny so they picked one of the German boys. Ading humour to the play and including some of our everyday activities and habits made it more captivating and interesting for the modern public.
Another interesting aspect of this school is the cultural exchange they have with Finland and England. Thanks to these projects they strengthened relationships amoung teachers and students from these countries. The exchange in culture and ways of life help nations become more tolerant and less violent. It leads to better understanding and cooperation.
Vasilica Pana, Teacher of English at
"Mihai Viteazul" National College Ploiesti
