Pre-IB Class
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Slovenia - my memories - The Image of the Other
Discover Ljubljana
As you probably know, or don’t know :))), recently there was an exchange with Slovenian students organized, in which I was fortunate to take part. However, I won’t provide you with pleasure of reading about thrilling expedition to a cave or exploring the seductive charm of Slovenian architecture. What I wanted to write about is the thing, which I found to be the most interesting during this exchange, which is, or rather are, differences between “our”and “their” culture, which we had opportunity to get to know from the very first day, or rather night.
We spent the first night of our exchange in the hotel, close to the city centre of Lubljana. If you have studied geography you know that it is the capital of Slovenia. At least it’s the only thing I knew about Slovenia by that time and that with my always insatiate desire of knowledge was the reason why I decided to fill in the gaps of my mental map. As I stepped into Lubljana’s streets, the first thing that struck me was the tranquility of the city, which wasn’t disappearing as we were getting closer and closer to the centre. As I later found the cause of that phenomena was closing of almost all cafés, bars and pubs by midnight, which was, I have to admit, quite stunning for a person being used to the night life of Cracow. Not less surprising was the amount of clubs which reached the remarkable number of four. As Lubljana has about 250 thousands of citizens, I quickly counted that for one club falls about… many young people who are likely to visit one of such institutions:)) on Friday night. However, as I got to the club with the graceful name “Ultra”, it got clear that apparently it’s “No country for young men”. My suspicions were confirmed in another club, K4, which was said to be the best club in Lubljana. Well, maybe it was for twenty people, including seven djs having “fun” there, tapping with one feet to the rhythm of music and keeping the safe distance from the other users of the club, especially those of the opposite sex.
Eventually I got back to the hotel, feeling a bit unsatisfied by the Lubljana’s nightlife, but rich in new experiences of another kind, about which and also many more, I will tell you in the next edition of “Kolegium Europejskie Daily”.
Michał Porwisz, IB1
Postojna Cave (Photo No1), Piran (Photo No2:
students of IB: Mateusz Domagała, Michał Porwisz, Gabriela Mamoń, Karolina Ambroziak, Łukasz Marcinkowski, Sonia Wosiek, Monika Kozłowska, cooridnator of Comenius Project in our
school Joanna Pillans & teacher of European College Anna Krzemińska-Kaczyńska
Comenius Project - The Image of the Other
The Image of the Other
27 March - 6 April 2009 Ljubljana, Slovenia
At the end of March ’09, eight students from our school went to Slovenia to take part in an international exchange program called The Image of The Others. We were hosted by families of Slovenian students, who also took part in this exchange, and will come to Poland in October.
Our trip started with a gathering of all of the students from Latvia, Lithuania and Italy who, same as us, decided to become a part of TIOTO. After short presentations of the countries, we went bowling. Although it was a great fun, more important was a chance to meet and talk to the other participants. During the rest of the days we had an opportunity to visit most of the important museums in Ljubljana, but also our plan included one-day trip to Postojna cave. Our group was astonished by the clash of modern buildings and galleries with old monuments.
We were all amazed by the warm welcome and a great trip plan. Also we are thankful for the given opportunity to learn something about Slovenia. At the end we would like to mention that we are looking forward to hosting our Slovenian friends, and showing them how great is our hometown, Cracow.
Michał Porwisz & Łukasz Marcinkowski, IB1
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Saint Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
An alternative theory from Belarus states that the holiday originates from the story of Saint Valentine, who upon rejection by his mistress was so heartbroken that he took a knife to his chest and sent her his still-beating heart as a token of his undying love for her. Hence, heart-shaped cards are now sent as a tribute to his overwhelming passion and suffering.
The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.
An alternative theory from Belarus states that the holiday originates from the story of Saint Valentine, who upon rejection by his mistress was so heartbroken that he took a knife to his chest and sent her his still-beating heart as a token of his undying love for her. Hence, heart-shaped cards are now sent as a tribute to his overwhelming passion and suffering.
The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.
Meeting in Alcamo
Comenius Project - The Image of the Other - Coordinators` Meeting
in Alcamo, Sicilly 2008.
Our school and teachers in Alcamo, Sicilly.
Teachers from Sicilly, Slovenia, Lotva, Lithuania & Poland
Meeting with students of Liceo in Alcamo
Sicilian landscape 
Celebration of St. Andrew's day
A Tradition of Fortune Telling
There is a long tradition of fortune telling especially for non-married girls on the November 30th in Poland. We need to remember that every day in Polish calendar has it’s patron. November 30th is under the patronage of St. Andrew. The habit of fortune telling is called St. Andrew's Night, in Polish Andrzejki.
History
St. Andrew night was celebrated since the turn of XVI and XVII centuries. The main purpose of Andrzejki celebrations is to predict the future of unmarried girl, especially her prospects for a good marriage.
Eve of St. Andrew’s Day
A few ways of telling the fortunes. The most popular way of predicting the future of unmarried girl is melting wax and pouring it into a bowl of cold water. Wax is then picked up from the water, raised to the light, and the girls try to see the similarities of it to real objects. Depending on the shapes, fortunes are told for the following year.
Another way to fortune-telling.
In another traditional way of fortune telling, girls stand in a circle leaning over a bowl of water with a small floating walnut shell containing a tiny lighted candle. Each girl pastes a slip of paper with the name of a favored young man on the inside edge of the bowl above the water. To whichever name the lighted candle sailed to and burnt, a marriage proposal from him could be expected.
The other belief
In another game, a scarf, a ribbon, and a rosary are placed separately under three plates. A girl,with her eyes blindfolded, turns around three times while other girls rearrange the plates. If she draws a scarf, it means marriage; a ribbon - single for another year; rosary - becomes a spinster or a nun.
There are many other methods of divining one's future husband, including the use of a pendulum, tea leaves or apple peelings. Celebrating St. Andrew's Day continues to be a popular tradition in Poland.
There is a long tradition of fortune telling especially for non-married girls on the November 30th in Poland. We need to remember that every day in Polish calendar has it’s patron. November 30th is under the patronage of St. Andrew. The habit of fortune telling is called St. Andrew's Night, in Polish Andrzejki.
History
St. Andrew night was celebrated since the turn of XVI and XVII centuries. The main purpose of Andrzejki celebrations is to predict the future of unmarried girl, especially her prospects for a good marriage.
Eve of St. Andrew’s Day
A few ways of telling the fortunes. The most popular way of predicting the future of unmarried girl is melting wax and pouring it into a bowl of cold water. Wax is then picked up from the water, raised to the light, and the girls try to see the similarities of it to real objects. Depending on the shapes, fortunes are told for the following year.
Another way to fortune-telling.
In another traditional way of fortune telling, girls stand in a circle leaning over a bowl of water with a small floating walnut shell containing a tiny lighted candle. Each girl pastes a slip of paper with the name of a favored young man on the inside edge of the bowl above the water. To whichever name the lighted candle sailed to and burnt, a marriage proposal from him could be expected.
The other belief
In another game, a scarf, a ribbon, and a rosary are placed separately under three plates. A girl,with her eyes blindfolded, turns around three times while other girls rearrange the plates. If she draws a scarf, it means marriage; a ribbon - single for another year; rosary - becomes a spinster or a nun.
There are many other methods of divining one's future husband, including the use of a pendulum, tea leaves or apple peelings. Celebrating St. Andrew's Day continues to be a popular tradition in Poland.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Our philosophy
ur mission is to educate students to be responsible citizens in a complex and rapidly changing world with the skills to think creatively, reason critically, and communicate effectively.
We seek to achieve high academic standards, bringing together well-motivated students and highly qualified and dedicated staff who have gained their experience in the best secondary schools and universities in Cracow. We also raise achievement through increased training and staff development. We believe in examining and applying the findings of educational research, new initiatives and new technology to enhance students' learning. We invest in good modern resources and are increasingly looking to information technology to aid the learning process. We offer specially designed programmes and numerous extracurricular classes. This ensures both breadth of experience and depth of study. We adopt an active approach in teaching in order to encourage personal involvement and development in class. Our goal is to succeed in developing students' ability to work both independently and in groups or teams. Every effort is made in order to ensure that pupils enjoy their learning experience.
In a friendly and caring environment, each young person committed to our charge is encouraged to explore and develop their full potential. A climate of expectation and success is encouraged, as we believe in the ability of every student to achieve excellence in some aspect of life. We want to nurture students' self-esteem and develop their confidence. Self-discipline, the growth of moral and spiritual awareness are encouraged and opportunity is provided for all our pupils to acquire sound values, responsible attitudes and leadership qualities. Self-discovery, love of learning, appreciation of cultural diversity, and civic responsibility are the core of our program.
We want to introduce our students to the role within the community. We strive to provide an education that prepares students for study and work alongside people from many different cultures, religions and nationalities. We want to encourage the will to act in the service of the community, as we believe that an international education must go well beyond the provision of information. It should be involved with the development of attitudes which transcend barriers of race, class, religion, sex or politics. Our students are encouraged to develop qualities of understanding and empathy and our over-riding principle is that we treat one another with respect.
The continuing success of our pupils is a source of great pleasure and pride to all involved in our school as we seek to adapt to the challenges of the 21st century.
We seek to achieve high academic standards, bringing together well-motivated students and highly qualified and dedicated staff who have gained their experience in the best secondary schools and universities in Cracow. We also raise achievement through increased training and staff development. We believe in examining and applying the findings of educational research, new initiatives and new technology to enhance students' learning. We invest in good modern resources and are increasingly looking to information technology to aid the learning process. We offer specially designed programmes and numerous extracurricular classes. This ensures both breadth of experience and depth of study. We adopt an active approach in teaching in order to encourage personal involvement and development in class. Our goal is to succeed in developing students' ability to work both independently and in groups or teams. Every effort is made in order to ensure that pupils enjoy their learning experience.
In a friendly and caring environment, each young person committed to our charge is encouraged to explore and develop their full potential. A climate of expectation and success is encouraged, as we believe in the ability of every student to achieve excellence in some aspect of life. We want to nurture students' self-esteem and develop their confidence. Self-discipline, the growth of moral and spiritual awareness are encouraged and opportunity is provided for all our pupils to acquire sound values, responsible attitudes and leadership qualities. Self-discovery, love of learning, appreciation of cultural diversity, and civic responsibility are the core of our program.
We want to introduce our students to the role within the community. We strive to provide an education that prepares students for study and work alongside people from many different cultures, religions and nationalities. We want to encourage the will to act in the service of the community, as we believe that an international education must go well beyond the provision of information. It should be involved with the development of attitudes which transcend barriers of race, class, religion, sex or politics. Our students are encouraged to develop qualities of understanding and empathy and our over-riding principle is that we treat one another with respect.
The continuing success of our pupils is a source of great pleasure and pride to all involved in our school as we seek to adapt to the challenges of the 21st century.
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