Volunteer Educators Leave For Poland
- PostEagle
- June 30, 2013
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Kosciuszko Foundation’s Teaching In Poland Programs Run From June 27th To August 8th
POLAND – Volunteer educators and teaching assistants from Kent State University and communities surrounding Northeast Ohio left for Poland to teach in the Kosciuszko Foundation’s Teaching English in Poland Program. Educators from Ohio, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Vermont are looking forward to this cross-cultural learning experience.
In photo above: Volunteer teachers and teaching assistants from the Kosciuszko Foundation Teaching English in Poland Program are from left, Carly Simon, Rachel Glogowski, Amanda Kocher, Stuart Simon, Jacqueline Iannuzzi, Melody Rentshler and Jonathan Dick. Photo courtesy of Mary Kay Pieski
Led by Dr. Mary Kay Pieski, Vice-President of the Kosciuszko Foundation – Ohio Chapter and Director of the Teaching English in Poland Program, the first group of teachers and their assistants arrived in Poland on June 27th for two Arts Enriched English Camp Programs. A second group of educators will leave to staff two more English Language/American Culture Camp Programs on July 18th. Together, these present and future American educators will uphold the Foundation’s mission of promoting cultural, educational, and linguistic exchanges between the United States and Poland.
Between the four camps being held this year in Poland, about 300 Polish students aged from 10-18 and nearly 50 American staff members will participate in the Kosciuszko Foundation’s Teaching English in Poland Program. These educational experiences are mutually beneficial to Polish students and American teachers through learning each other’s culture and language The number of recruited American teachers has increased to meet the increasing demand for the Teaching English in Poland Program.
The Arts Enriched English Camp Programs are located in Otwock and the Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego (ZHP) scouting facility, “Nadwarcianski Grod” near Zalecze Wielkie, Poland, and run from June 30th to July 15th and to July 26th, respectively. In these camps, Polish students will participate in an instructional program to learn English through art, theater, music and dance. This experience will also include extracurricular lessons in all-American sports such as American football, baseball, and opportunities for conversational English about relevant topics of the day. To conclude these camps, the students will display the artwork and perform for family, friends and distinguished guests at the Arts Expo.
The Arts Enriched English camp Program is the beneficiary of over $14,000 in grant monies from the Delta Kappa Gamma International Foundation for the purchase of banjos, clarinets, dulcimers, Orff instruments, and keyboards that can be used for years to come. As volunteers, all instructors and teachers pay for their own travel and instructional expenses.
Then, starting July 18, two English Language/American Culture Camp Programs located in Przemysl and Zalecze Wielkie will run until August 8. These programs provide Polish students with opportunities to practice English to help prepare for exams or “Matura.” Students will also experience engaging extracurricular activities where they will use English to accomplish tasks and learn about American culture. Teachers and assistants will lead lessons with themes such as Halloween, American Day, and the specific theme chosen by the camp.
At the conclusion of each camp, the American staff will be treated to a five-day tour of the important historical and cultural sites of Poland including the cities of Krakow, Przemysl, Kielce, Krosno, Wadowice, Szczawnica, Krośnica, Zakopane, Auszwitz and Warsaw. While in Przemysl, participants will visit the Inglot cosmetic factory that produces well-known cosmetics that are supplied in hundreds of stores around the world. The founder of Inglot cosmetics, Mr. Wojciceh Inglot was honored at the 2013 Kosciuszko Foundation Ball held at the historic Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan in April of this year.
The 50 staff members include Ohio residents Director of the Teaching English in Poland Program, Dr. Mary Kay Pieski of Tallmadge, American Staff Leader of the Otwock Arts Enriched English Language Camp; Kent State University Coordinator of Music Education, Dr. Patricia Grutzmacher of Marshalville, instrumental music; and Taylor Snyder of Tallmadge, English language; Irene Sliwinski of Cleveland, English as a Second Language teacher and registered nurse.
Teaching assistants from Ohio include Anastasia Ehlert, 2013 graduate of KSU; Elizabeth Pratt, Junior in Music Education at KSU; Clay Magilavy, Freshman in Music Technology at KSU Stark; Nick Downer, Junior at Cleveland State University, and Lucy Keogh, treasurer for the Polish-American Cultural Center in Cleveland. Taylor Snyder, Senior in Teaching English as Second Language at KSU; Lucy Keogh, treasurer for the Polish-American cultural center in Cleveland.
KSU undergraduate and graduate credit is available to the teaching assistants for their instructional work at the camp.
For more information about the Teaching English in Poland Program or ways to apply for 2014, please contact Dr. Pieski at <apieski@aol.com> or visit the website <www.thekf.org>>Programs, Summer Programs, Teaching English in Poland>.