"Are we there yet?" - how to survive the last month of school

“Are we there yet?”, “are we there yet” … we all have experience long car rides with little ones in the back seat, expressing their eagerness to reach the final destination. In a way, for teachers, that car ride is the month of June. The anticipating and impatient faces of the students counting the dread hours till the 1^st day of the summer holiday. There is a bit of that never ending stress that we need to teach them just a few things more, that we can test them of just a few more questions and that we can just cram a few more facts in them… all while the sun is shining, birds are singing and the breezy fresh air makes them want to jump and run outside.

Well, a few days ago we, teachers, gave up. We took the whole school out. We organized a Sports Day filled with athletic competitions and prices. The students were divided into groups of 5 or so and were asked to walk from station to station and “compete” in some activities that were prepared by different teachers. Given the fact that I am not the most athletic person, I chose Musical Chairs. Oh, also because my colleague Tom can play the guitar really well J So music and sports, there is no better combinations. Couple of hours of pure fun, laughter and jokes. It was certainly a nice way to take a break from all those last minute tests. After that, the school organized its first ever Talent Show – and may I say I am very proud of my students.  The Gymnasium students did a great theatrical performance and the two boys from my basic class gave an outstanding piano concert! Good Job! 

Škola v Přírodě

view from our cottage - breathtaking

When I first arrived in the Czech Republic my oldest son was 7 and immediately started 1^st class. Immediately I learned that the school organizes something called “Škola v Přírodě“ (school in nature.) As a newbie in the Czech school system and as an American I didn’t understand why would a school take away a whole class for a week somewhere into the nature and hang out with them… where is the learning part? And then year after year I learned to appreciate such activities not only as a parent (because a week without my son was just heaven – an I do love him dearly) but also as a teacher as I learned to value what the students were learning during that week… It was out of school, it was fresh and clean, it was social and adventurous, it was independent and fun….

our cottage

This year, I decided to take my class to such a trip. We chose to go abroad yet not very far to keep the cost at minimum. We chose the neighboring country of Slovakia and their famous High Tatry Mountains. It was 3 nights and 4 days of living in a tiny little clean cottage, eating good Slovak food such as ….. and walking and walking and walking…. Lots of hiking which we all very much complained about yet would do it again if asked J I think the only thing I would do better next year – is to assure that there is no internet or WIFI there…(yeah, the students would cry…)