The promotion of Polish kinder gardens from Vilnius

For the first time, Polish kinder gardens and Polish kinder garden groups from Vilnius had an opportunity to present themselves and get through to a great number of parents. Today, the First Forum of Polish Kinder Gardens from Vilnius took place in the Community Centre of Poland in Vilnius.

The forum was organized by the councillors from AWPL Party from Vilnius and the Association of Polish Schools’ Teachers in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” (“School Matrix”). It was organized within the confines of the jubilee festival “Bajeczki z przedszkolnej półeczki” (“Fairy tales from the kinder garden’s shelf”).

“This year, the Review of the Kinder Garden Polish Theatres was enlarged with the First Forum of Polish Kinder Gardens from Vilnius, which was taking place at the same time as the review. The aim of the forum is to get through to numerous parents and to teach inhabitants from Vilnius about the activity and the output made by Polish kinder gardens. 18 institutions reported to the review, so, in principle, all kinder gardens where there are Polish groups.” – said, Józef Kwiatkowski, parliamentary representative from AWPL Party and the chairman of The Association of Teachers from Polish Schools in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” (“School Matrix”).

Parents had an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the activity of Polish kinder gardens in Vilnius, to watch presentations and stalls of particular institutions and to talk to the directors and the workers. What is more, they had an opportunity to talk to specialists such as: a speech therapist and a psychologist.

“The kinder gardens prepared themselves very well. Each institution presented their strong points. In my opinion, the forum will gain notoriety and parents will start considering in which kinder garden they should enrol their children. Now, they usually enrol their children in kinder gardens where mother tongue is not taught. As a result, their children will not have a good chance for their development.” Kwiatkowski said. He also stressed that learning in mother tongue is important for children who start learning to speak and express their feelings. It is the reason why he believes that it is harmful for children to enrol them in the kinder gardens where their mother tongue is not taught.

Within the confines of the forum, linguistic workshops for nursery school teachers, run by PhD Kinga Geben from The Polish Studies Centre in Vilnius University, were organized.

“We’re glad that our kinder garden is taking place in the forum. We have two Polish groups and we endeavour to increase their number, since we think that some of parents from mixed families enrol their children in Lithuanian groups. That’s why we expect that, thanks to the forum, a larger group of parents will find out about us and we will be able to open a few more Polish groups.” – said, Ewelina Giedryte, the assistant of the director of the Kinder Garden “Spragtukas”.

While in the hall of DKP, the promotion of Polish kinder gardens was taking place, nursery school pupils presented their acting and musical skills in the room next to the hall. The review of the performances “Bajeczki z przedszkolnej półeczki” (“Fairy tales from the kinder garden’s shelf”) was organized for the tenth time by the Association of Polish Schools’ Teachers in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” (“School Matrix”).

17 teams from Polish kinder garden groups in Vilnius and the Vilnius region reported at the review of performances by young actors.

Each time we meet with children at the stage in the Community Centre of Poland in Vilnius, we think that they are our future. “The future” have grown for 10 years and some of them moved to school theatres. So the continuity of their activity lasts.” – said with happiness, Krystyna Dzierżyńska, the vice-chairman of the Association of Polish Schools’ Teachers in Lithuania “Macierz szkolna” (“School Matrix”) The performances of nursery school pupils were the best promotion of Polish kinder gardens.

Source: http://l24.lt/pl/oswiata/item/22799-promocja-polskich-przedszkoli-wilna

Tłumaczenie by Anna Kwiatkowska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Anna Kwiatkowska within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.