The presentation of Polish Kinder Gardens in the Community Centre of Polish in Vilnius

The Festival “Bajeczki z przedszkolnej półeczki” („Fairy Tales from Kinder garden’s shelf”), organized by the Association of Polish School’s Teachers in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” (“School Matrix”) has been organizing for 10 years. The Forum of Polish Schools from Vilnius, on councillor’s of Electoral Action of Polish People in Lithuania in Local Government in Vilnius initiative, was organized for the first time.

Polish groups work in 50 kinder gardens in Vilnius and in the neighbourhoods of: Vilnius, Soleczniki and Troki. All in all, there are 150 groups and 2500 children.

On the stage of the Community Centre of Polish in Vilnius, 17 kinder gardens presented themselves, they are as follows: 9 from Vilnius, 6 from region of Vilnius, and 2 from region of Troki. Impressive performances, lavish costumes and above all wonderful young artists, feeling confident in front of the large audience are the best mark of Polish kinder garden’s work quality. Each establishment, taking part in the Festival “Bajeczki z przedszkolnej półeczki” (“Fairy tales from Kinder garden’s shelf”), was given a present from the Association of Polish School Teacher’s in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” (“School Matrix”).

While the review of performances was taking place, in the hall of Community Centre, people had an opportunity to learn about the offer of Polish kinder gardens and those in which there are Polish groups in the capital. Polish kinder gardens and those with Polish groups are in all districts of Vilnius. All in all, there are 27 branches. School –Kinder garden “Wilia” in Justyniszki, Kinder garden “Key” (“Raktelis”) in Karolinki, “Spring” (“Šaltinėlis”) in Naujininki, “Smile” (“Šypsena”) in Rossa, “Green Gables” (“Žaliakalnis”) in Naujoji Vilnia enjoys a good reputation. It is worth knowing that Polish groups are in the Kinder Garden “Chestnut” (“Kaštonas”) in Antokol, “Gelvonėlis” in Szeszkinia, in “Camomile” (“Ramunėlė”) in Żyrmuny, “At the fairy tale park” (“Prie Pasakų Parko”) in Karolinki.

There is lack of statistics about the number of Polish children who attend Lithuanian and Russian kinder gardens. However, it may be stated that it is popular in Lithuania. Enroling a child in a Lithuanian kinder garden, parents hope that a situation which helps their children learn a national language will help them in the future.

At the I Forum of Polish Kinder Gardens in Vilnius, people had an opportunity to learn that lessons of Lithuanian language are included in the syllabus of all Polish kinder gardens. Not only does a schedule include Lithuanian lessons, but also dance, vocal and sport classes. Kinder gardens want children to be versatile and it is the reason why they carry out various projects: language, artistic, natural, ecological. Children from kinder gardens have a good care. If there is a need, consultations with speech therapists and educationalists are available. Kinder gardens try to maintain national traditions, contacts with parents and grandparents of their pupils. Nativity play, meeting to share Holy Wafer, Grandmother’s and Grandfather’s Day, Mother’s Day are included in the schedule of Polish kinder gardens for good. Parents prizes it and they enrol their older children in such branches if their younger children attended it.

The aim of the Forum of Polish Kinder Gardens in Vilnius was to inform parents who have doubts about enrolling their children in Polish kinder gardens, especially to inform those who are not sure if Polish kinder gardens come up to their expectations about the activity of Polish kinder gardens.

Consultations of a speech therapist and a child psychologist were available at the forum. The workers of the Administrative Branch of the Corporation of Vilnius explained how a centralised system of enrolling children in Polish kinder gardens works.

Within the confines of the I Forum of Polish Kinder Garden in Vilnius, workshops “”Różne formy, różne normy. Język naszych dzieci” („Various forms, various norms. The Language of Our Children”) for nursery teacher took place. PhD Kinga Geben, Vilnius University, explained educationalists how to work in the circumstances of polyglotism.

Photos: Jan Wierbiel, Artur Kalczewski, Tomasz Karazo

Montage: Tomasz Karazo

Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/tresc/prezentacja-polskich-przedszkoli-w-domu-kultury-polskiej-w-wilnie

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.