KEATING W SPÓDNICY
Probably the biggest award for me, was to hear my student saying that I was his "Keating in a skirt". And although such comparisons intimidate me, I think that John Keating and I actually have something in common. This common thing is the love for teaching.
--- LIFE IS A THEATRE ---
In my work I am looking for new paths. I appreciate innovation and fresh ideas. They are often a result of a single conversation, event. As my personal passion is theater, (and schools still lack subjects that would allow students to experience art more widely), that is why I initiated and supported a number of initiatives that put an end to thinking that at school - we only deal with books. It is also my way to diversify foreign language lessons, especially English. And where language and art - amazing things can happen. After all each of us knows that sometimes one word is enough to change the world!
THEATRE WALKER
The "Theater Walker" is one of my oldest “Child”. Thanks to this initiative for 14 years we attended theaters for Polish, English and French plays, together with Żmichowska's students. Usually, once a month, 10 to 60 people gather in on of the theatres in Warsaw or beyond, to spend a cultural evening in a nice atmosphere. The project was carried out in cooperation with 17 theaters, thanks to which the Youth had large discounts, which also allowed poorer students to participate. Moreover, the Parents' Council has always financed 2 tickets so that every member of our community had a chance to go to such a cultural event.
THEATER CLASS
Thanks to my initiative at the Żmichowska 15th High School in Warsaw, we have created a class with a theatrical profile. For 8 years of operation, this class allowed students to cooperate with the Rozmaitości Theater in Warsaw. Regular workshops supervised by actors ensured the development of the Youth in the field of acting and knowledge about the theater. As part of extracurricular activities, the children were involved in various types of social campaigns.
The results of the classes were presented at the Żmichowska Amateur Theater Festival or at interschool acting festivals. Young people exposed themselves to various challenges, e.g. street performances during which they recited poems, i.e. "Whispers".
In addition to regular activities, theater classes were also involved in social and charity campaigns during which Children organized fundraisers to help their colleagues who found themselves in difficult life situations.
Żmichowska Amateur Theater Festival
It is a 3-day theater festival, which is open to any theater group from Warsaw high schools. During the auditions, the best theater plays are selected, which are later presented on cultural events in Warsaw.
For years, my task has been to supervise the promotion of the festival, e.g. on the radio or on social networks. I support young people during their preparations for the Festival.
--- ARCHITECTURE ---
Not only does the man live theater, although I know that Dionysus would probably not agree with me at this point! I want my students to learn to see the beauty of the space and to be able to manage it skillfully. After observing the technological progress and the growing demand for specialists skilled in the field of engineering, I decided to send such young people further into the world, so that we all could live more... beautifully!
ARCHITECTURAL CLASS
The architectural class is the second innovation that I initiated at the Żmichowska school, by establishing cooperation (as the only school in Warsaw) with the Warsaw University of Technology. For 7 years of activity, the Youth participated in drawing classes under the watchful eye of a professor of the Warsaw University of Technology, who trained them at regular workshops, both in Żmichowska school and at the Faculty of Architecture. It was the only and the first such class in Warsaw.
After 4 years of activity, 12 people from my classroom were admitted to the Faculty of Architecture in Warsaw, thus establishing the best result in Poland. One of my class students who graduated from Metropolitan in London was nominated for the most prestigious award for young architects.
