Suzanne

Vega is her name. As she is going onstage in Warsaw this weekend, we dearly regret not being able to see her in the the flesh. The radio concert, we can’t afford to miss it, will have to take us there. She is special in many respects. In a way it’s a wonder how she has managed to survive in a very cynical, macho industry, where everybody pushes their way through, without that prima donna attitude you usually get.
As teachers, we’ve had a secret relationship with Suzanne for nearly twenty years. Through little occasional trysts. In the classroom! With her seemingly simple music and lyrics she has offered us her unpretentious persona, wit, reflective mind, numerous mini-stories, the sensitivity and warmth of a wiser, older sister we’ve never had and always missed. ‘Luka’ and ‘Tom’s Diner’ have invariably been on our list of classic, song-based lessons.
One of the students, old enough to be her grown-up daughter, recently remarked while visualising ‘Luka’ at a lesson: ‘Funny, I’ve heard it so many times and always thought of it as a happy song, but it isn’t.’

In Liverpool (.mp3 approx. 4.3MB)

Seeing them grow and learn

When I first entered a classroom to have a lesson with my first children group more than two years ago now, little did I know of what teaching children is like. Ewa, Monika, Bartek and Kuba were barely able to sit still for more than 5 minutes, always eager to say something, not necessarily in English. However, they taught me a lot. They gave me lessons in patience and creativity, among other things. I learned how to make them feel that they were playing a game, while, in fact, they were learning something new. The end of the year came with “The Police Station” and “The Robbery” sketches played in front of the parents, proud to see their children speaking in English.
After summer holidays, to my great surprise, all of a sudden they seemed to understand anything I said to them in English. That year Daria and two sisters, Anita and Emila, joined the group. This time we closed the school year with “Enormous Crocodile” on the stage of Theatre Academy and the audience was much bigger than just proud parents.
Last September the group welcomed two more students – Anita and Andrew, so there are ten of us now altogether.
Looking at the photo I wonder what the future holds for them. Will they land a place at a renowned university in Poland, like Kasia (who is, by the way, Andrew’s sister) or abroad, like Ania? Will they stay in Bialystok, or will they move elsewhere? Whatever they choose on their path, the world of English will definitely stand open to them. (basia_t)

My first children’s group

Striving for perfection

I have heard my calling. My calling tells me to move, search and develop. So, I’m off for England, for a teacher training course. Even though I hate the very thought of airports, coaches and such things, I believe it’s worth it. I’ll be back in two weeks’ time, with a new brain to teach. Keep your fingers crossed. (michał_t)

Dedicated to …

… all our students and teachers, for a good start. Two little stories and a lullaby for the atumn.

An old pilgrim was making his way to the Himalayan Mountains in the bitter cold of winter when it began to rain.
An innkeeper said to him, “How will you ever get there in this kind of weather, my good man?”
The old man answered cheerfully, “My heart got there first, so it is easy for the rest of me to follow.”

A women dreamed she walked into a brand new shop in the marketplace and, to her surprise, found God behind the counter.
“What do you sell here?” she asked.
“Everything your heart desires,” said God.
Hardly daring to believe what she was hearing, the women decided to ask for the best things a human being could wish for. “I want peace of mind, and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear,” she said. Then as an afterthought, she added, “Not just for me. For everyone on earth.”
God smiled, “I think you’ve got me wrong, my dear,” he said. “We don’t sell fruits here. Only seeds.”

British_folk_gem (.mp3 approx. 2.9MB)