By Tsvetelina Angelova | Fundraising and Developments Senior Specialist
Dear supporters,
Summer is the time for holidays and rest for all teachers. Before indulging in a well-deserved rest after a challenging school year, the participants in A New Way to Teaching program traditionally use the summer months to provide additional support to students and build on their experience and knowledge in various fields by implementing their own summer projects and internships. Among the summer plans of all 76 teachers from the class of 2021-2023 this year, there is a wide variety of summer academies, activities to develop students’ skills, upgrade their own experience as trainers, coordinators and volunteers in various organizations and institutions.
Today we bring you to Lyulin neighborhood in Sofia to present to you one of these inspiring summer projects. The teachers in Bratya Miladinovi High School 97, Sofia organized Summer academy for their students. Behind the initiatives are A New Way to Teaching participants Mihaela Bozhankova, Mihaela Dimitrova, Ivelina Borisova, Vassiliki Drakontidis.
School 97 has been carrying out its own summer academy for several years, organized by current participants in the program and alumni of Teach for Bulgaria who continue to teach at the school.
The academy this year was held at the end of June and covered 45 students from 1st to 3rd grade. For two weeks in June, students broaden their worldview through a variety of themed days, a combination of individual activities and group work. The activities during the academy were varied: creativity workshops, including drawing, recreating cave paintings, bean mosaics; getting to know plants; folklore activities, such as Bulgarian costumes and needlework, dance classes; dramatization of fairy tales, reading comprehension, health education, a culinary day with food preparation and many others.
Activities each day included student feedback and morning physical warm-up. In addition to lots of fun, the academy also engaged the students in a charitable cause – the children crafted items during the academy and participated in a Charity Bazaar for the benefit of an upper-year classmate.
The greatest victory since the organization of the academy reported by the teachers is “The positive attitude of the students, who came not out of obligation, but with eagerness. The fact that the students made at least one new friend, learned at least one new thing, and realized that they were good at at least one activity they hadn't suspected before. The fact that they completely overcame the age gap in their communication and treated each other as equals.”
Thank you for supporting our cause. Your help allows us to continue training motivated professionals to become inspiring teachers!
With gratitude,
Teach For Bulgaria team
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