ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION METHODS

Volunteering experiences in Leszno (Poland)

During the past two weeks our internationl volunteers participated in winter camps in the polish
schools of Leszno.
The main idea of the winter camps was to involve kids in lots of different activities such as:
games, sport activities, Country presentations, workshops and co-operation games during the
holidays of the schools.
The volunteers are members of CAT foundation (the NGO which organizes the winter camps)
who are trying to develop non-formal approaches in the educational system.
We asked each volunteer to share his|her experience.

Maxime (France):

Workshop: My workshop involved making children build a weather wheel. They had to draw a
circle of the wheel and split it into five equal parts. Then in each part they had to draw: the sun,
clouds, thunder, rain and snow. They had to let their creativity spark. Following this, they then
had to draw an arrow and cut it out. Then they attached it to the middle of the wheel, so that each
morning they can point the arrow to the weather of the day on the wheel.
The children liked it because it was simple to do, useful and everyone built a unique wheel.

Game: This game is called ‘fruit salad’. First, you need to divide a group of children into two
equal teams (red and blue). They are then paired with someone from the opposite team and each
of them are given the name of a fruit. In the middle of the room a piece of rag needs to be placed.
Then, when the master of the game calls a fruit, the children that have the name have to run to
the middle and catch the rag first in order to collect one point for their team.
The children liked it a lot because there was as an element of suspense before the fruit was
called. Also they had to run which allowed them to spend their energy. They were laughing a lot
and also learning the names of some fruit in English.

Country presentation: For my country presentation I selected some famous fables (short stories
with a hidden message). I told the story to children and then asked them what they thought the
message behind the story was. After a while I revealed the real message to see if anyone guessed
correctly.
The children liked it because they were heavily involved. They were paying attention to the
stories because they had to think about the message and try to guess correctly. The only
challenge I faced was that I needed a translator who speaks english and polish to translate for the
children. Also, I first had to translate the fable from french to english.

Thanos (Greece):

I presented one of my introduction games called 'Thanos says'. The main goal is to make children
listen and pay attention to what you say throughout the game.
The game is easy, children have to do the things you say to them such as: jump, sit down, be
quiet, but only if i first say 'Thanos says'.
So, for example, if I say: 'Thanos says everybody jump', the children have to jump. On the other
hand, if I just say 'Everybody jump', the children should not follow my command.
This is a really good introduction game because it allows you to be able to make the children be
quiet when they need to pay attention, or even just to organise them for games.
The children loved it as it was like a game for them. They even asked to play the game multiple
times. At the end of the teaching hour, when i needed the children to sit down and be quiet, I
simply said 'Thanos says sit down and be quiet'; which the children followed.
My workshop involved making paper fruits with a hole inside. I gave them material from the
office, such as colours, paper, glue and scissors. The children had fun because after they made
the paper fruits, they cut a hole inside them and used their fingers as a worm! They were
laughing because of this. The only thing i had to be careful of was when the children used the
scissors, to ensure they did not cut themselves. I solved this problem by giving them scissors
with round ends and always supervised them!

Finally, I made a country presentation (of Greece) which was based on the Ancient Gods of
Greece. I used materials i found in the office to make, for example, thunder bolts for Zeus, a
trident for Poseidon, hearts for Afrodite etc. The children loved it because they learned about the
Ancient Gods. Also i gave them the thunder bolts, trident and the hearts, which increased their
attention and curiousity about the presentation. I also used my introduction game 'Thanos says' to
make them quiet and guide them through the presentation.

Kateryna (Ukraine):
I want to share two things I noticed while working with children during the winter camp in
Leszno this January.

If you want to play the same game twice, do it in another language.

1.I remember how I and my partner Lediana (Albanian) played the ‘Handkerchief’ game, and the
next day Francesco (Spanish) and Yaren (Turkish) wanted to play it. First, they divided the
children into two columns, and every child from both columns were given their own number.
There was also one leader of the game who was appointed. Number 1 in each column (two
people in total), number 2, number 3, number 4, number 5, and more, depending on how many
children there were. Children do not like something they already played. So, Francesco and
Yaren taught the children numbers 1 to 8 in Spanish. After that one leader dropped a
handkerchief (you can use any type of scarf also) and said a number (for example, number 3 –
tres in Spanish) and two children, who have this number, should run as fast as they can to pick
the handkerchief. Whoever did it the fastest was the winner.

In conclusion, children played the “other” game and learnt some Spanish!
Children enjoy writing their names in different languages, using different scripts (I taught them
in Cyrillic).

2. As for my workshop, with the children we wrote their Polish names in the Ukrainian language.
First, I wrote the Ukrainian alphabet on the board and I pronounced the letters all together with
the children, so they could hear which letters in Polish refer to the letters in Ukrainian. After that,
I gave the task to the children to write their own names in Ukrainian. I have no words to explain
how much the children liked it! It didn’t matter if a child was quiet or outgoing, everyone
enjoyed it. So, if you want to present the country you come from, you should not specifically
show children the cities on a map or give them data on population and area, but to ask them try
to write their names in a foreign language!

Mariam – Sando – Rati (Georgia):

Main goals: The principal aim is to talk about the Georgian alphabet, then to show them and help
to pronounce the letters. The most interesting thing for them was when I wrote their names in the
georgian alphabet on small cards so they could keep it.

Difficulty: Age, as practice says it is not advisable for 5-7 year old children.

Workshop - Collage

Explanation: For the workshop we just needed: some different kinds of magazines, glue, scissors,
white paper and colorful pencils. The children cut pieces from the magazines and stuck them on
white paper to make a collage. They could also use pencils and add more details on the collage to
make it different and original.
Main goals: It is a great way to spark their fantasy and improve creativity and originality in
children. They can think in a different way, use their sense of humour or just try to make
something interesting by themselves.
Difficulty: Mostly this activity is not interesting for 14-16 years old pupils.

Francesco-Yaren (Spain -Turkey):

Explanation: Kids divide into two or more teams and we select a starting line (point A) and a
point B some distance away. They line up in their respective teams at point A, and the relay race
begins. They have to run until point B and then come back in order to allow their teammate to
start running. The first team to finish wins the competition.

Main goals: To learn to work as a team and improve teambuilding skills. Teams are encouraged
to cheer for their own team members.
Difficulty: Physical endurance is required, especially for the youngest children.

Space needed: A gym or corridor.

Sport activity: Rock-paper-scissors game (also called Ro Sham Bo).

Explanation: Set out a curved line (S shaped) using hula hoops or other markers. Divide into two
groups (each group in a single file line that starts at the ends of the S). The first players in each
line begin running on the path towards each other. When the first two players from opposite
teams encounter each other on the path, they stop and play rock-paper-scissors until one player
wins. The winner continues walking on the path in the same direction, while the other side
allows their next player to start walking on the path. The game continues until one player makes
it all the way to the other side.

Main goals: To develop listening skills and improve concentration ability. The goal of the game
is for a player from one line to make it to the start of the opposite team’s line.

Difficulty: Presence of obstacles that make the race more difficult.

Space needed: a huge room.

This game has been probably the most successful one, in fact kids played it several times during
a fairly prolonged period of time. Unexpectedly both team members actively supported their
teammates. Personally, it has been a great surprise mainly because I didn’t expect that reaction;
despite them playing many times (even refusing other games), no one wanted to stop the game.
Laughs and smiling faces were the best part of that day for sure!

Country presentation: Spanish-style bullfighting

Explanation: children make a circle inside a room and two of them become the bull and matador.
Then they start their performance imitating the real Spanish one. On the other hand, the other
kids become spectators and begin to encourage the performance: cheering and shouting.

Main goals: To learn about Spanish culture and traditions whilst having fun.

Difficulty: To understand the rules of the game

Jolanda – Marco (Italy):

Rules: All the kids sit on the floor, and make a circle. When the music starts, they have to pass
one ball around. When the music stops, the kid with the ball in their hands has to come out of the
circle. The last child in the circle will be the winner.

Main goals: Involve all of the children, even if they come out of the circle, they should still have
a part in the game. Create a competitive atmosphere and play a fun game.

Difficulty: keeping children’s attention when you explain the game

We think that the competition could be useful as a fun game to keep childrens attention. We want
to share this game because the result is guaranteed.

Workshop: Finger Puppets

A hand crafting activity where children have the possibility to improve their creative skills

Explanation: To draw the outline of a human and then colour and customize it. Children can then
cut out the shape with scissors and make two holes in order to put your fingers inside and enjoy
the game!

Main goals: Simple handicrafts to improve childrens dexterity.

Difficulty: Helping children to create the puppets and cut holes big enough for their fingers.

Resources: paper, pencils, scissors.

Game: Blind Draw

For this activity, children divide into couples. One child has to instruct another child, the “artist”,
to draw an item. He has to describe this item without revealing what it is. At the end of the
activity, the couple whose drawing is closest to the actual item are the winners.

Main Goal: Team Building - Communication – Creative thiniking