Everybody is convinced about how important it is for Polish children living abroad to learn their native language. On one hand, access to Polish education is more difficult, but on the other hand, interest in distance learning is ever increasing, which, in the era of the internet, has finally became possible and almost as valuable as education in schools. This is proved by the establishment and development of the educational project Polskie Szkoły Internetowe Libratus (Polish Web Schools Libratus), directed at children of Poles living abroad. With the use of modern technologies and the internet, it allows the Polish Curriculum to be completed through ‘learning at home’, in which the parent becomes a teacher for their child. Amongst Poles around the world, learning at home is not a novelty. Many parents use this method to work with their children, and they succeed in the common completion of the required material, along with the support of Saturdays and Sunday schools. Parents often try to be teachers for their children on their own, which is not easy. The aim of Polish Internet Schools Libratus is to facilitate this quest through the Web Educational Platform, on which are placed hints, step by step procedures, advice on how to work with a child, what questions to ask, and progress assessment. Shared materials contain lesson scripts and compendia – from the Polish Curriculum subjects.
The project has existed for five years, and more than 1,000 pupils from 84 countries participate. “A Polish child raised abroad and educated further with Libratus is a child speaking two or three languages, conscious of his roots, free from ethnic complexes, proud of being a Pole” – said the mother of one of the pupils. The number of willing participants grows every year, which means that the project plays a big role in educating young Poles abroad.
Materials shared via the Web Educational Platform are prepared by teachers with many years of experience, and adapted for home learning. An important element of the education programme are Webinars, on-line live lessons, moved from school desk to the internet. The classes consist of a lecture enriched with presentations, educational movies, interactive board games and fun activities for the youngest ones. Pupils take part in classes actively, through common task solving, rebuses and brain teasers. They willingly answer the teacher’s questions. At the end of each lesson, there is an opportunity to discuss the problems encountered in completing the material shared on the platform and used by pupils and their parents. For more ambitious students, teachers prepare a series of competitions and homework tasks which are presented and discussed at the next meetings. It is an interesting form of contact not only with the teacher but also with contemporaries from all over the world, which gives extra motivation to work.
You can watch a short extract oflessons carried out so far by clicking: here
Each year of education through Polish Internet Schools Libratus ends with an exam which sums up student’s abilities and knowledge acquired to date. After passing the exam, each child receives a national certificate, the same as children learning in Poland.
Registration for free education with Polish Internet Schools Libratus has already begun, and will end at 6 th of May. Because of enormous interest, the number of places is limited and admission is decided on the order of registration. It is therefore worth joining the project today and giving your child an opportunity to learn their native language, which is without doubt the most important factor shaping the identity andwell-balanced development of every young person.
Registration for the school year 2014/2015 is open, via the website: Polish Internet Schools Libratus
