Learning by playing is a teaching method popularized three centuries ago by the Polish Enlightenment poet Ignacy Krasicki and successfully applied in General Education School Complex with Integrated Classes no. 5 in Krakow. The sixth edition of an educational project “Słoneczna InteGRAcja” (Sunny Integration) recently just finished.
The initiative, which was supported by ArcelorMittal Poland, is aimed at promoting the heritage of Nowa Huta district among local society and at bringing closer to the youngest citizens the history of the place they live in. Exploration of the historical sites, interesting buildings and monuments will help children to establish an emotional bond with their close neighbourhood and the district.
The sixth edition of the project, under the theme “Conversation about freedom”, was organized, as in previous years, by General Education School Complex with Integrated Classes no. 5 in Krakow, “Szersze Horyzonty” (Wider Horizons) Association and the Historic Museum of the City of Krakow – Nowa Huta History Unit. In total, 650 pupils from 8 kindergartens and 6 primary schools from Krakow participated in the event.
Children attended educational classes entitled “Eat, what do you want?! – a freedom of choice” and art workshops on the topic of freedom. They also visited the latest exhibition at the Historic Museum of the City of Krakow – Nowa Huta History named “Bufet pod kombinatem” (Buffet at the steel plant) where they were shown how the former restaurants and coffeehouses looked like, as well as the old canteens located inside of the plant and the steelworkers' restaurant Kasyno.
In the second phase of the project pre-schoolers and the youngest children were invited to demonstrated their creativity by participating in the art contest and to illustrate the theme: “the world of our choices”. – All works submitted were well thought, innovative and beautifully designed – underlines Iwona Cichecka – Jusińska, one of the originators of the Sunny Integration event.
The gala ceremony for the youngest participants was held at Primary School with Integrated Classes no 105 in Słoneczne housing estate in Krakow. Children received awards and gifts which will help them to develop their learning, creativity as well as manual and artistic talents.
A special award in “the world of our choices” contest was given to children from Kindergarten no 104 in Hutnicze housing estate for their work “I choose Nowa Huta”, illustrating their affection for the place where they live in.
The initiators of the Sunny Integration event are not excluding the possibility of continuing the project next year and to organize equally engaging and interesting activities for the youngest Cracovians.
