Snejana Iovtcheva
program coordinator and teacher
snejana@bg-school.org
A holiday is when we are all together, when it is colorful, when we create and when we talk about loved ones. Furthermore, this way learning happens without us even realizing that we are in a lesson.
How to hold the scissors correctly, how much glue should we put on the Snowman's nose, how to artistically arrange the stickers on the card, how big should the middle ball of the snowman be? Should we put a ribbon on top of the Christmas tree or would it be better with a star?
Do you also know how to design and write a greeting card and how to address an envelope? And how long does it take for a letter to travel to Bulgaria?
What if we sell the Christmas cards and collect money that we will send to a Bulgarian foundation?....These are just some of the questions that students ask and answer in the Saturday classes in the Bulgarian school.
The curriculum guides are: practice motor skills and the alphabet in the preschool groups, practice writing and reading in first and second grade, practice social engagement, general culture, …. And everything should be in Bulgarian!
Yes, everything is clearly written in the teacher's guide, but it is somewhat dry and gray. Then here comes the role of teachers and parents. They are the ones who turn the gray curriculum into colorful practice and the dry matter into lively lessons. It is the teachers who fill the school hours with spirit and dynamism, cultivate study habits, teach culture, traditions and belonging.
The Christmas cards are part of the learning activities that we do at the Bulgarian Saturday School every school year. The projects are always different and unique, and the results and emotions are always cheerful and invigorating!
Let us open the doors of each classroom by using some photos. Starting with the three preschool groups of Ms. Darina Tsonevska, who wrote:
"Today at school we worked on Christmas and New Year cards. In the smallest year groups, assistants and parents play a major role for the success of the project. Ella Shishkova, assistant teacher of the youngest students, designed the cards and thoroughly explained to the children the materials that would be used. We also discussed why we make and send cards ahead of the upcoming holiday, and who will receive the cards. We talked about grandparents, uncles and aunts, friends and, of course, good old man Santa Claus. Assistant teachers Dara, Nasi and Vicky had fun as they not only exercised their creativity, but also very purposefully talked to the students and enriched their language skills. The whole process was accompanied by the wonderful Bulgarian Christmas and New Year songs. I am incredibly grateful to the assistant teachers and the parents for creating the cozy atmosphere in our classrooms."
In the Kindergarten room of Mrs. Irene Hristov, the children worked on an original braid in the shape of a Christmas tree. The little craftsmen did an excellent job, and the results are perfect Christmas cards!
In our second Kindergarten room the children worked with Mrs Zornitsa Vodenska and assistant Ivanina. We thank our passionate parent organization for once again organizing and making the card workshop possible for all classes.
The first graders with Mrs. Kristina Georgieva and assistant Deya worked on an array of card designs. Yet, what the children enjoyed the most is inviting their parents to their classrooms and sharing part of their Saturday lesson with them.
The second graders with Mrs. Snejana and assistant Martin made an entire exhibition of Christmas cards. The students not only designed the cards, but also wrote wonderful Christmas and New Year wishes. Grandmothers, grandfathers, beloved friends, cousins, aunts and uncles from Bulgaria will be delighted to receive joyful mail from Boston.
Third grade with Mrs. Svetlana and assistant Vili created their own original designs, and wrote Christmas and New Year's greetings. Writing cards and composing short greetings is a wonderful social skill that is in danger of disappearing if we don't pass it on to children in today's fast-paced electronic world.
The middle school classes also eagerly joined the Christmas cards manufacture. Most of them have been part of the school for a long time. Nevertheless, the annual Christmas workshops are still one of their favorite times of the school year.
The Bulgarian Saturday School is more than a school for the Bulgarian language, it is a gathering center of a cultural community. It is the place where we meet, make friends and rediscover ourselves. This is the world we create for our children. It is a space created by us, who came here with memories and experience from Bulgaria and we invite those who are born here to connect with a language and a culture that is far away. The universal mission of every parent is to create and provide an opportunity for their children's development. And we invite the children to discover their unique cultural opportunity, to believe that they can learn a new language, and one day take over the mission as their own. The children of this generation of migrants are children who identify with several cultures and several languages. When we as parents create this opportunity for them through the Bulgarian school and cultural center, we allow them to grow resilient and to learn to adapt and think creatively and outside the box.