Hi! My name is Justyna Browińska and I have been teaching Polish as a foreign language for five years.
Why is working in education a lifelong passion and an incredible challenge for me?
I participated in many bad lessons, boring lessons, lessons that I got nothing useful from. I also met teachers who disliked students who they considered to be slow learners or unintelligent students, teachers who teach by fear, teachers who do not understand the essence of their profession. In my opinion, poor student results could indicate learning problems experienced by the students, but could also be the result of the quality of teaching that the students have received.
In my opinion, the role of the teacher is not only to teach, they should also know how to really help the student remember and understand a given topic. The student can get similar information from the Internet or by listening to podcasts. The real challenge is to teach those people who experience various difficulties. The teacher should approach such a person with empathy, understand the situation, and identify the factors that are preventing success. And then, together with this person, develop methods that will eliminate the barriers and encourage faster progress.
Satisfaction. The satisfaction I feel when I see people with difficulties moving forward, not giving up and finally achieving their goal. The satisfaction I feel when my students fall in love with the Polish language and it subconsciously becomes a part of their daily lives. The satisfaction I feel when students feel comfortable enough to discuss their difficulties openly and honestly with me. Then I know that I have managed to create a space where we can face any problem together and find the best solution.
Learning is not an easy thing, it is not just excitement and joy. Learning also means moments of self doubt and coping with difficult emotions. And I won’t pretend otherwise. However, teaching is about the teacher supporting the student and accompanying them during the adventure of learning.
People whose native language is similar to Polish (in terms of vocabulary, grammar, etc.) learn it in a different way than others. The situation is similar with the Polish diaspora. Such people understand much more from the very beginning and are able to learn the intricacies of Polish grammar faster. For this reason, the pace of learning in such groups is faster and the teaching methods are slightly different.
Why are small groups so important when learning a foreign language? During the lesson, the teacher can only devote a limited amount of time to each person. Small groups mean the teacher can devote more attention to each student. This allows more time for any questions and to focus on the students’ needs. Moreover, when students work in pairs, the teacher is much more able to offer assistance and help them when they need it.
For learning to make sense, the teacher must take into account the needs and problems of the students. We have a prepared program for each level, and during our lessons, students can also influence what we choose to focus on. In addition to the basic program there is also time for additional practice. Thanks to this, our students feel satisfied and have a real influence on their own progress.
A teacher’s job is not only about the ability to convey knowledge, but also about constantly motivating students to make progress and showing them how to develop such motivation.
A teacher should also be a good listener, should be able to hear the needs of students, and should approach each student with empathy. This opinion may seem a bit controversial, but according to me there are no stupid students, only lazy teachers who cannot find a good way to teach this particular person well. Because there is no one way, one best method. Each person has their own individual needs, their strengths, their fears, their own unique story. Many very diverse factors influence the effectiveness of learning. A good teacher is able to create a space in which the student will feel comfortable and in which they will achieve their goals at their own pace and in their own way.
Did you know that we are often unable to remember information that we hear only once? What does this mean in the context of learning Polish? It’s normal that you don’t remember something, it’s normal that you need many well-prepared and well-spaced repetitions to learn new material. There are no stupid questions during Polish lessons. What’s more – if you ask (even if you think it’s a stupid question), it means that you will remember this information better, because thanks to active learning (your own analysis, looking for answers to questions, doubts) our brain works more efficiently. At our school, we try to create a space where no one is afraid to ask questions and be active during the lesson.