The Healthy Youth Worker Rut Korinkova goes to the seventh-graders with an interesting program. She wants to introduce them to the incredibly inspiring life of J. A. Comenius – an important figure in Czech and World history. Read how she fared.
The whole program about the life and work of J. A. Comenius is in a pleasant light atmosphere.
Rut is quite familiar with these pupils, mainly from the previous adaptation school retreat. The children are lively, and as the saying goes, “Puberty has a way with them.” Rut shares her concerns about whether this class will be able to listen and cooperate for four whole hours. However, after the program is over, we agree that it was indeed a success. The children were drawn into the story so much that they were surprised that it is all over and Rut is leaving.
I myself was also enthusiastic about the program. I dare to say that everything is the result of careful preparation, a sophisticated program (consisting of historical facts, but also experiential games bringing the historical figure closer to our present-day perception) and also the experienced leadership of the HY Worker with an open, friendly and perceptive approach.
Creating the timeline of the life of J. A. Comenius is one thing. Getting the possibility to create your own personal timeline is another thing. The children were given the opportunity and took advantage of it in abundance.
The program entitled “from Minus to Plus with Amos” introduces the great figure of Czech history J. A. Comenius in the whole context of his life. It focuses on situations which played an important role his life and which, on first impression, seemed to have a rather negative impact: the death of his parents and siblings in the first wave of the plague epidemic; the death of his first wife and children in the second wave; the forced departure from his native country followed by the death of his second wife; the burning of his entire life’s work during the fire in his hometown…
It must be hard for one person to live through even just one the situations – but Amos experienced all of them! As the pupils gradually learn, all these experiences in the life of Comenius were transformed into something positive, and ultimately brought a Great teacher to the Czech nation and to the whole world, whose work (pedagogical, scientific and spiritual) has had an impact to this day.
J. A. Comenius experienced many difficult negative moments in his life, which he, by God’s grace, managed to transform into great positives. Thanks to this simple timeline of his life, the pupils could realize it too.
After the common activity “the timeline of Mr. Comenius” (in which the pupils make a chronological timeline of individual events in the life of Comenius), a very strong immersive program is going to take place. Now the pupils – each on their own – are to make their own timeline of important personal experiences, whether positive or negative.
Those who are willing, can also share it publicly. Although the pupils are about 13 years old, some of the stories are quite powerful. Even the boys, who were naughty and disturbed at first, now talk about their life situations, joys and disappointments, and Rut encourages them and with her approach gives them faith in themselves and reminds them of the importance of their lives. Although some are convinced otherwise. There are also those who are going through an identity crisis or have experienced very sad things.
At the end everyone praises the program and look forward to seeing Rut again.
At the end, Rut gives me a glimpse into the anonymous feedback of the children and it has to be said that it is full of superlatives and praise. I am not surprised at all, because I also leave the program enriched and the life of Mr. Comenius will stay in my head for a few days. I have a lot to think about and I believe the seventh-graders do too.
Martin Stavjanik, the Authorized Supervisor of the HY Program workers
