SzkoUA in Warsaw

Empowering Education and Building Connections

Oksana Kolesnyk, a remarkable Ukrainian leader and the head of the Summer in the City initiative, played a pivotal role in the establishment of SzkoUA, the Ukrainian School in Warsaw, which was swiftly created by KIK and opened its doors in early April 2022. Recognizing my expertise in youth education and my philosophy of teaching, Oksana approached me with a request to conduct workshops for her teachers. With humility and gratitude, I accepted the opportunity and organized the workshops at SzkoUA towards the end of August 2022.

"SzkoUA" in Warsaw refers to the Ukrainian School in Warsaw. It is a school specifically created to cater to Ukrainian children living in Warsaw, Poland. The term "SzkoUA" is a play on words, combining the Polish word for school ("szkoła") with the abbreviation "UA," which represents Ukraine. This name reflects the school's focus on providing education and support to Ukrainian students in Warsaw. "Оксана Колесник" is a personal name in Ukrainian. It is a common name for females in Ukraine.

During the workshops, I had the pleasure of engaging with passionate teachers who, in my humble opinion, leaned towards strict obedience, emphasizing memorization, hierarchy, and discipline as the primary tenets of learning. Together, we explored ways to foster meaningful relationships among students, teachers, and the curriculum. Through group discussions, we delved into the value of allowing students to search, encouraging their authentic voices through experiential and process-based learning, and nurturing their growth beyond predefined molds, examples, and practices. The following day, we formed more specialized groups to develop ideas on how to enable the 270 students to respectfully incorporate the accumulated knowledge of their families and culture while retaining their own individual voices.

With the war raging on, its end uncertain, I made the decision to teach the "exit out of high school" class for the 11th grade. We began with Socrates' Dialogue and his method of engaging in thoughtful conversations, followed by an exploration of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Finally, we delved into Aristotle's concept of a good life, drawing insights from his Nicomachean Ethics. From May 19 to 22, 2023, the 11th graders will be visiting my home in Bieszczady, where our conversations will continue.

By joining forces with KIK to aid Ukrainian refugees, I discovered the power of working within an organization while maintaining individuality. I, an inherently nonconformist person, found myself among individuals who listened, thought critically, provided feedback, and sought to offer effective and personalized assistance.

Throughout the summer and early fall of the previous year, my days followed a distinct rhythm. I would travel from my mountain house to Warsaw for educational work with Ukrainian refugees, dedicating a day or two each week to that cause. The remaining four days were spent independently searching for Ukrainian families, children, and youth who might require support. I knocked on doors, sat with countless Ukrainians and their children, listened attentively, and observed their needs. There was always something I could do. It felt as if I were a rake, tirelessly uncovering the broken and forgotten lives in need of mending.