On Friday, May 29th, 2015, before most people of Bila Tserkva had awakened, 3 members of the staff of Kyiv Regional In-Service Teacher Training Institute – Vice-Rector Natalya Myklayivna Benderets, English Methodologist Alyona Valeriyvna Krupa, and Peace Corps volunteer Nathalie Hanlet- were on the road for an exciting event. In Borispyl rayon, the Educational Complex of Shchaslyve would host the Prime Minister of Ukraine at the ringing of the Final Bell. Prime Minister Yatseniuk wanted especially to observe preparations for the school’s summer English camp. These summer camps are designed to provide a comfortable atmosphere for teachers and pupils to practice and build stronger skills in English and communication. The Kyiv Regional In-Service Teacher Training Institute, together with local teacher Tanya Pryhoda, developed several English language camp activities as well as shared games and songs gathered by Peace Corps volunteers in Ukraine.
While the first and eleventh form pupils, parents and dignitaries were celebrating the end of a successful school year, a group of 8th and 10th form pupils were assembled in the hall with the Institute staff, Tanya Pryhoda, and visitors from the Ministry of Education and Science and Peace Corps Ukraine. We spent some time getting to know each other by tossing a ball and sharing interesting facts about ourselves. While we were passing around the magic question box, created by the pupils, Mr. Yatseniuk arrived and joined us! His question: “What is your favorite food?” got some laughs from us all. Not McDonalds, he said, but fresh, natural food- a specialty of Ukraine. We also tried to “stump” (trick) our group mates in a miming activity “Tanya, Tanya, what are you doing?” Finally, we chanted and played “Baby Shark” which had all of us moving and singing. We all enjoyed participating in these light hearted activities which help us to become more confident in English, and more confident in communicating with others.
Written by Nathalie Hanlet