Job shadowing in Ljubljana
Job shadowing at the OŠ Kašelj took place between May 29th 2023 and June 1st 2023. Three teachers from Turkey and two teachers from Bulgaria took part in it.
Slovenia is a very small and less populated country compared to our country. It is a very beautiful country geographically. It is covered with forests. There are thousands of caves because it is karstic. The level of welfare, cultural development and life quality is very high. There is no pollution or traffic noise on the streets. The only horn I heard came from the taxi we took, the driver of which was Turkish. Almost everyone in the country speaks English. They are very helpful.
The school we visited is on the outskirts of the city. The surroundings are quite calm. Surrounded by two-storey houses with gardens.There are fields that are cultivated 100 meters away. There are few students coming by bus. Considering working parents, the school opens at 05:30. Various activities are held for those who arrive early until school starts at 08:30.
They built their schools according to the needs of the children. Classrooms are around 70 m2. There is a sink. Equipped with flowers and not plucked! The corridors are wide. There is a locker for each student. Shoes are not used in the school. Schools have all kinds of equipment. Library, computer lab, music room, art workshop, handicraft workshop, indoor and outdoor sports fields, playgrounds are some of them. There is also a dining hall. They eat snacks around 10 o'clock. It is brought to the classroom. The teacher delivers. Cleaning belongs to the students. Lunch is provided. Paid but cheap. There are students who help with the cleaning work. They do not pay fees that day. Teachers also eat here.
The school we visited is on the outskirts of the city. The surroundings are quite calm. Surrounded by two-storey houses with gardens.There are fields that are cultivated 100 meters away. There are few students coming by bus. Considering working parents, the school opens at 05:30. Various activities are held for those who arrive early until school starts at 08:30.
They built their schools according to the needs of the children. Classrooms are around 70 m2. There is a sink. Equipped with flowers and not plucked! The corridors are wide. There is a locker for each student. Shoes are not used in the school. Schools have all kinds of equipment. Library, computer lab, music room, art workshop, handicraft workshop, indoor and outdoor sports fields, playgrounds are some of them. There is also a dining hall. They eat snacks around 10 o'clock. It is brought to the classroom. The teacher delivers. Cleaning belongs to the students. Lunch is provided. Paid but cheap. There are students who help with the cleaning work. They do not pay fees that day. Teachers also eat here.
Lessons are 45 minutes, breaks are 5 minutes. Although the breaks seem short to us, the teachers have no complaints. The children seem to be pleased as well because they are having fun in the lessons. The students have lockers in the classroom. They put their work there. They use projections in the classrooms. Classrooms are bright and spacious. Since it is spacious, teachers and students can sit at the back of the classroom and teach their lessons. Students can learn to read and write until the end of Year 2. They do not rush about it. There are more important things for them to learn. Except for the first two grades and math lessons, they use ballpoint pens. They state that this leads the kid to be more careful. In the first 3 grades, there are 2 teachers in the class. Pedagogues are also present in the classroom when necessary. English and physical education teachers attend the class from the first grade. Classes are around 23-24 people. It can be a maximum of 28, if it exceeds that, they have to open a new class.
In schools, they give more importance to education than teaching. The extensive facilities of schools also help children prepare for life. They come to school with pleasure, as studies on arts, sports, and handicraft enable children to have fun at school. The school attendance rate is high and the dropout rate is very low.
Everyone at school, including the staff, understands English. So, communication was easy. There is not much difference between our curriculums. There are 2 hours of English lessons per week. I think it is an important difference that they start English in 1st grade. Using a lot of songs and dances is also an important factor in children's love of the lessons.
In schools, they give more importance to education than teaching. The extensive facilities of schools also help children prepare for life. They come to school with pleasure, as studies on arts, sports, and handicraft enable children to have fun at school. The school attendance rate is high and the dropout rate is very low.
Everyone at school, including the staff, understands English. So, communication was easy. There is not much difference between our curriculums. There are 2 hours of English lessons per week. I think it is an important difference that they start English in 1st grade. Using a lot of songs and dances is also an important factor in children's love of the lessons.
Our most important difference, excluding hardware, is our crowded classes. But another difference is the noise. While our students scream during the 15-minute break and still not ready for the lesson on the way back, we were very surprised that the children here could remain silent even during the 5-minute break.
In these schools, everything is arranged in the best interests of the child. That's why they go to school with pleasure.
Not only we observed the lessons but also, we had fun. First day in the afternoon we all met in the centre of Ljubljana. And there was a surprise for us. A city map and names of 10 historically-culturally important buildings. They wanted us to find them and match.They waited us at the café, on top of the skyscraper.It was fun.
Second day in the afternoon, we visited the natural beauties of Slovenia. Slovenia has as much area and population as our city of Antalya. More than 50% of the country is forested. Green and water fascinate people. 40% of it is karst area, so there are about 10000 caves. First we visit the Krizna cave. It has about 60 species of living things, especially bats. In this respect, we learn that it is one of the most important caves in the world. Another feature of the cave is the rivers and lakes. Our guide warns us not to engage in any behavior that may harm living things and the ecosystem. I experienced absolute darkness for the first time. The cave bear skull fossil was terrifying. About three times the size of a normal brown bear skull. After a 45-minute walk, we arrived at the first lake. We toured it by boat. The clarity of the water is incredible. There are many lakes that open to each other with small passages in the cave. Our trip is up to here. On the way out, I saw one of the cave creatures. A white centipede-like about 2 cm long. Very surprising.
In these schools, everything is arranged in the best interests of the child. That's why they go to school with pleasure.
Not only we observed the lessons but also, we had fun. First day in the afternoon we all met in the centre of Ljubljana. And there was a surprise for us. A city map and names of 10 historically-culturally important buildings. They wanted us to find them and match.They waited us at the café, on top of the skyscraper.It was fun.
Second day in the afternoon, we visited the natural beauties of Slovenia. Slovenia has as much area and population as our city of Antalya. More than 50% of the country is forested. Green and water fascinate people. 40% of it is karst area, so there are about 10000 caves. First we visit the Krizna cave. It has about 60 species of living things, especially bats. In this respect, we learn that it is one of the most important caves in the world. Another feature of the cave is the rivers and lakes. Our guide warns us not to engage in any behavior that may harm living things and the ecosystem. I experienced absolute darkness for the first time. The cave bear skull fossil was terrifying. About three times the size of a normal brown bear skull. After a 45-minute walk, we arrived at the first lake. We toured it by boat. The clarity of the water is incredible. There are many lakes that open to each other with small passages in the cave. Our trip is up to here. On the way out, I saw one of the cave creatures. A white centipede-like about 2 cm long. Very surprising.
Next destination is Lake Cerknica. The largest lake in Slovenia. The lake, fed by rain and snow waters, freezes in winter and it is possible to ice skate on it. But towards the end of summer, the lake is completely empty. It flows into the river with large pits at the bottom and from there it reaches the Danube and then the Black Sea. Nature has built underground highways before us! The lake, which is home to dozens of birds and other living species, enchants us with its wonderful views.
Then Rok stopped us somewhere in the forest. After a short walk, we arrived at an observation area. Everything is so green that I had a hard time distinguishing what I saw at first. This is a depression area. As a result of the karst structure of the country, there are many underground rivers. These cause river ceilings to collapse and natural bridges are formed above ground. After the collapse, a forest was formed again tens of meters below. We go down to where the river flows. The river runs through the mountain. With his mouth open, we walk over the edge and get to the other side. Above we see the area we just looked down on. Once again the river is inside the mountain and again its mouth is open. We walk and reach the place where the river comes out of the mountain. But it is no longer possible to move forward. Meanwhile, Rok keeps us informed. He is a very good teacher. This must be from God's land!
Then Rok stopped us somewhere in the forest. After a short walk, we arrived at an observation area. Everything is so green that I had a hard time distinguishing what I saw at first. This is a depression area. As a result of the karst structure of the country, there are many underground rivers. These cause river ceilings to collapse and natural bridges are formed above ground. After the collapse, a forest was formed again tens of meters below. We go down to where the river flows. The river runs through the mountain. With his mouth open, we walk over the edge and get to the other side. Above we see the area we just looked down on. Once again the river is inside the mountain and again its mouth is open. We walk and reach the place where the river comes out of the mountain. But it is no longer possible to move forward. Meanwhile, Rok keeps us informed. He is a very good teacher. This must be from God's land!
The last stop is somewhere in the forest. We get off. On the opposite side of the road, a foaming river flows down, Rakov Skocjan. This is the place where the river was last seen above ground. Then Rok takes us to the other side of the road. Here is Heaven! A still flowing river. Lush forest and meadows. I was very surprised when Rok said that this was also Rakov Skocjan. One river, one calm and one fast, but one river flowing in the same direction at fifty meters apart! We arrive at the hotel tired with the pleasure of the perfect views.
Last day Beyhan and Yaşar realized that they are talented. Tadeja,music teacher,held a workshop with us.We practiced rhythms and used these rhythms with a Slovenian folk song. Then she introduced us xylophones in different vocal ranges. A talented student of her came and joined us. She wanted us to practice the rhythms we have learned, on xylophones. After a few tries, we performed the song together. Angel improvised with the flute. We had a lot of fun. The CIN Band is on the way!
Last day Beyhan and Yaşar realized that they are talented. Tadeja,music teacher,held a workshop with us.We practiced rhythms and used these rhythms with a Slovenian folk song. Then she introduced us xylophones in different vocal ranges. A talented student of her came and joined us. She wanted us to practice the rhythms we have learned, on xylophones. After a few tries, we performed the song together. Angel improvised with the flute. We had a lot of fun. The CIN Band is on the way!