Táncsics Mihály Gimnázium in Dabas Detective visit 21-26 October 2013

In the second part of October I had a great pleasure to go to Huingary, first time ever. This exchange visit to our partner school in Commenius project was with two students from the second class of our school, Lisa and Adam. We had a very long rail journey – started at 6 a.m. in Poznan, change train in Warszawa, and finally we arrived to Budapest about two ours later than expect around 22.30. At the railway station Budapest Keleti was waiting Janos, one of the coordinators of the project in Dabas.. He drove us approximately an hour out of the city to our host homes for the next five days.

I stayed with the German teacher Hajni, key person in the Commenius project in Dabas and her husband, English language teacher Janos, the person who collect us from Budapest, I very much enjoyed their company and hospitality.

DABAS TOWN

It lies 40 kms south of Budapest. Dabas town is almost 800 years old, deriving its name from the Hungarian word "Dobos" which means "drummer". The story goes back to the 13th century, when the royal drummers settled down in the town. According to new archeological findings, there used to be a small settlement in the beginning of the 13th century. In 1989 Dabas was given town status, and with its 16,000 inhabitants now, it became one of the most developed towns in this region, called Pest county.

In the past 15 years the town has improved very much. As a result of these governmental investments the high school was remodeled and renovated.

THE SCHOOL

The high school is situated in the center of a provincial town called Dabas. The high school was founded in 1964 and with its 7 teachers and 132 students, with the help of the first principal, Ferenc Szögi and his staff, the high school became more famous in the region.

In 1976 besides the primary profile of general studies, the school started a new 4-year-course of postal education, which prepared students to work at post offices, and provided them with a proper postal qualification in this field.

In 1988 a new building was build beside the old one, and the high school became the educational home of more than 400 students. The biggest renovation process was carried out between 2010 and 2011. During this, more than 1,000 square meters were added to the school building, and the whole school was reconstructed. A new third floor was built. All rooms were modernized, most of them set with modern digital techniques. Today school has 560 students from Dabas as well as form the 13 surrounding villages, by bus, cars, bikes or by foot if they are locals.

The teaching staff consists of more than 40 teachers. Subjects: languages ( Hungarian, English, German), Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Education/Sports.

In 1990 the first 8-year-course started, welcoming small children from the age of 10. In 2000 a special 5-year-course started. This is called the "preparatory class", in the first year students learn only the foreign languages (English or German) and they start secondary education in the 10th year. It seems to be very good for those who wants to learn languages and would like to have a quick result in languages.

Main profile of the school is to provide students with general knowledge and prepare them for the GCSE, A-level final examinations and for state language exams. Three forms of educations are as follows:

1.Classical secondary education (classes marked with the letter "B"), grades 9-12. 2.Language preparatory education (classes marked with the letter "E"), grades 9-13. 3.Eight year secondary education (classes marked with the letter "A") grades 5-12.

SCHOOL EXPIRIENCE

The school consist of three different parts. The oldest one, 50 years old, second 20 years old with very nice old school aula and the newest one since 2012. Main building (2012) very modernized with very good equipped class room is great, also this part. From ’80. The main thing which should be renovated and modernized are sports facilities – sport hall, training halls and playing grounds.

Great thing for the students and teachers is school mensa/dining room where all can have theirs lunch with hot meals. Also school snack bar is a good idea. School radio gives a good fun during breaks! Table tennis, and other games are good to spend breaks for some of the students.

Classes starts at 8.00 but students should be in the school at 7.45, classes due 45 minutes. It is a very good solution that classes are not so big just around 20 students. In that way teachers and talk with most of students during class, making a conversation question-answer, also more possibilities to practice with single student. The staff and students were very friendly and there seemed to be a very positive and informal relationship between them. Our students, Lisa and Adam, stayed with students from the exchange school and spent their time as school detectives, attending lessons and finding out how the Hungarian culture and how the school life is differed from the Polish system.

During my visit, I observed a number of lessons, I found it particularly interesting to observe an English lesson. I had the chance also to talk to Hungarian about our school and Polish-Hungarian relationship in the past and nowadays.

Very interesting experience to me was a 57th anniversary of Hungarian Rising against Soviet domination, in October 1956. The 23rd of October is a National Day in Hungary. We participated in official celebration in Dabas and with Headmaster Gergely Pásztor on behalf of Hungarian and Polish Schools put flowers on the local Monument of 1956 Rising in Dabas. Also visiting Budapest was impressive, great sightseeing tour with Janos, including Hero’s Sq and Castle Hill, also visit to Terror Musuem (Nazi and Communism experience) with the Headmaster made a great impression to me.

My time in Dabas and Budapest was amazing and I told Janos and Hajni that I definitely will come back there one day.

/Krzysztof Schramm/