When he first came to a Czech school, he didn’t understand the language. He remembers his teacher showing him the classroom where he just sat quietly, trying to get adapted.
“I felt at ease, because there was another boy from Ukraine sitting next to me,” Bohdan says. “I was afraid to speak Czech, assuming no one would understand me.”
He knew what he wanted to say, but he was ashamed to say it out loud. “At first, I only talked with other Ukrainian classmates. Now I have Czech friends too,” he adds.
Many children who come to a Czech school with no prior knowledge of the language find the transition challenging. Only one quarter of foreigners aged 15 to 19 living in Czechia attend a high school. For Ukrainian refugees, it’s about one third.
When the teacher and the student click
Bohdan approached META with his parents because of his struggles with mathematics and Czech. “I had a 3 in math and a 4 in Czech. I needed to improve,” Bohdan admits. He was lucky to meet Kuba, who helped him be on firm ground in mathematics.
At the beginning, he felt nervous, not knowing what to expect of extra classes. Over time, he realized they really helped him improve, and today each session makes him feel good. Bohdan and Kuba have been meeting for 2 years – at first, they only met once a week, recently they’ve added extra Czech language classes to prepare Bohdan for high school entrance exams. These are often very difficult for children with other mother tongues, and getting well prepared can have a substantial impact on the outcome.
During the very first classes, they dealt with fractions, the most problematic part for Bohdan. Step by step, they started looking into more complex mathematical problems.
“I have a great student who’s learned to see how things are interconnected in mathematics,” Kuba says enthusiastically.
When a relationship gives you assurance
Extra classes aren’t just about studying. “I feel like he’s happy and cheerful when he’s with me. He manages better the stress, as he knows I’m here for him,” Kuba explains. Over the two years, Kuba has turned from a teacher to a person Bohdan can rely on. They clicked – be it workout or boxing, they have found topics of common interest and discuss them as two friends. And the positive effects also manifest themselves in school. “The most challenging part was understanding the usage rules of i and y in written Czech. Now I finally know,” Bohdan says. Today, he’s no longer afraid to speak, is more confident, and follows classes more at ease. “Bohdan is honest, diligent, and quick to learn. That’s why our cooperation is so smooth,” Kuba believes, adding that his student has become much more confident, calm, and cheerful.
Their message for others
“When you have difficulty to keep up with others at school, take extra classes. It really helps,” Bohdan says.
As Kuba points out, this experience has shown him how important helping others is even if one receives no financial remuneration: “It gives you joy, calm, and satisfaction. You realize that you truly helped someone else.”
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