One feature of the Hungarian school system that I have found particularly interesting is the abundance of competitions. In one school year, top students may compete in upwards of 40 different competitions, often in different cities across the country. Last year, one of my seventh graders finished the year with 43!
My first encounter with competitions here in Hungary was marking absences as "excused" for students away at competitions. Eventually I chaperoned, judged, and even helped create materials for various competitions. Once acquainted with the custom, I didn't give it much thought until I attended the "Stories from Europe" competition in Kecskemét. It was one of the most inspiring educational events I've ever attended.
"Stories from Europe" banner above the stage
It is a co-sponsorship between the Alternative English School (the private language school where I work half-time) and the Kecskemét public library. To qualify for the competition, students (in teams of 5) had to first successfully complete a number of tasks online, mostly pertaining to English language competency and online researching skills to find answers. The top scores were chosen and each qualifying group was assigned a European country.
Groups in the 5th-6th grade category had to choose a folk tale from their given country to adapt for the stage and perform in English; 7th-8th grade teams had to present an important historical event.
promo poster for "The Wall Must Fall Down," a 7th-8th grade finalist
The next assignment was to submit their promotional posters. Teams had to create a poster to advertise their performance, and again only the top scores advanced. Finally, the performances were seen at semi-final competitions held in two different cities. The top three performances in each age group from each location moved on to the finals in Kecskemét.
scene from "The Bird Who Knew Everything," a 5th-6th grade finalist
I attended the finals and was captivated. It was not so much because the students performed well, which they did, but what the competition as a whole really represented. So many different disciplines and skill sets were showcased: culture, drama, history, English, etc. And nearly every group ended their performance with a folk dance from the country they researched.
folk dance from the Czech Republic
I am still in awe of what I saw and what a rich experience it was to simply observe. This was not a typical English competition where students are corralled into rooms and handed a multiple choice test while teachers and parents sit and wait. No, this was a snazzy event, and the entrance fee was speaking English.
