13th issue of Gazeta Monneta
I have been wondering what title and theme to give to the current, 13th issue of Gazeta Monneta. It is a common belief that the number thirteen is unlucky. People dread Friday the 13th, and hotels often lack the 13th floor. What a hellish number, indeed.
Or maybe one could approach this subject perversely. Most people, including me, do not care much about numbers and keep their feet firmly on the ground. Happiness is important to me. Sometimes when I approach others with a smile, I see surprised faces. They ask me why I am so happy today, and it always surprises me. I remember my first stay in the USA, constant smiles and friendly gestures. Americans are like that. They enjoy the moment, they are nice and polite, and they always say please and thank you. You will say that this behaviour is artificial and that it is exaggerated. Yet, in my opinion, reciprocated smiles, kindness, and nice service in a store can change our day for the better.
I, too, get up on the wrong side of the bed from time to time. However, I am able to overcome it. I enter the school with a smile. I start my classes by greeting my students and looking them kindly in the eyes. Sometimes, they look back gloomy. Usually, they look back sleepy, and maybe a little scared of the upcoming test. More and more often, they look back sad.
What makes it so that I do not always find happiness in students’ glances? Is it some contemporary pursuit of the ideal, a perfect body and perfect grades? Has the development of technology taken away our joy from simple everyday experiences, such as seeing beautiful leaves in the park, feeling a warm gust of wind, and enjoying the smile of a friendly person? Are there any appropriate role models, supportive parents, and friendly and helpful mates in our students’ lives?
Various questions pop into my head when I see sadness and feel that a child is not happy. I think that we can all do something about it. As IB teachers, we can promote good attitudes, kindness, and care among students, as well as foster their agency and independence. Our students can work on a number of interesting projects. Last year, for example, there was MISME, an amazing music festival created entirely our students. Finally, quite a lot of parents discuss with teachers their children’s well-being over their grades and academic performance.
Gazeta Monneta also makes people happy. My desire has been to create a magazine where students would find their own space, catch the journalism bug, and develop not only their language skills but also their passions. And they continue to write and surprise me with their curiosity, involvement and knowledge. In this 13th issue, you will find poems by our youngest writers, a lot of interesting reviews, and reflections on happiness, religion and global politics. There is even an article by a student about the Belarusian opposition’s fight for freedom. I am glad that so many of our students have contributed to the latest issue. I am truly happy. I wish you all an enjoyable read.
Aleksander Jarnicki
Editor-in-chief of Gazeta Monneta
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