{"id":6577,"date":"2026-04-29T20:30:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/?p=6577"},"modified":"2026-04-29T20:30:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T18:30:37","slug":"nothing-is-impossible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/nothing-is-impossible\/","title":{"rendered":"Nothing is impossible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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A\u00a0interview with Dr. Joanna Soko\u0142owska-Czarnecka, principal of\u00a0School and\u00a0Preschool Complex No.\u00a016 in Gliwice, about her passion for\u00a0schoolwork, her ability to\u00a0unite a\u00a0team, and the successful implementation of difficult plans. The\u00a0principal has just been nominated for the Charismatic Woman<\/em> award.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Were you born a\u00a0Charismatic Woman?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Hmm, not really. I didn\u2019t serve as a leader at school, nor did I strive for such roles, but I\u2019ve always been interested in social issues. As a teenager, I joined the \u201eWsp\u00f3lnota Burego Misia\u201d (Brown Bear Community), which supports people with disabilities. We organized summer camps, and over time, I became their commander and then the leader of the Gliwice community. This experience taught me responsibility, cooperation, and empathy. I also understood the importance of relationships and attentiveness to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After graduation, I began working as a Polish language teacher, simultaneously engaging students in social and artistic activities. We prepared performances for the local community, including nativity plays and performances in social welfare homes. I believe that theatre develops sensitivity and creativity. These earlier activities resulted in the \u201ePerypetie\u201d School Theatre Performances Festival, which is organized twice a year by the school. The autumn edition is an improvisational event, and for the May festival, students prepare short performances. The competition is citywide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, has a\u00a0passion for creating and creating been with you since your youth?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yes. I graduated from music school, enjoyed painting, and love theatre. I led theatre clubs, collaborated with universities, and engaged young people in artistic projects. These experiences influenced my way of working with students \u2013 I focus on developing their creativity and openness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Did the charisma of your youth transformed into adulthood?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yes. I wanted to be a teacher since childhood. At first, I seriously considered qualifying as a math teacher, but then I watched \u201eDead Poets Society\u201d and chose a different role: not pure mathematics, but the Polish language, which offers opportunities for personal interpretation and reflection, and above all, for establishing a connection with students. After graduating, I started working at school and was convinced that I would infect young people with my passion for the Polish language, encourage them to study well and read widely. I wanted them to feel empowered, but also responsible and able to act in various capacities\u2026 but I quickly realized that building relationships was paramount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also earned a\u00a0doctorate.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yes, a doctorate was supposed to be a natural continuation of my studies, but right after graduation, I decided to postpone it because I had to organize a camp for children with disabilities, and that was my priority at the time. The following year, I enrolled in doctoral studies, but this project had to wait almost 20 years\u2026 I finally wrote my doctoral thesis on Czes\u0142aw Mi\u0142osz\u2019s \u201efemale relatives\u201d under the supervision of Professor Marek Bernacki, a renowned Mi\u0142osz scholar, and successfully defended it two years ago at the University of Bielsko-Bia\u0142a.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What challenges does school face today?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many institutions, we deal with contemporary issues: children\u2019s loneliness, family difficulties, and mental health crises. Access to specialists, such as psychologists, is also a challenge. That\u2019s why I\u2019m developing my own skills \u2013 I\u2019m studying Nonviolent Communication, I\u2019ve completed a coaching degree, and I\u2019m considering further training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are you doing now besides work<\/strong>ing at school?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Primarily working at school, although I also occasionally conduct training for teachers and share my experience. I also collaborate with the University of Bielsko-Bia\u0142a Publishing House, where I publish columns that offer a practical perspective on changes in education and demonstrate that they are truly possible. I also devote a significant amount of time to personal development,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Particularly in the area of \u200b\u200bcommunication \u2013 I am studying Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and the Process Communication Model (PCM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also travel abroad for training. A significant experience for me was participating in an Erasmus+ project and a trip to Portugal, where I learned about project-based methods. After returning, I decided to implement them in our school. Initially, the idea raised some doubts, but today, two years later, we are successfully implementing cross-curricular projects. Students present the results of their work in the school forum, which significantly impacts their development and self-confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the school community like?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We employ approximately 100 people, including nearly 70 teachers. We care for over 550 children. We form a close-knit team that is not afraid of challenges and seeks the best solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you conduct physical education?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We focus on diversity: sports activities, handicraft workshops, carpentry, gardening, and ceramics projects. In preschool, we implement projects in mathematics, robotics, and ecology. We utilize EU funds and international programs that support the development of students and teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n

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What are you most proud of?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Besides our previous achievements, I\u2019m particularly proud of our school\u2019s patron saint, Tadeusz R\u00f3\u017cewicz. I was convinced that the school community needed an authority figure with whom it could identify. I thought this poet, with his ties to our area, would be the ideal choice. Initially, few believed the idea would come to fruition. I wrote to the poet\u2019s daughter-in-law, Ma\u0142gorzata R\u00f3\u017cewicz, who responded kindly, referring me to her daughter, Julia, who handles copyright issues. The process of obtaining permission wasn\u2019t easy \u2013 the poet himself approached such initiatives with reserve \u2013 but it was ultimately successful. It was a moment of immense joy for me. This year we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the naming ceremony. The patron saint isn\u2019t a symbolic figure for us \u2013 the students care for the poet\u2019s mother\u2019s grave, located in the nearby cemetery. Every year, we also organize \u201eTea at Tadek\u2019s,\u201d combined with an inter-school art competition. There are also beautiful, unexpected gestures \u2013 sculptor Jaros\u0142aw Jasi\u0144ski recently donated a plaster bust of the poet to the school, which further enhances his presence in our space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your plans for the near future?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I want to develop educational activities based on the Montessori method, Kids\u2019 Skills, strengthen students\u2019 social skills, and raise more funds for the school\u2019s development. I also plan to continue my personal development in the field of psychology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do\u00a0you spend your free time?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Primarily with family and friends. I enjoy physical activity, trips to the mountains, the sea, yoga, and reading. Music also holds an important place \u2013 especially Chopin\u2019s music. I always look forward to the Chopin Competition, which recharges my batteries for the coming years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what can I\u00a0wish you?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Perseverance, energy, and an enless faith in people. I\u00a0have many plans, and I\u00a0would like to continue pursuing them with the same passion and commitment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wojciech Skowro\u0144ski
Beata Seku\u0142a<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A\u00a0interview with Dr. Joanna Soko\u0142owska-Czarnecka, principal of\u00a0School and\u00a0Preschool Complex No.\u00a016 in Gliwice, about her passion for\u00a0schoolwork, her ability to\u00a0unite a\u00a0team, and the successful implementation of difficult plans. The\u00a0principal has just been nominated for the Charismatic Woman award. Were you born a\u00a0Charismatic Woman? Hmm, not really. I didn\u2019t serve as a leader at school, nor did I strive for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6580,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1141],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6577"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6577"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6588,"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6577\/revisions\/6588"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/whystory.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}